With Election Day set for Tuesday, The News Leader asked area parents and educators what they’d like to know about their candidates for school board in Augusta County’s South River District. We selected eight questions to ask and the candidates’ emailed responses are below.
There are two candidates running in a special election to fill the unexpired term. The winner will serve one year. Stephen Troxell is already serving in the position after being appointed by the board earlier this year. Mike Lawson is challenging him.
STEPHEN TROXELL
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What is your plan to increase teacher retention and help alleviate teacher burnout?
“Continue to vote for higher salaries and better benefits, maintain and improve instructional environments, and support appropriate alternatives for students who have difficulty in a traditional instructional environment. Strive to reduce non-instructional duties and to ensure sufficient planning time. Advocate for better academic learning environments free of outside societal distractions to instruction.”
How much time have you spent in Augusta County Public Schools volunteering, observing, meeting with teachers, and/or substituting?
“I have spent a little time with PTO groups, administrators, serving as an advisor to the Valley Academy program and attended one parent activities event. Also, I have spoken with over 150 parents and grandparents about their expectations of the school division in providing a quality education for their children.”
What does diversity, equity and inclusion mean to you?
“As a public school education service provider, my application of educating children based on the terms noted, are as follows:
Inclusion: Children are all very different and unique in many ways. Learning styles will differ for everyone. The challenge and responsibility of teachers and administrators is to work with the student and parents/guardians to find the best approach that results in maximizing a student’s learning abilities. Good educators, like their parents or guardians never give up on the set backs students might experience as they progress in their learning and growth intellectually.
My focus on equity and inclusion is partly based on consideration for social and economical opportunities. Regardless of social or economical status, public schools must ensure no child is excluded because of their social or economical circumstances. To me, diversity and inclusion share common consideration. Public schools will not and must not discriminate against children for any reasons of differences. The primary goal as public school professionals is to provide the highest quality academic education opportunity possible.
The student’s family provides for their child’s moral and values upbringing. Public schools are to be supportive of parents, grandparents and/or guardians in helping their children develop their moral values, but must not be a substitute for this very important parent responsibility and parental right. Public schools should be primarily focused on reaching the highest academic achievement for each student who attends Augusta County Public Schools.”
What would be your budget priorities if elected?
“Priorities for the next year are school safety, academic instruction free from distractions of outside political influences, teacher and staff compensation, school division goals and objectives that meet the needs of students, parents, division personnel and ensure students are competitive in the workforce market as they graduate.”
If the Governor’s model policies for the treatment of transgender students goes into effect, what would your response be to a teacher who refuses to implement them because they feel it would harm students?
“I have not decided on what my position will be. Students must not be made to feel unsafe, be discriminated against nor be used for adult political agendas. Augusta County Schools will have to obey the rule of law when this issue is decided.
How should the school division provide mental health resources to support students in crisis?
“With parental consent, the division should assist the family in obtaining appropriate mental health services. All concerned adults must help young people cope with the difficulties students face in today’s society as they grow to maturity.”
How should the history of the treatment of racial and ethnic communities in the United States should be taught in schools?
“Teach the truth and present the facts. Young people are not unable to understand the history of the USA if they are given the facts and truth concerning our nation’s societal evolution to date.”
How will Augusta County Public Schools benefit from you serving as a school board member?
“I offer an open mind with no preconceived opinions on the correct focus for board policy. I have been in public service to the Augusta County area in a number of different youth programs, including 28 years in education at all levels from preschool to high school level instruction. I have a masters degree in public education, a masters degree in public health administration. I have lived in Augusta County for 68 years of my life and was born in the county and graduated from Wilson Memorial High school.
“I have lived in the South River district with my wife for the past 21 years and like the area and the people who I share the community with. I have been a sports coach in every major sport at the high school level and an administrator in several regional state and federal school division focused programs. Finally, I enjoy working with parents and their children to help facilitate the family’s efforts to ensure their children receive a quality education. I feel I bring experience, commitment and a passion for helping young people pursue their educational dreams.”
MIKE LAWSON
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What is your plan to increase teacher retention and help alleviate teacher burnout?
“I have not seen the post-Covid turnover data yet but prior to Covid there were many years in which turnover was in the single digits and the majority of those leaving were retiring teachers.
