SAFETY in Our Schools Platform
Safety and Discipline: I support a wholesome and safe learning environment for all Hamilton County students. I will support school system and law enforcement personnel in removing, disciplining, and if necessary prosecuting, anyone who engages in violence, threats, or intimidation; or who otherwise disrupts the learning environment our students need to succeed academically.
Academic Focus: My guiding principle is to maximize academic achievement in all schools – not just “academies” or magnet schools. Every school must prepare Hamilton County students for success in higher education and the workplace, and give them the tools they need to be informed, productive citizens in the 21st century. This starts with (but is not limited to) stressing the fundamentals of reading, writing, and mathematics.
Fiscal Responsibility: I will be a good steward of the financial resources provided by the taxpayers of Hamilton County, placing every dollar where it will do the most good for our students and teachers. It is my specific goal to increase the proportion of the Department of Education’s budget that goes directly into our classrooms to 90% or more of total appropriations.
I will not support a school system budget that requires a tax increase in order to be balanced.
Effective Communication: Our schools can only improve if parents, teachers, students, and the Hamilton County School Board work together. I will make myself readily available for communication with all these key constituent groups. I will answer e-mail and telephone messages within a reasonable time frame and will gladly meet in person with PTAs and other citizen groups, given reasonable notice.
Transparency and Accountability: I will conduct myself with openness and integrity. I will do the business of the public in public, adhering to the letter and the spirit of the Sunshine Law and all other applicable state laws and rules of ethical behavior. I will always keep in mind that I am a public servant who represents the students, parents, teachers, and tax-paying citizens of Hamilton County; their interests must, and will, always be placed ahead of my own.
Your Schools: Your Voice … will be heard! You deserve a quality neighborhood school and a School Board that works for you and your children – not private foundations or special-interest groups.
Leave a Reply