Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board
Candidate Questionnaire
Sponsored by:
Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP
Greenpeace
Action NC
Clean Air Carolina
NC League of Conservation Voters
Progress NC
Aim Higher for NC
On November 3rd, voters in Mecklenburg County will choose three At-Large school board
members to join the nine person Board of Education for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS).
We received responses from 7 of the 9 candidates. The following candidates did not return the
questionnaire:
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Angela Ambroise
Mary T. McCray
Elyse Dashew
1. What in your experience has prepared you to be an effective school board member?
What is your vested interest in running?
I am running for a seat on the CMS School Board because I know that in order for us to have a
better life here in Mecklenburg County, we need our schools to be as strong as possible, and all
our children must have access to good schools.
I have a long and consistent history of advocating for our children, our families and our schools.
Several years ago, I rolled up my sleeves to advocate for a quality education for my children and
their classmates when their schools were in trouble. I haven’t stopped since. I fought to make
sure EVERY school has a full-time school nurse, advocated for the bond referendum to address
overcrowding, and worked to keep over $26 million in the county’s school budget, saving
countless jobs. Along the way, I built solid coalitions that faced these problems with commonsense solutions.
If elected to School Board at Large, I will continue to build the coalitions we need to make sure
our children get the education they deserve. I’ve listed below a few highlights from my
involvement with education advocacy.
Advocacy:
* Built broad-based coalitions that have advocated in several campaigns over the years to support
funding for our public schools.
* Successfully worked to bring a full-time nurse to every school in CMS.
* Through NC Core Advocates, worked to be sure teacher voice is included in state policy
debates about academic standards.
Budget oversight:
Appointed two terms to CMS Bond Oversight Committee. Elected co-chair 2014.
Policy:
* GenerationNation. I serve on the board of directors and co-chair the Programs Committee. This
allows me to connect one on one with students in the CMS (besides my own children!) and here
what issues they see at the forefront in their education.
* Appointed to Revision Committee for CMS Gifted and Talented Education Plan.
* Appointed to College and Career Readiness Task Force.
* Mayors Youth Press Corps. Co-chair. We worked with journalism teachers throughout CMS
and around the state to convene 150 high school journalists to report on the Democratic National
Convention. Teachers from East Mecklenburg High School and Providence High School
developed the concept for the Mayors Youth Press Corps; it was my honor to help bring the
concept to life.
2. What do you see as the most pressing issues facing our school district and how would you
address them?
CMS faces several difficult issues in the coming years. A lack of resources, overcrowding,
student assignment policies that need to be reviewed and picking a superintendent are just a few
of them. Most of our schools (116) are at or over capacity, and our region has one of the fastestgrowing populations in the country. In addition, many of our facilities are suffering from years of
deferred maintenance. I am working to raise awareness so that constituents will support their
county commissioners in issuing an appropriate-sized bond referendum to build new schools. I
am uniquely qualified to take this on as I served on the steering committee of the 2013 bond
referendum that passed by record numbers, and I co-chair the CMS Bond Oversight Committee.
(For more details, please see my blog post: http://elysedashew.com/how-crowded-are-ourschools/) I will continue to work to build coalitions to tackle the difficult issues and come up
with common sense solutions.
I will ensure that children receive the best education possible by implementing smart, research
based policies addressing student assignment, curriculum and testing. I will work to invest
wisely in our schools so students aren’t packed into overcrowded classrooms and teachers get the
resources they need. I will be a strong advocate to make sure that parents, teachers, students, and
the community are informed about the issues facing our schools and can work together to find
common-sense solutions.
3. How can the district close the achievement gap (socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and
gender)?
We need to enact smart policies to ensure that our children receive the best education possible. I
will make sure that we study research-based evidence and use it to inform our CMS policies,
including ones that help close the achievement gap. That includes tried and true policies and
programs in our own school system.
For example, our language immersion programs have some of the narrowest achievement gaps in
the district. We need to build upon this success. In a dual Spanish immersion class, roughly half
the students are native Spanish speakers, half are native English speakers, and the curriculum is
taught half in Spanish and half in English. Students master English, Spanish, as well as the core
curriculum. They become real-life global citizens, attuned to each other’s cultures and able to
read, write, and speak fluently in at least two languages.
In addition to being a powerful way for English-speaking students to learn Spanish, dual Spanish
immersion is proven to be one of the most effective —and cost-effective—methods of educating
native Spanish-speaking students. Researchers say academic gains are higher than the status quo
method of pulling English-Language Learners out of class for ESL studies.
The program is in high demand in CMS, with long waiting lists at Collinswood and Oaklawn.
Our Hispanic population in CMS is currently 20% and growing. We have a rich opportunity to
grow our Spanish immersion offerings.
4. What can CMS do to remain competitive by retaining and attracting the best teachers?
CMS needs to build a more effective coalition with community partners to advocate for better
pay and policy to recruit and retain the strongest teachers. I can and will help with this. I have
been in the trenches of this fight for a long time; I believe that from the school board I can be
more helpful and make a greater difference.
I will fight for better pay, more respect, and more professional development and coaching
opportunities for teachers and principals, in order to increase our chances of recruiting and
retaining the most talented professionals to teach our children. Improved career pathway
opportunities will also help retain the brightest teachers: for example, the “Opportunity Culture”
coaching positions pioneered at schools like Ranson Middle School.
I know these priorities will make a difference. This assessment is based on many personal
conversations with teachers, administrators, recruiters, university professors who teach teachers,
and statewide researchers and advocates. Again, we must follow where the research points us,
and
5. From now through November 2016, CMS is examining its student assignment plan.
What are your priorities for student assignments?
Again, my goal is to use research-based evidence to develop a sound policy that will lead to
academic success for all CMS students. Research tells us that diverse schools bring academic
and non-academic benefits to all students who attend them. Those benefits include increased
academic performance, improved critical thinking skills, higher graduation rates, increased
success in college, higher career aspirations and attainment, increased civic engagement, access
to broader social and professional networks, and graduates more likely to work and live in
integrated environments.
The question is, how do we achieve diversity in an environment where neighborhoods and
schools are economically and racially segregated; where funds are restricted and charters
uncapped; where we bus more children than ever before, on roads that are more crowded?