Regardless, the first step to addressing retention is to spend time directly with our teachers to actively listen to the concerns and challenges they are facing. Once we have clarity on the specific issues, we need to prioritize the issues based on the projected positive impact that a solution will bring. In order to be successful, we need to ask our teachers for recommended solutions, and be willing to work together to develop and implement a feasible plan of action.
To address teacher burnout there are steps that we can take immediately to make the work they do more rewarding. We should provide them with more autonomy on how to teach their class. During my campaign I have talked to dozens of teachers who are exhausted by the pressure to teach towards the test, worried about being able to discipline unruly students, and spending time with long meetings and unnecessary processes. I want to empower our teachers to adapt, adjust and improve their classroom environments based on the students they are given. I want teachers to establish discipline in order to maintain positive classroom learning environments.”
How much time have you spent in Augusta County Public Schools volunteering, observing, meeting with teachers, and/or substituting?
“The majority of my time volunteering in the Augusta County Public Schools during the past 15 years was spent in the areas in which my children were active. This includes support for academic challenge teams, Governor’s School, sports, band, art, and drama. I participated in conferences my children’s teachers, and worked directly with teachers and administration when needed. Now that my time as an active parent is waning, I cannot wait to get involved as a school board member. I look forward to getting to know each school and participate in activities across the county!”
What does diversity, equity and inclusion mean to you?
“When I think of DEI, I think back to the Declaration of Independence — ‘We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’
“As a Christian, I believe that all people are the workmanship of His hands. As an American, I believe that every single student should be given every opportunity to succeed regardless of any man-made category – they should be able to pursue happiness.”
What would be your budget priorities if elected?
“Augusta County Schools have significant budgetary challenges in the future. We have seen declining enrollment which decreases our state funded revenue. We have just started construction of two new middle schools and for the foreseeable future the costs will be significant. The nation is facing an uncertain future with a likely recession. Therefore, we may face budget cuts as we did in the last economic down-cycle. Given these constraints, I will analyze the budget from a stewardship perspective and prioritize resources in a manner that will support the well-being and educational needs of our students, while providing high quality support for our teachers and staff.”
If the Governor’s model policies for the treatment of transgender students goes into effect, what would your response be to a teacher who refuses to implement them because they feel it would harm students?
“I have read Governor Youngkin’s policy. I support it and will vote to implement it if I am elected. It is reasonable and balances the concerns of students, parents and teachers. It states that schools should respect parents’ values and beliefs, partner with them, defer to the parents for important decisions, and that schools have a responsibility to keep parents informed of children’s well-being.
“Just as important the policy says that all students should be respected and their needs should be met. If there is ever concern for the safety of the child then the appropriate authorities should be included. Specifically, I would seek to understand the nature of the teacher’s concern and to work toward a solution that both addresses the teacher’s concern and meets the standard of Governor Youngkin’s model policies.”
How should the school division provide mental health resources to support students in crisis?
“Mental health needs have increased tremendously during Covid. This is especially critical with our children. I am very concerned at the level of suicide contemplation, use of drugs and alcohol to dull negative feelings, and the impact that social media is having on young people. Mental health resources should be provided based on a case-by-case basis within the parameters of the full consent and direct involvement of the parents or legal guardian. I am willing to try new educational trainings to help alleviate this crisis.”
How should the history of the treatment of racial and ethnic communities in the United States should be taught in schools?
“There is no nation that treats individuals better than the United States (US). This is why so many people across the world immigrate to the US. Locally, we have many different races and ethnic communities that should be treated equally and with respect.
“We should teach our history with two principals. First, we should teach the good, the bad and the ugly. While the US is one of the most inclusive societies in the world, we did not start off that way. Additionally, we have still not reached our lofty ideals. Second, individuals should only be held accountable for their own actions/inactions and behaviors. Children of our schools should be fully educated but not made to feel guilty for actions of others, or be framed as victims.”
How will Augusta County Public Schools benefit from you serving as a school board member?
“The Augusta County Public Schools will benefit from my fresh perspective, operational leadership experience, business management skills, and many years of volunteer service within this community. I have been knocking on doors for months now and have personally met hundreds of residents in South River that feel that I can represent this community’s values and interest on the school board. I am optimistic about our future!”
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Patrick Hite is The News Leader’s education reporter. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
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