Campaign email: [email protected]
Age: 65
Employment: First Shore Federal Savings & Loan Association, Vice president & senior commercial loan officer
Education: B.S. Business Administration, Salisbury State College (now Salisbury University)
Why are you running for the school board?
I am a native of the area. I am a graduate of our county’s public school system, as is my wife, who I met in school. Our three sons are all grads of this public school system. My parents and grandparents were also graduates of this school system. I want to give back to the school system that provided the foundation for my entire family’s success. I have already served on the board for 6 ½ years and truly want another four years to finish much of what we started to improve the schools but were interrupted by the pandemic.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I have the experience already, having served as stated for 6½ years. I have a passion for public education and making it the best it can be. As a local business leader, I see firsthand what the impact is on our county of graduating well educated young people. It is a fact: The strongest economic driver for any area is the quality of their public schools. I want to be a part of continuing to make ours the best!
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
Jake Day, mayor of Salisbury, Maryland. Mayor Day is a young man who has a passion to make Salisbury great. He is dedicated to this goal and works tirelessly to do so. He is not paid very well and could easily find a higher paying job but does this one because he wants to make a difference. And, of note, he is a graduate of our public school system and is a huge supporter of it to this day.
What is the most important issue facing your school board, and what would you do about it if elected?
There are several important issues facing us today. But I have to say school safety ranks No. 1 for me. If our faculty, staff, students and parents do not feel safe in our school, then it is nearly impossible to accomplish our other goals. Students can’t learn and teachers can’t teach if they do not feel safe. See next answer for what I will do, if elected again.
How concerned are you about school safety, and what if anything should be done to improve it?
I am always concerned about school safety. In my tenure on this board, we have successfully secured all school entry vestibules, air-conditioned the remaining schools (which allows all doors and windows to remain closed and locked) and provided many hours of safety training for all school personnel. My next step, if reelected, is to “push” for school resource officers in all schools, not just middle and high schools.
Do you have any concerns about the way history is taught in your district’s schools, and if so, what are they?
I do not. All curriculums must be and are approved by the Board of Education. Therefore, I am comfortable with what is being taught. I also have visited classrooms and seen firsthand what we are teaching.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries, and if so, what kind of books should be removed?
If we are apprised of a book that a parent or other citizen believes is in a school library and should be removed; we have a policy and process in place to review said book. The policy states the book is reviewed by a committee of parents, teachers and other citizens and they make a recommendation to the superintendent and the board of whether it should be removed. As a board member, I believe we should abide by their decision.