We have models of local success to build upon. Talk to families at Shamrock Gardens and Rama
Road elementary schools, and they’ll show you a model where their children are thriving. These
schools have diverse attendance zones, although previously the student populations reflected
highly concentrated poverty. The schools have become more diverse, and the students and our
community are reaping the benefits. I’d like to look at certain neighborhoods where we could
work with CMS to intentionally replicate these models to allow more students to benefit from a
diverse classroom.
I have experience building coalitions that create common sense solutions, and if elected to school
board, would call together the most creative, courageous, open-minded and open-hearted
thinkers in our schools, city and county government, and neighborhoods to craft a solution.
6. What criteria would you use when selecting a new Superintendent?
Let’s find the person that can do the very best job on behalf of our kids and our schools to be our
superintendent. CMS faces a lot of challenges and needs a strong superintendent. We also need
to build coalitions in the community to help make sure that superintendent can do what needs to
be done. My candidacy is about effective advocacy for our children through collaboration,
evidence based decision making and investing wisely in our schools and our students.
I’ll be looking for a leader who:
 Has the demonstrated nuts-and-bolts skill set to lead a large urban-suburban district.
 Has a track record of increasing student achievement, improving graduation rates and
narrowing achievement gaps within an efficient budget.
 Inspires loyalty and trust in employees and colleagues.
 Has a solid understanding of Mecklenburg County and statewide politics.
 Has an aptitude for engaging, inspiring, and interacting with the citizens of Mecklenburg
County as active participants in the process of improving educational opportunity for all
children.
 Can find common ground and build strong coalitions with business, faith, and community
partners, regardless of party lines, to advocate for public schools.
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Will lead us to being efficient and responsive in harnessing the support offered by
nonprofit and community partners to our schools.
7. What steps would you take to address bullying in our schools?
We must communicate clearly with CMS students, teachers, staff, families and our community
partners so that we can advocate effectively for all children and work collaboratively to do
what is best for all students. CMS was ahead of its time in developing a strong bullying policy
years ago. Bullying remains a problem, however. We need to make sure that we communicate
clearly what our expectations are to students, teachers, and community at large and be consistent
with discipline. It is especially important for administrators, staff, and families to work together
to detect and prevent cyberbullying. We also need to increase emphasis on teaching conflict
resolution skills and collaboration. Finally, I am impressed with the “Welcoming Schools”
curriculum used by several schools in CMS.
8. What would you do to ensure the success of students with special needs?
I have a child with many gifts, who struggles because the way he learns does not match the ways
our schools teach. I have personal experience of the difficulties parents face in navigating IEPs
and 504 plans. I appreciate the challenge for my child’s teachers and administrators, most of
whom genuinely do their best to determine and provide the accommodations he needs to reach
his potential.
There are many children whose needs are greater than my child’s, and whose families are not
always able to access the extra help available to my family. It is essential that these children, as
well as my own, are able to reach the success that is in their potential.
For years our support services (counselors, school psychologists, social workers) have been
stretched too thin due to budget cuts. I served on a task force that recommended increasing
support service positions. CMS incorporated this request into its budget request to the county in
2014. I then organized a coalition of public school supporters to advocate to the county
commissioners to fully fund the request. Thankfully, they did.
I will continue to advocate for CMS to have the resources to support students with special needs
to reach their potential. I will also support the Council for Children’s Rights to partner with
CMS, and when necessary, challenge CMS to do better.
9. Undocumented parents are unable to provide a social security number and therefore not
permitted to volunteer in their children's schools. What will you do to ensure that all
parents who want to, have equal right to volunteer?
 According to the FBI, SBI, DHS, and the Mecklenburg Sheriff's office,
fingerprinting is more secure and accurate than a social security number. Would
you support this as an alternative?
In order for our community to thrive, we must have strong schools. Families, students, and
schools benefit when families engage in their students’ education by volunteering in the schools.
This needs to be balanced with security-- we must be sure school volunteers do not criminal
records.
I will be a strong advocate to make sure that parents, teachers, students, and the community are
informed about the issues facing our schools and can work together to find common-sense
solutions. One of these common- sense solutions to this issue could be the proposed municipal
ID. This may be a way to balance security while also allowing families without access to social
security numbers the ability to volunteer. I will continue to educate myself on the topic—I’ve
already spoken to representatives from the Immigrant Integration Task Force and the Latin
American Coalition and am planning to attend a Municipal ID panel on October 4 and look
forward to learning more.
10. What would you do to ensure that CMS is a safe and welcoming place for its gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students and staff?
Again, I will be a strong advocate to make sure that parents, teachers, students, and the
community are informed about the issues facing LGBT students and staff, and work together to
find common-sense solutions to the problems they face that prevent school from being a
welcoming place. I am glad that CMS has a strong partnership with the nonprofit Time Out
Youth. I support the Safe Zone Trainings that Time Out Youth provides for school staff and
administrators. We must work together to make sure that all students have access to our schools
and are welcomed there.
On a personal level, I will commit to being open to and supportive of all individuals regardless of
sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. I hope that LGBT students, their
families, and staff will consider me a school board representative they can go to for help with
their issues.
11. What role does implicit racial bias play in CMS, if any? Would you be willing to
champion a policy of sending all CMS employees through implicit racial bias training?
I will ensure that children receive the best education possible by implementing smart, researchbased policies on the issues facing CMS, including implicit racial bias. I will be a strong
advocate to make sure that parents, teachers, students, and the community are informed about
these types of issues. Implicit racial bias plays a large role in all aspects of our society, including
in our schools. As we become more aware of our biases, we will remove the limitations we place
unnecessarily on many children. More racial bias training sounds like a common-sense solution
that we can work together to implement.
12. Nearly 3,800 schools across the nation have installed solar panels for their economic,
health, and educational impacts. How do you feel about powering CMS with renewable
electricity? What specific steps would you take to bring renewable energy to the district?
We must invest wisely in our infrastructure to build strong schools that all our children can
access. I’ll look to what other schools systems are doing and what experts in the field suggest, in
helping to formulate a policy for CMS that integrates renewable energy.
