Why I Decided to Run
Education has always been a top priority for me. Even though my job is in Greenwood (70 miles round trip each day), my wife and I chose to move to Fishers once our oldest turned five to ensure that all of our kids were in one of the best school systems in the state. Even though we knew they would be in good hands, we were still skeptical of what kind of education they would get in ANY public school. There are tons of horror stories out there about Common Core, teachers and administrators interfering with families’ personal lives, etc. We’ve all heard them. We were relieved to find that this was not the case at Hamilton Southeastern.
What we found after a very short time is that we share a lot of the same values and goals for our kids with the teachers they spend the majority of their time. Every single person, from teachers to principals to support staff, genuinely loves kids, and enjoys coming to their job every day. With the amount our educators give to the schools, it is important to me to give back however I can.
The deciding factor in whether to run or not came last spring with the K-4 iPad rollout. I believe that the school system’s intentions were good. It’s important for kids to be familiar with current technology in order to be competitive in the job market after graduation. This rollout has become a very divisive issue across the district. Those who have questions and concerns about the program are seemingly dismissed and we have lost the ability to communicate on the issue. The school administration needed to create and enact a plan and I believe that they have followed through with this plan to the best of their ability. It is my fear that the current climate surrounding the rollout and it’s implications will impede the ability for the clear review of accountability on the success of placing iPads in the hands of our elementary students. It will be one of my goals upon election to the school board to ensure that communication is maintained between the board and the overall community.
I know that the students’ success is the goal of every member of the school board. But at the same time, I think some of them have lost the viewpoint parents like me, my wife, and others with young children have. My wife and I talked to a variety of parents who had young children currently attending elementary school at HSE, and parents whose children are of preschool age and will be attending HSE in the next several years. Most of the parents did NOT want their kids to have their own devices and were shocked that the schools were going to force them to either buy or rent expensive very breakable equipment that studies show should be used very sparingly for children under 10 years old. These are the families who need representation.
I love Fishers, and I love the Hamilton Southeastern Schools. I am running for a position on the school board to ensure that the K-4 families and those with children coming into the schools in the future have a voice.
