Q&A for Henderson Co. School Board primary candidates
There are six Republican candidates (Tae Brown, Amy Lynn Holt, Robert Bridges, Beth Campbell, Kathy Revis and Michael Absher) running in the Henderson County Board of Education Republican primary on March 5. The four winners will face off against Democrats Crystal Cauley, Rhonda Mountain, Mary Ellen Kustin and Leslie Carey in the Nov. 5 general election.
The Times-News sent out questionnaires for the primary candidates. Answers for those who responded are included below.
The basics
Tae Brown, 28, success coach at Blue Ridge Community College. Lives in Flat Rock.
Amy Lynn Holt, 50, Major Gifts Officer/Community Outreach at Champion Comfort Experts. Lives in Hendersonville.
Robert Bridges, 77, retired educator. Lives in Hendersonville.
Beth Campbell, 36, pharmacy technician. Lives in Mills River.
Kathy Revis, 66, adjunct professor at Gardner-Webb University. Lives in Mills River.
Michael Absher, 34, CEO of Only Hope WNC. Lives in Henderson County.
What do you see as the top issues facing the Henderson County Board of Public Education and how do you plan to address those issues?
Brown:
Substance abuse and mental health: Implementing gardening and horticulture therapy programs can provide developmental benefits to youth struggling with these issues. These programs offer accountability, connection with nature and cost-effectiveness.
Disconnected youth: Enhancing career exploration programs like Pathful Explore, with a focus on trade and vocational schools, can provide students with different career options after high school. This approach addresses community needs and creates long-term job opportunities.
Safety of students: Prioritize professional development for school resource officers and advocate for social workers in all schools. Improve capital infrastructure for schools through partnerships with businesses, nonprofits and advocacy with county commissioners and state legislature.
Prekindergarten transition and development: Expand prekindergarten programs to support early childhood development and transition to the school system. Forge partnerships with nonprofits, businesses, and county governments to provide crucial support in the first three years of a child's life.
Holt: My priorities include working with HCPS staff and the school board to come up with a plan for new construction and the expansion of some of our schools in our school system that are overcrowded. We have a lot of subdivisions going in and bringing a lot more families into our district. Another high priority is working with the NC legislature on the calendar law, I will talk about that more below. I also want to work with the disconnected youth and try to find better solutions for out of school suspension. I am not saying that students do not need to be suspended, I just want to see some options explored into programs that can possibly serve as an alternative without so much time lost in the classroom. Once a child loses class time, it becomes difficult to have them catch up and not throw in the towel and fail that semester.
Bridges: A major concern facing the Henderson County School System is the inability to hire and retain qualified teachers, assistants and other staff across all areas within our schools due to low state salaries and local supplements. Our representatives in Raleigh are being made aware of these concerns as are our county commissioners and efforts to see these increases will continue. Another issue facing our schools is the low math and reading scores. We all know how hard our teachers work, and we are thankful for each one. However, COVID set many of our students back. I feel the elementary grades should have a major focus on the basics of reading and math so that a firm foundation is laid.
Campbell: We only have 14 social workers to spread across our district and that is unacceptable. We cannot help the kids who truly need help and support if we don't have well qualified individuals to do so. Next we need to make sure we are feeding our kids good healthy food not frozen or out of a can. We need to stop testing our kids to the point of frustration and stress. We need to focus on preparing them for every next step of their education.
Revis: One priority we must have as a board is to restore the public’s trust and faith in public schools. I think we must be transparent in our work and encourage open and honest dialogue with staff, parents, and community members. Another priority is to continue to seek ways to keep our students safe at school. We have done a great deal over the past few years to secure our campuses, but we must continue to be diligent in this area. Another priority is to continue to strengthen our literacy program in our elementary schools and to focus on preparing our students for current, post-graduation career and college opportunities.
How will you work to make Henderson County schools more inclusive and increase diversity among staff?
Brown: I believe that true ‘inclusivity’ goes beyond mere representation. It encompasses safety and respect for others regardless of their ideas and opinion. We do not have to agree with one another to have respect for one another. Through the use of policy and required professional development changes, I believe recruitment selection would be based on unity and collaboration, rather than division. Furthermore, I would prioritize creating a welcoming environment that values individuals based on their skills, character, and contributions rather than superficial characteristics. This approach ensures that everyone, regardless of race, veteran status, ability, socioeconomic background, or geographic location believes they are valued.