As co-chair of the CMS Bond Oversight Committee, I’ve seen evidence that CMS is open to
investing in energy-efficient buildings, even while capital finances are severely constrained. I am
proud that Pineville Elementary is LEED-certified, and many other schools are built to LEED
standards, if not fully certified.
13. 14,000 CMS students have asthma, which is one of the leading causes of school
absenteeism. What would you do to decrease missed school days due to chronic respiratory
disease?
Our community can only succeed when all students have access to strong schools. It’s hard to
have access to school when you can’t manage and care for your chronic illness while you are
there. I’ve already helped build the coalition necessary to begin to address this problem with a
common-sense, research-based solution—having full time school nurses in every school.
Studies show that having school nurses full time decreases student absenteeism. I worked with
N.C. Parents Advocating for School Health to decrease the ratio of nurses to students in CMS
from 1 in 1200 to 1 in 890 in two years time. Having a full time nurse in every school ensures
the students will be properly assessed and only go home early/miss school if truly medically
necessary. If office staff have to assess they often send the child home just to be safe since they
are not medical professionals. In addition, nurses can help those with asthma in terms of case
management. They can work with the student/family to be sure they are educated on their
condition and have the resources needed to be present and successful in school.
I am proud that we now, for the first time ever, have a full-time nurse in every school. We have
further to go, however, to reach the CDC-recommended ration of 1 nurse for every 750 students.
(For more info, please see my 3/5/14 editorial in the Charlotte Observer.)
Ericka Ellis-Stewart
1. What in your experience has prepared you to be an effective school board member?
What is your vested interest in running?
I currently serve as an At-Large Member of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. I
have held this position for the last four years. I am currently a member of the board’s Policy
Committee and InterGovernmental Relationships (Legislative) Committee. In 2012, I served as
the Chair of the School Board. In 2013, I was elected to serve a three-year term on the National
Steering Committee of the Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE), a group that
represents over 100 urban school districts from the U.S., Virgin Islands, and Canada. In 2011, I
joined the board of directors of Clean Air Carolinas, a statewide environmental/public health
advocacy organization. I am currently the Vice-Chair of the Clean Air Carolina board. I also
serve as the NC School Board Association’s Representative on the board of the NC Scholastic
Activities Association.
I have a long history of service in this community, over the last two decades, I have served on a
number of local boards and I have had the privilege of serving my community as the leader of
three non-profit agencies: Right Moves For Youth, the Johnston YMCA in NoDa, and the
Charlotte CROP Hunger Walk. As a non-profit executive, education advocate and former CMS
parent, I have spent the last 20 years working to improve the lives of children and families in
Charlotte.
Professionally, my skill sets include: Budget Management (Operating/Capital),
Contracts/Negotiations/Compliance, Data Collection/Analysis, Public Speaking/Presentations,
Strategic Planning/Project Mgmt., Diversity/Inclusion Trainer, Facilities Mgmt., Community
Engagement, Grant Writing, Recruiting/Hiring Staff, Six Sigma Green Belt, and Clifton Strength
Finder Coach.
Prior to being elected, I had extensive involvement with CMS as a parent and education
advocate. Also, in the two years prior to being elected to the school board, I attended every CMS
board meeting and work session with the exception of four. Below is summary of my community
involvement:
Community Leadership & Civic Memberships
School Leadership Team Chairman – Harding University HS (in 2010 – the year of the school
closing decision)
Founding Member – MECKFUTURE (a group that lobbied the County Commission to provide
$55M in school funding)
PTSA Scholarship Committee Chairman - Harding University HS
School Leadership Team Member – Piedmont IB Middle School & Phillip O. Berry Academy
PTSA Legislative Affairs Committee Chair – Billingsville Montessori
PTSA Member – Highland Mill Montessori
Mentor – Phillip O. Berry Academy & Performance Learning Center (CMS High School)
Title I Mentor – Merry Oaks Elementary School
Committee Member - Inaugural CMS Character Education
Task Force Task Force Member (two terms) - CMS Long-Range Facilities Master Plan Citizen
Advisory Committee
Facilitator - Citizen’s Task Force on Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Governance &
Management
Facilitator, Lee Institute & CMPD Racial Profiling Community Focus Group
Education Advocate - “Achieve Together” Community Circle
Former Camp ANYTOWN Director & Green Circle Program Coordinator
Committee Member - Inaugural Mayor’s Mentoring Alliance Public Engagement Committee
Member - Charlotte Mecklenburg Advocates for Public Education
Former Director, Camp R.E.S.O.L.V.E (Reaching & Educating Student on Life & Violence
Prevention Education), a gang prevention camp
Crown Jewels Chapter of the LINKS, Inc. - Marketing Committee & National Trends & Service
Facet
United Way of Central Carolinas African-American Leadership Initiative (AALI)
Mecklenburg County PTA Council – Board Member 2011
NC Women in Public Service – Women in Office Institute Graduate
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Catawba Lands Conservancy – Board Member
Leadership America North Carolina (Class of 2005)
Leadership North Carolina Alumni (Class VI)
Focus On Leadership (Class X) – Class Project Co-Chair, Youth Programming Consultant
I am running for re-election to this office because public education is facing a number of
challenges that require commitment and great leadership on the board of education. As a
non-profit executive, education advocate and former CMS parent, I have spent the last 20
years working to improve the lives of children and families in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. I
have served within our schools working to improve student achievement and rallying parents to
get engaged in educational issues. Professionally, I bring real world experience in the areas of
drop-out prevention, on-time graduation, gang intervention and mental health – all pressing
issues within CMS. I come to you with knowledge, expertise and passion. As an At-Large
member of the School board, I will continue to offer innovative and viable solutions that are in
the best interest of all children. I will also continue to have high expectations and seek
accountablility at all levels.
I am clear about the need to close the achievement gap and my top priority is to ensure that all
students have access to a quality education that prepares them to become productive citizens. My
desire to run for school board is an extension of my continued desire to serve this community. I
am committed to improving the quality of our public school system and realize that serving as a
policy maker is one of the most direct ways to make a difference.
2. What do you see as the most pressing issues facing our school district and would you
address them?
