Campaign email: scanlanforeducation@gmail.com
Website: www.scanlanforeducation.com
Age: 68
Employment: Retired.
Education: Master of Science; Western Maryland College/McDaniel College
Why are you running for the school board?
I am running for the Board of Education to bring reason and community back to our school system. Education starts in the classroom, and excellence is achieved when great educators interact with children in a safe and orderly learning environment. I have three top priorities. First, we must focus on our students in the classroom to fill learning gaps and get back to on-grade-level instruction. Secondly, we must attract and retain a highly qualified staff through competitive salaries in a supportive work environment. Finally, it is imperative we bring our schools back as community centers where families can come together to celebrate their schools and their neighborhoods.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I am a retired classroom teacher with 33 years of experience in Carroll County Public Schools. I started out as an English teacher and became a high school Reading Specialist who is also ESOL certified. I have worked with every academic level, but as a Reading Specialist I worked with some of the most vulnerable students. Whether it is those with disabilities or those living in poverty, we must meet the needs of every student. As a parent and a career educator, I understand what is needed to ensure our students are college and career ready. We must focus on learning and excellence. As a school system, we must provide our students every advantage to succeed and achieve their goals.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
One public leader I admire is Jimmy Carter, not because of his presidency but because of what he has accomplished since then. The Carter Center has a far-reaching world health program. Combatting and eradicating the Guinea Worm, river blindness and malaria are just three of the many initiatives worldwide. Besides maternal and child health, they also advocate for mental health awareness here in the United States. Into his 90s, Carter has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and taught Sunday school classes at his hometown church. Working toward world peace by monitoring democratic elections in 39 countries is another important enterprise of the Carter Center.
What is the most important issue facing your school board, and what would you do about it if elected?
One of the many pressing issues we face is low morale and burnout of our staff. The last two years were incredibly taxing on our educators. From learning loss due to the pandemic to the unprecedented levels of emotional and behavioral issues of students, administrators and teachers feel overwhelmed and underappreciated. Teaching is a hard job. Educators work far more hours in a day than many people know, and it can be emotionally draining. First, we must show our educators respect. Let them do their jobs without questioning their motives. More importantly, we need to listen to them because they are the ones on the front lines. Second, teachers must be compensated as professionals.
How concerned are you about school safety, and what if anything should be done to improve it?
School safety is always a concern in our world today. Carroll County, in partnership with the Sheriff’s Department, has an excellent SRO program. The (school resource) officers are hand-picked and trained to work in our schools as partners. They are trusted and respected by students and staff alike. Additionally, mental health awareness and access are crucial to maintaining safe schools. We need more mental health counselors available for our students. The final component is creating a culture of kindness and acceptance in each school so students feel safe and valued. School-wide programs and peer-to-peer programs like Sources of Strength are very effective.
Do you have any concerns about the way history is taught in your district’s schools, and if so, what are they?
Part of my job as a reading specialist was to push into US History and Government classes, so I have seen the textbooks and lessons firsthand. The lessons and texts are objective, and our teachers are professionals. My only concern is the amount of content our teachers need to cover in such a limited time frame. Much of the Government class is preparation for the Government High School Assessment which tests basic knowledge of how government functions. In US History, students learn an overview of our nation’s past. There is not enough time to get into too much depth, so the focus is on the major events and eras in US history.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries, and if so, what kind of books should be removed?
An important part of the Media Specialist’s job is to build a library collection that meets the needs of their school’s community, so that will be different for every school. It is literally impossible for the media specialist to read every book in the collection; consequently, they must rely on professional journals, reviews, and recommendations when building a library. Sometimes a book is selected that is not appropriate for the collection, and as a professional they may pull that book from circulation. While some sensitive books may require parental permission to check out, there is no place for racist or sexually explicit material in a school library.