Holt: I think the most important question is how would one ensure the hiring of the most qualified staff? I think HCPS does a good job of going to different universities to attract teachers of different backgrounds. When I was first on the board years ago HR went to area colleges and recruited. Approximately six years ago that changed and HR started adding in some predominantly African American colleges. The problem we run into is that our area is so expensive to live in and these newly graduated teachers can’t afford the rent in our area and most of them are young and want to live in a big city that has more for young people to do. I think it is a good thing to have staff that look like our children that go to school in our district. However, I think it is most important to have the best qualified person for the job and not to hire someone based on just what they look like.
Bridges: Henderson County Schools are here to serve all students regardless of race, creed, or gender. Our staff is, and will be diverse, depending on the availability of qualified applicants for the various openings.
Campbell: In order to provide our students with the best quality education we need to be focused on hiring top quality and well educated teachers. You don't hire a teacher because you need to fill a quota on male or female or what color their skin is, or what their sexuality is. Why are we focusing on that instead of focusing on making sure our kids are taught by teachers who are qualified on their education and hard work.
Revis: I believe in open access for all students to participate in programs of their choosing. For example, two years ago, the school board provided funding to the middle school arts programs to provide musical instruments for loan to students who could not afford to purchase instruments. Opening doors for students should always be our priority. As far as increasing diversity among our staff, we must continue to recruit and retain high quality staff, first and foremost. It is important that we continue to make concerted efforts to recruit a diverse staff, but recruiting and retaining the most effective teachers must be our priority.
What is your stance on the School Board circumventing the law by starting school early for the past two years and why?
Brown: I support the School Board's decision to start school early, as it was backed by parents, teachers, administrators and the majority of the board. This decision has led to improved test scores, demonstrating its positive impact on students. Upholding the will of the majority and considering the well-being of our students are essential principles. Public input should guide such decisions.
Holt: This is a very difficult question for me. I previously supported defying the calendar law. Starting school 10 days early is the right thing to do for students. Most people don’t realize that hundreds of HCPS seniors graduate early in the first semester, and then they can go on to start college in January. The way the calendar law is now, there is no possible way to graduate in December and start college in January, because most colleges have already started and the first semester of high school is not completed until the third week of January. This makes zero sense, and it is not what is right for students. That alone isn’t the only problem. All our middle and high school students need to complete that first semester and take their final exams in December while the information is fresh instead of taking two weeks off for Christmas and then coming back and reviewing for two weeks and then testing... that is so much wasted time. With that said, over the last six months or so, I have thought long and hard about voting to break the calendar law and start school early. It has become apparent to me that this is breaking the oath of office and not something I need to do. I hope that something can be done to work with the legislature in Raleigh to get some flexibility to start school two weeks early. Our students are a lot more important than just their ability to work for the tourism industry, which is why this calendar law was created in the first place.
Bridges: I voted for an early start date for the past two years, because it is in the best interest of the students, and they are my first priority. Many of our students go on to trade and technical schools or college. By finishing the first semester before Christmas vacation they are able to begin course work second semester. Otherwise they would have a six month delay. Also, the elementary and middle grade students would be finished with all first semester course work before the Christmas break, have a chance to relax, and start fresh with second semester. We continue to request our legislators revisit this issue.
Campbell: I can understand why they did what they did, because the state has worked so hard against letting the school districts make that call on their own. But I know that a lot of work is being done to get the actual law changed so that we can make sure we are focusing on working for our students instead of how we can make more money off of them. Let's face it, that's why they put the law in place was to use teenagers to work and bring in more money for the eastern part of the state. In my opinion I hope to see work continue to get the law changed through our legal system and hope to do my part to help make that happen.
Revis: When I took the oath of office for my current seat on the school board, I swore to uphold state, local and federal laws. I take this oath very seriously so that is what I intend to do. I do not like the current calendar state statute and believe that each school board should have the authority to set the calendar for the school district it serves. I think our current calendar makes common sense, except for one thing; it does not comply with the state statue. Just because we do not like a law, we cannot simply defy it. I voted against our current calendar because it does not comply with state statute.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Q&A for Henderson Co. School Board primary candidates