The number one issue facing our system is consistently providing each child with a quality
education that prepares them to: 1) become productive citizens, 2) pursue higher education (if
desired), and 3) compete within the increasingly global marketplace. I believe that a strong focus
on closing the achievement gap is a high priority that must be continued. My work will focus on
ensuring that students are prepared to enter the workplace/military or pursue higher education.
Each student must have critical thinking skills, a strong literacy foundation and solid STEM
(science, technology, engineering and math) experiences to compete. As a board member, there
are four things I can do to ensure that all students reach their highest academic standards:
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Provide prepared and engaged school administrators (i.e., principals, assistant principals
and deans of students) who are able to successfully lead a school by bonding with
teachers through collaboration, engaging parents to become actively involved in their
child’s educational success and challenges and being visible to students and the
communities that they serve.
Have the ongoing ability to attract and retain effective classroom teachers and support
staff that possess the wherewithal to produce tangible results and show not just gains via
test scores but the evidence of true learning and knowledge transfer.
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Take solid steps to prevent the creation of schools with high concentrations of poverty.
CMS data and other benchmarks across the country show a direct correlation between
low-performing schools and high concentrations of poverty.
To the extent possible create intentional opportunities for parents to become more
engaged/involved in the educational process and the education of their children.
Second, I plan to work with my colleagues and district staff to create and implement an agenda
that provides students with more academic choices and improved school climate/culture this
includes more targeted Career/Technical Education (CTE) programming, additional magnet
school offerings, improved school safety, the elimination of shuttle stops, and smaller classroom
sizes.
Lastly, I would continue to advocate on behalf of educators and work with our funding partners
in the General Assembly and on the Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners to
increase teacher pay to the national average, at a minimum.
3. How can the district close the achievement gap (socio-economic, racial/ethnic, and
gender)?
For me it is imperative that we close the achievement and the opportunity gap that exists. For me
this is reflected in test scores and proficiency levels across the district. There are inconsistencies
across the district in terms of the level of rigor students are exposed to, the quality of teachers
placed in front of students, the types of classes that are available to students, parental
involvement, and the level of expectation placed on students. To address this issue, we must first
admit that it exist. Secondly, we must focus on providing an instructional program that gives
each student a strong literacy foundation, solid STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts
and math) experiences and critical thinking skills starting in elementary school. We must keep a
consistent watch on student data in the aggregate and by each subgroup to ensure that we are
doing all that we can to reach students and to help them succeed in school. It will also be very
important that we engage parents and make them more accountable to their children’s academic
success.
4. What can CMS do to remain competitive by retaining and attracting the best teachers?
I believe that CMS should use the following strategies to stabilize recruitment and retention of
effective teachers:
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Continued advocacy for a competitive and livable wage for teachers
Progressive, intentional and ongoing professional development opportunities and tracks
Mentoring program (consider triage approach which can be manned by retired educators,
school administrators, parents, business leaders, etc.)
Regular opportunities to give and receive feedback on issues in the classroom, district,
etc.
Additional public/private partnerships to ensure that teachers have the necessary tools
Regular evaluation (peer review, 360, student feedback, etc.)
Annual planning retreats and regular planning time during the school day
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Early Release Days for professional development
Ample opportunities to work in teams with other educators (curriculum content work
team, Inter-disciplinary teams, etc.)
Provide clear paths for promotion
Recognition
Homeownership Assistance Programs similar to the ones offered to police officers and
fire fighters
5. From now through November 2016, CMS is examining its student assignment plan.
What are your priorities for student assignments?
A well thought out student assignment plan should be comprised of at a minimum each of these
elements, if not more. It will seek to create or maintain stability for students and their families
while keeping costs in line. It will focus on offering guaranteed seats in schools relatively close
to home, while simultaneously strengthening choice and providing families with a myriad of
magnet options. It will work to reduce the number of schools with high concentrations of poverty
and increase diversity at all schools. Diversity is important and our schools should reflect the
diversity of this community. In order for our district to thrive, we must work to prevent the
creation of schools with high concentrations of poverty. There is a need to deal effectively with
growth in suburban communities, while simultaneously providing equity for students attending
schools closer to the center of Mecklenburg County. There is also a need for a healthy mix of
educational options for families that include neighborhood schools and magnet schools. As a
community, we need to identify strategies to deal with these challenges as we work to improve
the quality of education for all children in Mecklenburg County.
I believe the school board has a responsibility to take solid steps to prevent the creation of
schools with high concentrations of poverty. CMS data and other benchmarks across the country
show a direct correlation between low-performing schools and high concentrations of poverty.
We have an opportunity to use the current student assignment review process to address this
issue. However, this issue goes well beyond student assignment and school board policy. It will
be critically important that we also engage the Charlotte City Council and the surrounding towns
in a discussion about housing policy and patterns. We must also work in partnership with the
Mecklenburg County Commissioners to develop a plan to fund the capital needs identified by the
school board in its capital needs assessment. We must realize that student assignment is not just a
discussion based in school board policy and the individual and collective philosophy of its
members. It is also tied to having a successful, timely and well-funded brick and mortar program.
6. What criteria would you use when selecting a new Superintendent?
CMS is one of the largest districts in the country and will require a superintendent who is
credentialed and has a solid background in K-12 education. Their top priority must be increasing
student achievement and closing the achievement gap. Our next Superintendent must show
tangible prior results in educating children at all levels, be able to build consensus among
teachers and garner their respect in the wake of low teacher pay in the State of NC.
The new superintendent will have to balance all of this with the business acumen needed to run a
large urban/suburban district in these challenging economic times. Additionally, the next leader
of our district should create and implement an agenda that includes vocational education
programming, improving school safety and providing smaller classroom sizes. They will need to
be extremely politically savvy as he or she will serve as the district’s chief lobbyist to the NC
General Assembly. Lastly, this community needs someone who can help rebuild/regain trust in
our school system. Going forward, we require a leader that exhibits a care and concern for this
community and all of its various constituencies (i.e., geographical, socio-economic, faith
community, business, etc.).
