MRH NEA Questions

I love MRH and I believe teachers are what make our district the community anchor that it is for so many kids, parents, and others. District policy should not be an end in itself. Policies and budgets must be in pursuit of expanding access to education, supporting learning among all students, and creating conditions for teachers to thrive as educators. I have more than once run into teachers working second or third jobs in order to support their families, pay down their stude

I will continue to work with the Board to utilize these resolutions as north stars for district policy, practice, and budgets. I believe fully in these resolutions and their continued need in the district. Resolutions are an important mechanism of accountability to district stakeholders and I will work to ensure that the Board upholds its promises in identifying priorities and making decisions.

I can think of three immediate measures to take. First, we need to improve our transportation operations by hiring bus drivers who work for the district and are accountable to the community they serve. This is a budget decision as well as a safety decision and I hope it is one that can be solved before next school year. Second, we need to address bullying as a systemic issue in our district. I have heard from a number of parents who are considering leaving the district–or al

Recent district data demonstrates both the academic excellence of MRH as a whole, leading the state in crucial benchmarks of performance, and also unsettling achievement gaps among economically disadvantaged and racially minoritized students. And as much as the national narrative has shifted away from pandemic-era learning discrepancies, there are obvious lingering effects among our older students in academic, social, and behavioral contexts. Proactively addressing inequity a

Yes. I absolutely support collective bargaining rights of all labor groups, including educators and educational support professionals. Historically, labor unions organized to protect workers from the brutality of corporations that valued productivity over the humanity of their employees. While professional unions of today are often not responding to the physical harms of earlier generations, there are constant threats to livelihood that are most effectively addressed through

The Board’s primary objective is “to serve as the educational advocates of our community’s youth” ( https://www.mrhschools.net/this-is-mrh/board-of-education ). The Board identifies several tasks in pursuit of that goal, including hiring a superintendent and delegating administrative responsibilities, assuring district performance, adopting evaluation policies, and approving the district’s budget, among others. Furthermore, as a governing body, the Board has a fiduciary respo

There are three primary experiences that have prepared me to be an effective member of the Board of Education. First, in my professional life , I am an associate professor at Saint Louis University and hold a PhD from Princeton University. In my work life, I spend a lot of time teaching and researching American history and culture. I also spend a lot of time creating spaces for people--students, staff, faculty, and others--to achieve their potential and build knowledge toget

What particular issue(s) have motivated you to serve on the board of education? If elected, what will be your priorities?