Candidate Responses
What do you believe is the fundamental role of education?
I believe the fundamental role of education is to equip students with the skills, knowledge, experience, lessons, and guidance that prepare and equip the student for life, with emphasis on personal responsibility, self- discipline, and academic excellence. These are primarily to support and develop the greatest potential inside every learner regardless of age, color, gender, or economic status, guiding students to become positive, contributing citizens into their family and their community. Students should be excited for a bright and successful future.
How would you promote rigorous academic instruction and excellence in your school district?
The promotion of rigorous academic instruction and excellence in a school district requires unity between the child, parent, teacher and school leadership. This comes through building transparency and respectful communication between each of these individuals, recognizing that the ultimate responsibility and authority belongs to the parent.
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?”
Critical Race Theory ignores and denies the divine inspiration and bright light born in us all. CRT defines each person’s character by the color of their skin. This theory declares false truths to be factual. This ideology misguides innocent minds who don’t see color. CRT teaches that we are not equal. To teach children and young adults that they are going to face oppression or become an oppressor in their lifetime because of their skin color promotes hate, division, and victimism. CRT neglects to recognize one of the most important lessons to teach a young mind: personal responsibility and all are created equal. To teach these falsehoods of character is destructive to our society.
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 Define Social Emotional Learning as the government's idea of your child’s healthy identity and mental wellness. Proponents of SEL call for focusing less on academic content and knowledge in schools, and more emphasis on student attributes, mindsets, values, and behavior. SEL teaches your child a narrow view of what values should be held. The goal of SEL is to impose the definition of a child's identity, goals, how to feel, show empathy, manage emotions, and how to make decisions based on an SEL educator’s viewpoint. These programs are designed to form attitudes, values, and beliefs based on government ideology. Social emotional learning disregards, replaces, and devalues the responsibility and paramount importance that the family has in regard to these values a child is taught. We must recognize the significance of each family's unique values and not give these vital lessons over to the government. I would propose that educators refocus their efforts in teaching genuine academic achievements. These programs rob the teachers and students of valuable time and focus, needed for academic success. I would not implement the SEL model in my school district.
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?
My response to the Idaho’s State Board and Department of Education’s recent dissemination of resources such as SEL Roadmap for reopening schools, anti-racist practices, social justice, and statewide implicit bias training. No, teachers should not be required to attend these training sessions. Teachers should have a choice. I believe these programs magnify, overemphasize, and create negative narratives. They cultivate confusion, division, stress, and weigh down a child's learning experiences. These programs stray away from the healthy intended goal of the educational system. I believe this is the government creating exaggerated problems to make policies that only hinder students' from being given the optimal education they need to become self-reliant, self-disciplined, prepared, happy students, excited for their futures. I believe the role of government should be to provide students and their families the freedom to empower themselves, and pursue their own goals, and solve their own problems.
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?
I believe no form of sexual education, sexual orientation, or gender identity should be taught without the consent of the parent or guardian. If a teacher has not received consent, the student should not be in these classes. Furthermore, I believe we must follow science, not feelings or the personal beliefs of a scientist. There are only two genders, male and female. These theories, beliefs, feelings only create confusion, frustration, and mental tension. These curriculums hinder learning skills to prepare and equip students for a successful life.
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?
No, I do not support transgender to be allowed in bathroom of their choice. To allow a person of opposite sex to enter the bathroom of which they feel their gender to be, would be to deprive students their privacy and safety. The adults who assume responsibility to protect students while at school and allow such acts, would subject these students to harm and no protection. We must follow the science, not the feelings or confusion of the minority. We must recognize the danger of allowing a male to enter an area that has a female in a extremely vulnerable place and at high risk of sexual abuse.
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. I support freedom of choice. I believe it is important to teach and pursue a healthy strong immune system.