7. What steps would you take to address bullying in our schools?
As a parent, I believe bullying in any form should not be tolerated. Statistics tell us that a child is
bullied every 7 minutes in schools across the nation. School districts like CMS must aggressively
work to reduce and eliminate bullying in every school and at every graded level. We should
work with mental health professionals such as Psychologists, Psychiatrists, and Social Workers
to discuss the topic of bullying and school violence with students on a regular basis. We also
need to ensure that teachers, principals and other school staff receive ongoing professional
development regarding bullying awareness, what to look out for and how to appropriately handle
situations of bullying. I also advocate for engaging parents and grandparents as well as civic
groups, the business community and the faith community in order to alert the community at large
about the full effects of bullying on school children and to provide information on how to handle
this potentially dangerous situations. We have to equip school leaders and parents with more
tools to effectively deal with this issue.
8. What would you do to ensure the success if students with special needs?
I would work to ensure that the district is doing everything possible to ensure that the appropriate
services are being rendered for students with Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and 504
Plans. Additionally, I believe that the district should work to have more collaborative
relationships with the parents and caregivers of children with special needs. To help them to be
better advocates on behalf of their students. As a district, we need to implement best practices
such as face-to-face and blended learning models, using instructional content that engages
students through multiple learning modalities, customizing learning plans that directly support
standards-based IEPS, and using assessments that are flexible as well as diagnostic/prescriptive
in nature.
9. Undocumented parents are unable to provide a social security number and therefore are
not permitted to volunteer in their children’s schools. What will you do to ensure that all
parents who want to have the equal right to volunteer?
As a district, we have been working with the CMPD, the Mecklenburg County Sherriff’s Office
and many other entities on the creation of a local ID that could be distributed to undocumented
parents. Unfortunately, to-date this have not come to fruition.
According to the FBI, SBI, DHS, and the Mecklenburg County Sherriff’s office,
fingerprinting is more secure and accurate than a social security number. Would you
support this as an alternative?
Since the beginning of the year, the school board and the Superintendent have made the decision
to accept Passports as a means to allow undocumented parents to volunteer in their child’s
school. I am hesitate to move forward with agreeing to accept fingerprinting given pending
legislation in the NC General Assembly (NCGA) that would prohibit school systems from
utilizing this as a means of background check. As a school board, we would be required to
uphold this as law, if it passes the NCGA.
10. What would you do to ensure that CMS is a safe and welcoming place for its gay,
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students and staff?
I will work towards including protections for sexual orientation and gender identity for LGTBQ
students and employees in district non-discrimination policies to prevent bullying, victimization,
stigma, abuse, and discrimination. I will encourage professional development for CMS
employees that increase their cultural competency to work with LGBTQ students. I will
encourage the use of forms with gender neutral language. I also feel that it is appropriate to make
such resources/workshops such as the Welcoming Schools Program available to school staff and
volunteers. I will work towards including protections for sexual orientation and gender identity
for LGTBQ students and employees in district nondiscrimination policies to prevent bullying,
victimization, stigma, abuse, and discrimination. I would also advocate for the implementation of
the following Standards of Care:
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Conduct regular needs assessments to understand staff’s cultural competency.
Establish and enforce nondiscrimination policies.
Build staff awareness, knowledge, and skills by providing training and professional
development opportunities.
Incorporate appropriate intake and data collection processes.
Promote safe, supportive, culturally competent environments.
Implement practices that support preferences and affirm identity.
Promote healthy, supportive peer connections.
Strengthen family connections.
Promote access to affirming services and supports.
Collaborate and foster relationships with other supportive youth and family
organizations.
11. What role does implicit bias play in CMS, if any? Would you be willing to champion a
policy of sending all CMS employees through implicit racial bias training?
I believe that implicit bias plays a role in CMS as it does in the larger community. This evident
in the disproportionate rates of suspensions for children of color and the school-to-prison
pipeline that results from such suspensions. I am concerned about the high rates of suspensions
and as a result have directed my advocacy to address the issue. I have a concern that suspensions
for students in PreK-2nd grade are not getting enough attention. During the last school year,
there were over 1,200 suspensions among PreK-2nd grade students. Given the young age of
these students it seems that we could find alternatives to suspensions. As a result, I have asked
the members of the CMS Policy Committee to consider a moratorium on suspensions for this age
group. This would allow us to study the issue for root causes and determine what alternate
interventions and best practices could be applied instead of suspension. Data is clear that once a
child is suspended they are three times more likely to be suspended again and two times as likely
to become at-risk for dropping out of school and/or becoming involved in the criminal justice
system later in life.
Yes, I am in support of trainings such as the Dismantling Racism series that is currently being
hosted locally by the Race Matters for Juvenile Justice (RRJJ) initiative. The school system has
committed to have the Superintendent’s Cabinet, all members of CMS’ Executive Staff, school
principals, assistant principals, deans of students, school resource officers and some senior
managers participate in this training. Additionally, we have spent the better part of the last year
working with the Winters Group on Cultural Competency assessment and training – this includes
members of the school board.
12. Nearly 3,800 schools across the nation have installed solar panels for their economic,
health, and educational impacts. How do you feel about powering CMS with renewable
electricity? What specific steps would you take to bring renewable energy to the district?
I currently serve as the Vice-Chair of the board of directors for Clean Air Carolinas, a Charlottebased nonprofit that advocates state-wide for environmental and public health issues. In this role,
I have learned quite a bit about the positive effects of renewable energy and would be supportive
of using it within the school system. Unfortunately, at this time the State of NC is one of four
around the nation with laws on the books that would prohibit implementing a large-scale solar
power program. I would be willing to lobby my colleagues to add a provision to CMS’
Legislative Agenda to lobby the NC General Assembly to make changes to the current law.
13. 14,000 CMS students have asthma, which is one of the leading causes of school
absenteeism. What would you do to decrease missed school days due to chronic respiratory
disease?
I was diagnosed with asthma nearly 20 years ago and know well its debilitating effects on one’s
health and quality of life. My asthma diagnosis and my concern for the environment were key
reasons for getting involved with Clean Air Carolinas and why I would champion asthma
education in schools. I would like to see CMS work more closely with the Mecklenburg County
School Nurse Program to provide support and education for students and families within CMS
who are impacted by asthma and other respiratory ailments. School nurse and/or local medical
professionals can help by providing information that could led to early identification for students
experiencing symptoms. They could provide school and or community-based educational
workshops to help parents and students learn the symptoms of the disease, effective ways to
manage symptoms and provide referrals to healthcare providers to prevent costly emergency
room based treatment.
