Campaign email: engage@votebjackson.com
Website: www.votebjackson.com
Age: 38
Employment: External affairs officer in the energy industry
Education: Master’s degree from Georgetown University, MBA from John Hopkins University.
Why are you running for the school board?
I’m simply a concerned father who wants to help elevate our school system to its potential. For far too long, education has been the Achilles of this great county. Two of the biggest detractors for direct investment into our community have been 1) crime and 2) education. Both are directly correlated; an educated population creates a stronger labor force, and sound employment mitigates crime. So, essentially if we focus on building stronger schools we can elevate our whole county. My goal is to use the skills I’ve gleaned from the private and public sector to help elevate the overall school system. As a leader, organizer and a financier I want to implement standards, accountability and key performance indicator to offer a world class education to our community.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I help raise my brother and nephew. One attended a private school and the other attended public. I quickly saw the disparity in education. So, I know firsthand the great things about our school system and its challenges. More importantly, as the executive director for a program at Prince George’s County Council, I developed relationships in PGCPS and with elected officials. Those relationships are critical to advancing the county forward, because we have to operate as one big team with one agenda elevating our county. Lastly, I have the skills and passion. I’ve taken the time to cultivate myself at great institutions of learning, and I have worked in the community for years. I have a heart to serve and a proven track record. Serving is my purpose in life, politics aside.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
Nelson Mandela. I have an affinity for Africa and the stories of champions of equity and equality. Mandela’s mission was to create equality and equity in South Africa by first abolishing apartheid. I too want to be a champion of equity and equality for our nation and more specifically our school system. Standing on the shoulders of a giant, I too want to pick up that mantle. I believe that every child should have access to a world class education and resources. Those are the keys to social mobility. We must make sure we look at everything with an equity lens and meet families where they are.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected? (150-word limit)
Safety. As I knock on doors during the campaign, I hear the same thing. Parents are afraid their kids won’t return the same way they left. Securing our schools and community is the most important issue for me. Safety is the foundation of vulnerability, and without vulnerability learning can’t take place.
How concerned are you about school safety, and what if anything should be done to improve it?
Safety. Parents are afraid their kids won’t return the same way they left….My plan to secure our community/schools: 1) Discussion with community stakeholders about organizing and creating actionable solutions around securing our community. 2) Developing a pipeline of educational professionals that can help the teachers in the classroom. i.e. teachers assistants. 3) Give teachers access to a standardized classroom management course to help deal with post-COVID classroom management. 4) Update the student conduct code and handbook.
Do you have any concerns about the way history is taught in your district’s schools, and if so, what are they?
I think that we should focus on giving our students access to all the information available and not try to create a narrative that shies away from the actual abuse or occurrences that have happened in 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?
I think that libraries are a microcosm of the world. There are differences of opinion and thought all inside the library. I believe that we should equip our kids with the tools to understand what propaganda is and how narratives can be shape to curate certain perceptions. Critical thinking skills are key to becoming a functional adult. Children need to understand that there may be information out there that can be misleading. I’m more inclined to equip our kids with research and critical thinking skills, so they can go through the process of what’s real and what’s not on their own. We wont always be there to help. As the saying goes, teach a person to fish.
