Candidate Responses
What do you believe is the fundamental role of education?
To help students learn the core tools necessary to become quality citizens, spouses, parents, and employees/ers. To help students find interests in different trades or sports that they feel would be possible goals for their lives.
How would you promote rigorous academic instruction and excellence in your school district?
I would work to make sure that school is a place for students to learn in the areas of math, science, english, and history as it happened. There should also be electives that students can select that they might either enjoy or have a desire to learn more about for their future goals. School is not a place meant for social growth as the goal (although that happens naturally). There should be little focus on social, and emotional issues. Although some of that may happen naturally as topics and facts are discussed.
How do you define Critical Race Theory? When implemented in school policies and curriculum, do you think Critical Race Theory differs from simply “teaching history?”
CRT is the view that claims that the American system and government was founded on racist ideologies and therefore is still racist today. Which means that the constitution, legal system, and capitalism is racist and should be disregarded.
I do feel it differs from "teaching history" because CRT attempts to re-write history with false narratives. CRT is based in feelings and not facts. History is uncomfortable for many people and many races, but that does not mean we get to re-write it to make us feel better. CRT undermines capitalism, and favors socialism. Which has never worked as a system of government yet. CRT undermines American patriotism. CRT undermines unity by claiming certain races are racist just because they are a certain race. CRT undermines the rule of law, which will only lead to anarchy and chaos.
How do you define Social Emotional Learning (SEL)? Would you encourage the implementation of any SEL model in your school district? If so, which model and why?
I guess I'm not sure of the exact meaning, but I would say that I think it is a good idea to instill emotional and social stability in young people. I feel that could be a slippery slope today with some teachers and administrators having a non biblical worldview. The emotional and social learning could become very humanistic and liberal in it's interpretation.
I think there should be more of an atmosphere of social and emotional stability in the classroom and not so much an actual adoption of a particular curriculum or model.
How would you respond to the Idaho State Board and Department of Education’s recent dissemination of resources such as the SEL Roadmap for Reopening Schools, which argues that schools should adopt anti-racist practices, focus on social justice, and conduct staff-wide implicit bias trainings? Should teachers be required to attend these kinds of trainings?
I was unaware that this was happening at the state level.
I do not agree that schools should be adopting this "roadmap." This is exactly the "slippery slope" I was talking about in my previous answer. Teachers should NOT be required to attend these trainings. And Tax dollars should NOT be used to find these programs in any way.
Should your school district be required to teach a sex education curriculum? If so, should this curriculum include instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity? Should parents and guardians be required to provide consent before their children participate in any sex education curriculum?
No school districts should not be required. It should be parent selected and parent instructed at home. No, it should not include instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity. Yes, parents should be required to give consent to participate. And even then everything taught should be sent home before and after classes start.
How should school districts respond to the Idaho School Boards Association’s recommendation that transgender students be allowed to use the bathroom of the gender with which they identify?
They should deny the request and recommendation and only allow biological genders to use the proper biological restroom. To allow someone to use the restroom or locker room based on their preferred gender is to deny the rights of all those that prefer to use their biological restroom. Why do the rights of trans people supersede the rights of non trans?
Do you support mask mandates in schools as a COVID-19 mitigation strategy? Do you support implementation of any other policies or practices designed to mitigate the effects of COVID-19?
No I do not support mask mandates for a covid-19 mitigation strategy. Neither do I feel they are effective, but rather they decrease oxygen that causes greater risk of getting infected more severely. I do not support the experimental vaccine and especially mandating it. With the survival rate at over 99% for people under 60, I find the idea of masking or taking a shot to be unnecessary. The interpretation of evidence that I see, is that the proper amount of oxygen, vitamin C and D, and physical fitness helps combat covid-19 more than masking and an experimental vaccine.