Amelia Stinson-Wesley
1. What in your experience has prepared you to be an effective school board member?
What is your vested interest in running?
I have served on the School Board in the past, spending two years as the District 6
Representative. I served on the Policy Committee of the School Board during that time. I have
been an advocate for our schools and our teachers both before I was appointed to the Board and
while I served. I currently serve on the Pineville Planning and Zoning Board as well as the Parks
& Rec Advisory Committee.
I am a parent of two children in CMS, and I want all children to have a solid, effective school
system in which to learn.
2. What do you see as the most pressing issues facing our school district and how would you
address them?
Funding remains a challenge for the school system; from teacher pay to programs to improve
student achievement to deferred maintenance of buildings, public education is not adequately
funded in our state or county. We also must address the resegregation of our schools, which
reflect the demographics of our neighborhoods. Our whole community must engage in that
conversation including the city council, the county commission and all segments of our county.
3. How can the district close the achievement gap (socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and
gender)?
We should continue to provide the resources needed at the school level to address the
achievement gap. We must concentrate on identifying individual problems and put resources
towards them whether that be through reading camps or smaller classrooms through weighted
student classes.
4. What can CMS do to remain competitive by retaining and attracting the best teachers?
CMS must recruit and hire from a variety of schools of education, ensuring that our teacher
population reflects the diversity of our student population.
5. From now through November 2016, CMS is examining its student assignment plan.
What are your priorities for student assignments?
Student assignment should be a careful and deliberate process, not one that is rushed. Parents
should be engaged in this process to be sure CMS is offering the options and choices they seek
for their child's education. The community at large must give input, ideas and concerns. Student
achievement should continue to be a priority for student assignment.
6. What criteria would you use when selecting a new Superintendent?
We need a Superintendent who understands the NC General Assembly and its impact on public
education, especially over the past few years. We need someone who will continue to focus on
student achievement.
7. What steps would you take to address bullying in our schools?
Addressing bullying starts at home and in our houses of faith. We need to encourage positive
adult mentoring in schools. CMS policies address bullying and need to be upheld across the
district.
8. What would you do to ensure the success of students with special needs?
I would work with staff to ensure more engagement of parents of children with special needs.
9. Undocumented parents are unable to provide a social security number and therefore not
permitted to volunteer in their children's schools. What will you do to ensure that all
parents who want to, have equal right to volunteer?
 According to the FBI, SBI, DHS, and the Mecklenburg Sheriff's office,
fingerprinting is more secure and accurate than a social security number. Would
you support this as an alternative?
I support the idea of a finger printing system, but the full fiscal impact of such a system would
need to be considered.
10. What would you do to ensure that CMS is a safe and welcoming place for its gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students and staff?
I would support policies and procedures that ensure that every school and workplace in CMS is a
welcoming and safe place for all students and staff, including those who identify as LGBT.
11. What role does implicit racial bias play in CMS, if any? Would you be willing to
champion a policy of sending all CMS employees through implicit racial bias training?
I think that our entire society is impacted by implicit bias. I would support having CMS
employees become more aware of the issues raised by implicit bias training.
12. Nearly 3,800 schools across the nation have installed solar panels for their economic,
health, and educational impacts. How do you feel about powering CMS with renewable
electricity? What specific steps would you take to bring renewable energy to the district?
I am supportive of efforts to make CMS more reliant on renewable electricity and energy. I
supported the LEAD certification process that was used in building Pineville Elementary and is
being used as all future schools are built in the district.
13. 14,000 CMS students have asthma, which is one of the leading causes of school
absenteeism. What would you do to decrease missed school days due to chronic respiratory
disease?
I will work aggressively with staff to ensure that the needs of all of our most vulnerable children,
including those with asthma and respiratory illnesses, are monitored and met. Our building and
facility needs have been backlogged for years in CMS. Deferred maintenance needs are a real
and pressing concern. I would welcome the assistance of the county commissioners in meeting
those capital needs.
Levester Flowers
1. What in your experience has prepared you to be an effective school board member?
What is your vested interest in running?
I am a former educator, having graduated from Livingstone College, Salisbury, N.C. with a B.A.
in Social Studies, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte-M.Ed in Social Studies and
School Administration. I taught school for nine years, before moving on to a career in corporate
America, (retiring from Bank of America as a mortgage loan officer).
My vested interest in running is because I want to ensure that all students in our district have an
opportunity for a world class education. However, I am particularly interested in minority
students, who obviously have the greatest academic needs and challenges.
2. What do you see as the most pressing issues facing our school district and how would you
address them?
I feel that the most pressing issue facing our school district is making sure that we address the
specific needs of students and schools that are under performing. I would strive to make sure that
adequate resources for qualified staffing and funding are addressed. The expansion of innovative
and first class magnet schools would be a second goal.
3. How can the district close the achievement gap (socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and
gender)?
Again, as I mentioned in answer (2) addressing the specific academic needs of all students and
by expanding the magnet program. Also, high schools needs to have career readiness programs
for all students, making sure that they are career ready upon graduation.
4. What can CMS do to remain competitive by retaining and attracting the best teachers?
By lobbying our state legislature and county commissioner for increases in salaries and making
sure that first class working conditions and employee benefits are available.
5. From now through November 2016, CMS is examining its student assignment plan.
What are your priorities for student assignments?
My top priority is the expansion of the magnet school program, which includes raising the cap
and making sure they are located in more parts of the district. Re-tweaking bus routes is also
needed.
6. What criteria would you use when selecting a new Superintendent?
The new superintendent should be a visionary, team player, great communicator and supports
fully the board's guiding principles and long term academic goals.
7. What steps would you take to address bullying in our schools?
I would make sure that there is a strategic plan is in place and that all students and their
administrators adhere to a 100% non-bullying policy.
8. What would you do to ensure the success of students with special needs?
Students with special needs should be provided the resources to achieve in our school system.
The guidance counselor and administrators and teachers need to have constant communication
with their parents to identify all provisions needed to make sure that they are productive students.
9. Undocumented parents are unable to provide a social security number and therefore not
permitted to volunteer in their children's schools. What will you do to ensure that all
parents who want to, have equal right to volunteer?
