Campaign email: electLetonyaSmalls@gmail.com
Age: 48
Employment: Yes, Easterseals Center Director
Education: Doctorate, Northcentral University
Why are you running for the school board?
Board of Education (At-Large)
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I am a good candidate for the Board of Education because I have a heart for all children, students, and communities. I believe in giving my all and providing students with the best care and education. I strive to offer my time and resources to children and to students to help them become better students and future citizens.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
I admire the late Apostle Betty Bigesby (pastor of the Jubilee Worship Center in Dunkirk) who taught me that you must have a heart for people. She cared about who I was as a person, and she poured into me life lessons so that I would be a better person in order to help others. She believed that working on my character was the most important thing in life. She not only taught me what to do and how to do it, she also displayed a life of what godly character should look like.
What is the most important issue facing your school board, and what would you do about it if elected?
The most important issue facing our school board would be higher pay for teachers. My goal is to advocate for teachers and find the resources that I would be able to use to help make this happen. Our teachers work hard and I feel they should be paid for their hard work.
How concerned are you about school safety, and what if anything should be done to improve it?
I believe there should be school safety plans, more security, bulletproof doors and/or windows added, and additional safety preparation training for staff and students in all schools.
Do you have any concerns about the way history is taught in your district’s schools, and if so, what are they?
I feel that all history should be taught in schools. Students should be well rounded in all cultures concerning 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 feel that books should remain on school library shelves, and I also believe there should be more libraries in our communities and schools with more activities to meet the needs of the children and parents. There should also be parent advocates in schools and libraries to assist parents with their needs and the needs of their children.
