Nelda Munoz: 2023 Candidate for Barrington District 220 school board
Bio
Town: Barrington
Age on Election Day: 43
Occupation: Not given
Employer: Not given
Previous offices held: None
Q&A
Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?
A: The Main reason I am running for the School Board is to give a voice to the parents so they have a say in their children's education, have accountability over school finances, make sure the education focus is on core classes to prepare our children for their post high school careers. As a voice for the parents I want to stop political agendas from being forced on our kids.
Q: What is the role of the school board in setting and monitoring curriculum?
A: The School Board is responsible for ensuring that the curriculum provided to the children is in the best interest of the child, is age appropriate and further their advancement toward critical thinking.
Q: Are there curriculum issues within the district that you feel need particular attention from the board?
A: First, the curriculum must be approved prior to school year start, in the month of August.
Second, the School Board should approve curriculum appropriate for each grade level, creating policies that protect the children and uphold parental/guardian values.
Third, the curriculum needs to be more focused on the child's core educational needs and less on whatever the curriculum's popular political agenda may be.
Q: How do you view your role in confronting policy or curriculum controversies: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state authorities?
A: I feel my role will be to make decisions that have the children's and the parents best interest as long as it betters the child's education. We live in a world where every ideology wants representation in the class room and I feel most of them need to be between the child and the parents, and have no business in the curriculum.
Q: Concerns are growing regarding a new resurgence of the pandemic. If another massive outbreak of infectious disease occurs, what have we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that will guide your decision making?
A: I have learned that a Zoom education is a failed education. I have learned that children did not fuel any of the previous variants and I have learned the masks never worked in schools. Our children need to be in school to guarantee a chance at great future. However if a new, more dangerous variant, were to arise and endanger our teachers or our children of course my views would change. The safety or our children and our teachers come first.
Q: Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach agreement and manage school district policy? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions of your school board.
A: My experience is in business. Collaboration is the core to any successful endeavor. Understanding both sides of a situation and making decisions that push everyone to a common goal is the core of my success.
Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?
A: We moved to Barrington District 12 years ago solely for the higher learning that could be provided to our children. I have watched the once national rated education provided to our kids go from a core subject policy first to political activism being inserted to every corner of education. I am here to bring us back to the standards that we once stood for.
Q: What's one good idea you have to better your district that no one is talking about yet?
A: The time that has been taken away from our children's education to take Social Emotional Learning (SEL) surveys needs to be removed. These are weekly/monthly surveys/lectures taking away from our teachers time for educating our children with no apparent value to our kids. Social emotional learning is between the child and their parent(s).