Time to put kids first in education, not party politics

When I ran to provide District 2 on the Duval County Faculty Board in 2018, I was determined by three overriding challenges:

1. To assure our little ones are harmless and protected while in our schools.

2. To make sure our children’s developmental and emotional desires are fulfilled.

3. To boost the educational good results of each individual scholar.

As a licensed psychological well being counselor and previous higher university instructor, I feel getting this perspective is crucial on our faculty board. The board has labored tirelessly to set children at the forefront of every discussion and final decision. Continue to, we keep on to listen to persons peddling inaccuracies that our universities are failing and that we do not treatment about our learners and their family members.

I believe that that our community faculties are a cornerstone of American democracy, that our children have to have to be educated so that they can arrive at their full possible as industrious, engaged and dependable citizens and so that collectively we can continue to try toward a much more great union. Unfortunately, the misinformation we hear for the duration of general public comments at our faculty board conferences is fueling mistrust and chaos.

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The propaganda and perilous rhetoric are divisive and harmful for our group. I am deeply disturbed that there are men and women in our community who want to inject get together politics into our board conclusions and that they are prepared to use our little ones as political pawns.

The real truth is, in spite of setbacks due to a worldwide pandemic, our young children have — by and substantial — been ready to preserve academic development. Nonetheless, our passionate instructors are below assault. Wedges are getting driven concerning the educators who love and regard our young children and the family members they request to serve and help.

We should not lose sight of our dedication to the upcoming of our communities and our little ones. The youthful folks glimpse to us to be styles, a compass in how to navigate this ever-altering world. It is incumbent on us to set an illustration that exhibits that individuals issue a lot more than politics.

Tale continues

If children and schooling are critical to you, I invite you to get knowledgeable. Duval County General public Faculties is a portion of a per cent absent from currently being an “A” rated district. We have no “F” colleges we train the Florida Very best standards established forth by the Florida Section of Training. The board, lecturers and workers work tough to supply protected and welcoming environments for every single child, every single working day, irrespective of race, religion, capacity, gender or zip code.

The school board also is effective tricky to meet up with obstacles head-on with honesty and transparency. When there is constantly home to mature and make improvements to, we are unable to be distracted by this disinformation campaign. Adults squabbling around ideological and cultural battles distract us from carrying out the work of educating kids. Let us set our little ones initial, not celebration politics.

Vote for university board candidates for the duration of the main election on Aug 23. Pay a visit to Andersen4DCPS.com to find out a lot more.

Elizabeth Andersen, Duval County School Board District 2 member and candidate

This guest column is the viewpoint of the creator and does not essentially signify the views of the Times-Union. We welcome a diversity of thoughts.

This report initially appeared on Florida Moments-Union: Elizabeth Andersen: Time to put young ones 1st, not social gathering politics