 According to the FBI, SBI, DHS, and the Mecklenburg Sheriff's office,
fingerprinting is more secure and accurate than a social security number. Would
you support this as an alternative?
I would support item (a) and also be a strong advocate for their rights to accessibility at all
schools in our district.
10. What would you do to ensure that CMS is a safe and welcoming place for its gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students and staff?
I would make sure that our district has defined and strict policies to ensure equality for all the
specific groups that are noted in question (10). They deserve the right to be nurtured in a safe and
sound educational environment, just like their peers.
11. What role does implicit racial bias play in CMS, if any? Would you be willing to
champion a policy of sending all CMS employees through implicit racial bias training?
I would be willing to champion a policy of sending all CMS employees through implicit racial
bias training. One of the reasons, I believe, why African Americans students comprise more than
70% of out of school suspensions, is because of teachers and school administrators not being
able to functionally relate to many students of color.
12. Nearly 3,800 schools across the nation have installed solar panels for their economic,
health, and educational impacts. How do you feel about powering CMS with renewable
electricity? What specific steps would you take to bring renewable energy to the district?
I would support this initiative for our schools. Also, I would be a public voice for
implementation of the process in our district.
13. 14,000 CMS students have asthma, which is one of the leading causes of school
absenteeism. What would you do to decrease missed school days due to chronic respiratory
disease?
I would make sure that all necessary environmental conditions within our schools be addressed
to alleviate issue for students with the before mentioned medical condition.
Larry Bumgarner
1. What in your experience has prepared you to be an effective school board member?
What is your vested interest in running?
If you are looking for the best candidate I am telling you I am not your person. I will only focus
on the kids and not groups or other influences. My goal is to make the Super and the Parents the
only real influences in shaping our schools. We have not asked our customers what they want,
or what they need, instead we have just decided what was needed, and done what we expected
was necessary.
My history has been a native of Charlotte, bused in the original busing situation, from Myers
Park to West Charlotte. We made it work. I became friends with Gerson Stroud and was the
only student who spoke at his funeral. His Wife Daisy, who passed away a few years ago, went
on vacation with me and my lovely Wife of 40 plus years. I graduated from the University of
North Carolina at Charlotte, with a Bachelors in Business Degree. My early career was in
Banking and then Commercial Lending. I started two companies, one which was sold to a larger
company, and the second to my employees.
This allowed me to start doing what I always wanted to do at 45 and I have been volunteering in
the most challenged communities, in CMS always asking for the most challenged schools and
was one of the original citizen volunteers for Gang of One, to stop Gang Violence I had seen in
these neighborhoods, which we finally made the elected officials notice.
I enjoyed all the kids I mentored, all the families I appeared as the witness against drug and
liquor houses, so they would not have retaliation against them, and funding private security for a
whole neighborhood for a Summer, to show how well it would work, just like it does in the gated
communities.
So while I may not be the best candidate for you, I am the best for the kids.
2. What do you see as the most pressing issues facing our school district and how would you
address them?
Lack of real effort to educate, from the parents, and from those who should be caring for the kids
the most. I challenged the local Black News Sources as to why they did not have a dedicated
Education section on their websites and in their papers. To this date I have not heard back from
them. I intend to make schools a haven for education. If folks have any other ideas then handle
societies problems outside the schools instead of making them an omnibus for every possible
social problem.
3. How can the district close the achievement gap (socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and
gender)?
Education, which creates opportunity, which creates a great society. No other way. If you want
to fake it, then we have seen just how fast it falls apart with all that government intervention.
4. What can CMS do to remain competitive by retaining and attracting the best teachers?
This should fall on the community, we should offer low or even free car repairs to Teachers, low
cost, baby and adult sitting services, low, low interest rates on loans and mortgages. Seems we
have enough to fund the Arts and the other stuff, but do not find it necessary to help our
Teachers. I have the website www.ThankYouTeachers.com and have been begging Charlotte to
start doing something to help these hard working Teachers.
5. From now through November 2016, CMS is examining its student assignment plan.
What are your priorities for student assignments?
No change. If you want to keep playing musical chairs and keep churning things, then no
stability and real focus on the real problems will take place.
6. What criteria would you use when selecting a new Superintendent?
I would send out a proposal asking the candidates to research our system and submit their vision
for CMS. Then pick the best. We need to stop expecting to bring someone in to handle this
Frankenstein we have created and get them to keep it from ravaging the city. The fact is, we
need to get the board to get out of the micromanaging business and get in the background. We
have seen how bad this board being in charge has worked for CMS over the last 20 years, and
now is the time to change. Become what we should be, a group looking over what is being done
and making sure the money is being spent right and success is the only thing happening at CMS.
7. What steps would you take to address bullying in our schools?
More defense courses. If you think this has not been around forever then you must not have
gone to school as a child. The fact is they are using this today as an agenda driven item like so
many other things we see from so many outside groups. Why today has this been so advertised,
oh right it gets more money, while we all know the schools is not going to put up with it and
neither am I .
8. What would you do to ensure the success of students with special needs?
Intensive observation. Intensive paperwork. All directed to see just how well the child is
progressing or if not, why.
9. Undocumented parents are unable to provide a social security number and therefore not
permitted to volunteer in their children's schools. What will you do to ensure that all
parents who want to, have equal right to volunteer?
 According to the FBI, SBI, DHS, and the Mecklenburg Sheriff's office,
fingerprinting is more secure and accurate than a social security number. Would
you support this as an alternative?
Would not change the SS required requirement. And those fingers of these fingerprints can
decide to pack up and go back home anytime they wish, not sure how this would protect kids if
they did something that harmed kids in these schools.
10. What would you do to ensure that CMS is a safe and welcoming place for its gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students and staff?
If they are a student they are protected in CMS. We need to get way past this I am a special
group or the like and etc……
11. What role does implicit racial bias play in CMS, if any? Would you be willing to
champion a policy of sending all CMS employees through implicit racial bias training?
Racial Bias is the new money maker. It is promoted only because it pays a lot of groups and the
media loves it as it gives them a lot of stories to create.
“There is another class of coloured people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the
wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able
to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their
wrongs — partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people
do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs.”
