Laura Murray: 2023 candidate for Huntley Unit District 158 school board, 4-year term

Bio

Town: Algonquin

Age on Election Day: 47

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: I'm running because our district needs fiscal responsibility. The current administration is rubber-stamping millions of dollars in expenses that do not directly relate to improving children's education. While reading scores in our district are currently below 50%, the district's focus is on spending millions on electric buses and other "green" initiatives. We need to return to an academic focus and support students' educations, especially in this post-pandemic time which has negatively affected students' abilities to learn. Our board needs members that actively listen to what the community wants and makes decisions that represent their wishes. We need to get back to the basics of education and move away from ideologues that are unnecessary in the school setting.

Q: What is the role of the school board in setting and monitoring curriculum?

A: As a school board member, we should be informed of new curriculum that is being brought into the school and have an opportunity to diligently review it. Currently, parents have brought curriculum issues to the board, and the board seems surprised that there are politically-charged ideologies and agendas present in them. I would also like to expand the opportunity for parents to review new curriculum. Our district currently says there is a review process in place when new curriculum is being considered, but this process hasn't been communicated clearly to parents. I would like to see more transparency around this and have curriculum review opportunities well-publicized for families.

Q: Are there curriculum issues within the district that you feel need particular attention from the board?

A: I have attended live or watched every board meeting for more than two years, and some of the things I've seen are concerning. Parents have raised issues of teachers inserting their own narratives, beliefs, and even work sheets and assignments not authorized by the school or district. In one instance, a teacher taught a middle school class that members of a certain religion are "terrorists and extremists," which deeply affected the child and made him question his family's faith. Rhetoric like this has no place in our schools.

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: When a topic is controversial, I think it is very important that all sides are given an opportunity to share their opinions on it, so the leadership and the board have a fuller picture of what concerns both sides hold. That being said, as a board member I would not look at topics under the guise of being popular or unpopular, but rather - does this fit into education? Or, does it represent an ideology or activism talking points - which many have begun to see appearing in curricula across the country.

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: We have learned that closing schools caused enormous educational setbacks for students, as well as deeply and negatively affecting their mental and emotional well-being. Unfortunately, we will see the disastrous ramifications of those decisions for decades. Should there be a resurgence of COVID or another pandemic, I would encourage the district to be mindful of the lessons learned from this experience and allow all families and students who wish to attend live, in-person school to continue to do so.

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: I've had a wonderful career working in a highly collaborative setting that encourages productivity, and I know that it's important to listen to all sides and all voices. I believe in an open-dialogue approach where everyone can bring their thoughts and concerns to the table and discuss potential solutions. It's very important that everyone's voice is heard and valued. The current school board rubber-stamps nearly every decision with a 7-0 vote and very little discussion - often in direct contrast to the issues that families, community members, and taxpayers have raised at the same meeting.

Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?

A: I am passionate about helping people and our community. Our schools need to provide a safe, encouraging environment for children to learn, and they also need to focus on resources to help children through the most challenging time in education that any of us have ever lived through. I am also a strong leader who values strategic thinking and collaborative work. My work background has strengthened my ability to be understanding and open-minded when it comes to hearing different perspectives and ideas.

Q: What's one good idea you have to better your district that no one is talking about yet?

A: One idea I have thought about is to establish a task force to assess the district's current policies and procedures and make recommendations for improvement. There are serious issues regarding discipline and bullying in our schools that we're simply not seeing enough movement on. Parents are bringing these issues to the board meetings and sharing them in our towns' local Facebook groups, but the district's responses contain carefully-worded statements, such as "students ... may face disciplinary action." "May face action" is not the same as "will face action," and it has unfortunately led to an environment where bullies and offenders know there are little repercussions to their misbehavior.