Campaign email: amandaj4boe@gmail.com
Website: www.amandaj4boe.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmandaJ4BOE
Age: 38
Employment: Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy & Occupational Science, MSOT Program Director – Towson University
Education: Ph.D. in Occupational Science, University of Southern California
Why are you running for the school board?
I have been discouraged by the lack of respect and trust shown to teachers and other CCPS employees over the past several years. I wish to represent parents and educators as a voice of reason and inclusion by supporting all students and understanding the wide range of learning needs and community values. I live in the southern part of the county which is not currently represented on the board, but has the most overcrowded facilities and many young families like mine. I’d like to see the board returned to the non-partisan body it is meant to be so that things can get done, and so that high ethical standards and the value of community are reflected in all decisions.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I am a mother of three. I served on my state board of education as a student representative. I’m a tenured associate professor and worked for a decade in student affairs. I have experience in executive leadership, strategic planning, curriculum design and program evaluation. I am a licensed pediatric occupational therapist, and have contributed to IEP meetings and planning for accommodations. I have training in development through the lifespan and data analysis/statistics, and I value expert opinion in the decision-making processes related to health and safety issues such as pandemic response, increasing mental health concerns and gun violence in the schools and our community.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
I admire Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Takoma Park) for his commitment to high ethical standards, his excellent communication skills and focus, and his deep knowledge of and respect for the laws and values of our country. He writes: “Strong democracies thus not only promote mental health to empower people to pursue their own individual happiness but also promote healthy social dialogue, compromise, and decision.” That’s how I’d like to approach my role as a board member.
What is the most important issue facing your school board, and what would you do about it if elected?
Implementing the Blueprint (for Maryland’s future) is a huge opportunity that must be planned for and done correctly. We must support all students so they can learn effectively, develop a sense of belonging in their school communities, and be prepared for college and career. Redistricting/recommending capital improvements for south county schools is both challenging and critically important. We need to do all we can to provide CCPS educators and other personnel with appropriate compensation and relief from overwork and overwhelm. We must make clear that we value and care for school system employees by treating them with dignity and respecting their professional expertise.
How concerned are you about school safety, and what if anything should be done to improve it?
I am very concerned about gun violence, drug use, and bullying and harassment in the schools. I would work to create a culture of respect and mutual accountability at all levels in CCPS. This would include completing comprehensive school safety assessments, continuing to partner with School Resource Officers and the Sheriff’s Department, increasing prevention strategies and staff training on behavioral threat assessment/management, and enhancing mental health supports. Schools need to educate on and monitor social media use as appropriate. More counseling and support staff are needed to give focused attention to students in need of support.
Do you have any concerns about the way history is taught in your district’s schools, and if so, what are they?
CCPS has a reputation for strong academics, and seems to have done a good job preparing students for graduation to date. I am concerned that recent efforts to make the classroom “politically neutral” will actually end up preventing accurate information from being shared, as teachers fear being sanctioned for unintentionally violating the policy. In an effort to avoid discomfort and the acknowledgment of some real and difficult truths about our history, I do worry that important lessons may be lost.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries, and if so, what kind of books should be removed?
I do not believe that books should be removed. Parents advocating for more voice in their child’s schooling can be more involved in their child’s reading choices by reviewing what is available in the media centers (as is their right), talking with their students about their own values, and reading together. We should trust the media specialists who carefully and professionally select titles as opportunities for learning. Students can opt not to read a book, but a concerned individual should not dictate whether others may have access. Parents can ask teachers and media specialists to help locate additional materials so that students can be exposed to a range of perspectives on a topic.
