Laura Murray: 2021 candidate for Huntley District 158 school board
10 candidates are running for four, 4-year seats on the Huntley School District 158 board. Tara Masino did not complete a questionnaire.
Bio
Village: Algonquin
Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
Employer: N/A
Civic involvement: CLSF/Force Soccer Club Team Manager, 2019-present
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, and if so, what is it?
A. I am running for office because I want to give back to the community first and foremost. After these unprecedented times with the pandemic and its effect on schools, I want to be a part of the board that gives our teachers, staff and students the choice to be back in the class room full time in-person safely.
Q. How would you grade the current school board on its response to the pandemic? Why?
A. To be clear, if our school board handled the pandemic like many surrounding schools that have been in-person safely from beginning of the school year, I wouldn't be involved as I now have become. Our school board has surveyed the families in our district multiple times, and ignored the will of the majority who wanted their students to go back to full time. To be honest there isn't anything to grade. I can't give a grade to an assignment that has yet to be completed.
Q. How do you view your role in confronting the pandemic: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state authorities?
A. My role would be to collaborate and research with other districts that have made full time in-person learning a priority and has done it successfully. We now have more than enough information to successfully make this happen. Schools are the safest place for children to be and for those parents that don't feel comfortable with that they can continue with remote learning.
Q. Did your district continue to adequately serve students during the disruptions caused by the pandemic? If so, please cite an example of how it successfully adjusted to continue providing services. If not, please cite a specific example of what could have been done better.
A. This is a question that has nuance to it. Every family experienced remote learning differently. Some students have kept their head above water and for others it has been a horrible struggle. There is no way for a school district to attend to the diverse needs of their student population in a remote setting. There has been a huge gap in consistent learning and the lack of socialization is detrimental to our students!
Q. Do you have a plan on how to safely and effectively conduct classes in the spring? What have you learned from the fall semester that you would change in the spring?
A. I have learned that all students need to be back in school where they can learn and be back with their peers. MCHD should make the students of D158 a priority to getting back to in-person learning full time.
Q. What is your position on allowing high school sports to continue during the pandemic? Be specific.
A. We have watched states around the country get their athletic teams back to playing safely. We have witnessed club sports locally going back to tournaments and practicing safely. I am fully committed to high school and middle school sports to be fully functional in the fall of 2021!