― Booker T. Washington
12. Nearly 3,800 schools across the nation have installed solar panels for their economic,
health, and educational impacts. How do you feel about powering CMS with renewable
electricity? What specific steps would you take to bring renewable energy to the district?
Show me how to save money, or make a great investment, and I am interested.
13. 14,000 CMS students have asthma, which is one of the leading causes of school
absenteeism. What would you do to decrease missed school days due to chronic respiratory
disease?
Start online schools to serve them.
Jeremy Stephenson
1. What in your experience has prepared you to be an effective school board member?
What is your vested interest in running?
I come from a family of teachers; mother, father, sister, grandmother, aunt. Professionally I am a
labor and employment attorney, working with Human Resources professionals every day, and
know the importance of treating employees right, and how to do it in a limited budget
environment.
For eight years I have volunteered as a pro bono attorney representing children in the Courts with
the Council for Children’s Rights, allowing me to see corners of this County that too few of us
see. I represented my neighborhood on student assignment issues for the past four years, and in
the process learned the long history of student assignment in our County, but also the polite
manner of my advocacy gained the respect of several members of the School Board, who now
ask me to run. I have seen lightning in a bottle at Olympic High School, where 2005 composite
End of Grade proficiency of 53% has now been raised to over 80%, where East Mecklenburg HS
went from 70% graduation in 2009 to over 90% today. I hear businesses asking for a more
skilled workforce while I hear communities calling for good jobs, and CMS sits squarely in
between able to solve both problems.
I was president of the Charlotte Area Society for Human Resource Management, a professional
organization over 400 members, and am currently the North Carolina SHRM Government
Affairs Director, advocating for K-12 education for HR Professionals across the state. I serve on
the Mecklenburg County Human Resources Advisory Committee, meeting quarterly with other
subject matter experts to advise Mecklenburg County’s HR department heads.
In many ways most important, my four year old daughter will be in CMS schools for many,
many years to come.
2. What do you see as the most pressing issues facing our school district and how would you
address them?
First, we need to resolve our superintendent situation, which I prefer to solve by hiring Ann
Clark into a permanent long-term contract. There is nobody within CMS ready to step up into
her position. Twice before we conducted national searches at both time and expense, and neither
ended very well. If we conduct another national search, taking 12 months and costing many tens
of thousands of taxpayer dollars, that could be better spent in the classroom, we are likely to get
another candidate with a very similar resume to Ann Clark, but without her deep local
connections. She has presided over, first as Chief Academic Officer, now as Superintendent,
over unprecedented academic growth, with graduation rates at all-time highs, and proficiency
gaps among cohorts steadily shrinking.
Second, we must address our facilities, where too many kids go to either overcrowded, or
obsolete, schools. Bruns Academy and Landsdowne were both built in the 1950’s, with too
much cinderblock, too few windows, low ceilings, trailers, and generally not good learning
environments. But we likely lack significant funding, especially in the short term, for major
construction projects. We therefore must think creatively. If Elevation Church can go in a bigbox store, if Charter schools can go into office buildings, then we may need to also, where
Mecklenburg County has doubled in size, gaining 500,000 people since 1990.
Third, tireless advocacy for teachers and staff. CMS does not control its own budget, but it can
control how it treats its employees. Though my family connections to the teaching profession,
and my daily professional work with Human Resources professionals, I think we can find ways
to make teachers feel appreciated as the heroes they are. Uniformed soldiers get ovations in
airports, and there is similar untapped goodwill for teachers in our community.
3. How can the district close the achievement gap (socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and
gender)?
Latest data shows that scores are rising among all groups, and that achievement gaps are closing
among all groups. In some measure, if it isn’t broken…?
Nonetheless, we have a number of schools with high concentrations of poverty and race. As I
have seen in my volunteer work, kids in dire poverty experience traumas in their lives in greater
frequency, single parent homes, mom or dad with job insecurity, maybe interactions with the
legal system, domestic violence, substance abuse, etc. It is almost impossible to solve those
issues within the four walls of the school. Those kids, and likely their parents, need after school
and summer programs. Ultimately, I view this as a student performance issue, not a student
assignment issue, as there are places in the country, especially certain charter schools, where kids
in poverty are performing highly. But I am an Eagle Scout, and firmly believe that it must start
at home, and in the community.
4. What can CMS do to remain competitive by retaining and attracting the best teachers?
CMS does not control its own budget. At the same time, it is unfair for CMS to get stuck
between the County Commission and the General Assembly with each pointing the finger at each
other. It is easier to help the 10,000 CMS teachers than the other 90,000 across North Carolina.
As noted above, my work with HR professionals puts me on the cutting edge of employee
surveying, 360 reviews, and employee recognition. There are experts in exactly the field of
employee culture and retention that I work with every day. They will gladly volunteer their time
to examine this issue.
I also believe that smart employers invest in their future workforce, and CMS is no different.
We have locally one of the best Education Colleges in the nation at UNCC. We already have a
successful STEM program on the campus of UNCC. If elected, I will support a Grade 11-12
high quality teacher academy magnet program at UNCC College of Education. If a student
wants to become a teacher, we must fan that flame and support it with time and treasure.
5. From now through November 2016, CMS is examining its student assignment plan.
What are your priorities for student assignments?
Stability and Proximity. Since busing ended in 1999, hundreds of thousands of people have
moved into our area into a setting of stability. They will not tolerate a massive revision of the
student assignment plan, because (1) there are now unlimited charters, (2) depending how
executed, could be illegal or subject to lawsuits, (3) the cost is uncertain, (4) the educational
benefits are uncertain.
We have concentrations of poverty and underperformance that must be addressed immediately.
A massive student assignment or transportation change is not a quick or focused solution. No
advocate for “diversity-based” student assignment has yet articulated how that would work,
instead suggesting “we will hire a consultant”. If you intend to scoop 20% of students out of
Bruns and send them to Selwyn, what are you doing for the 80% left behind? And presumably,
you would scoop 20% out of Selwyn to send to Bruns, and I do not see that happening easily.
As the Observer smartly observed, CMS is competing for students every day. If parents do not
get an attractive option, or options, they will simply opt out, and from a fiscal perspective, we
cannot afford it.
I support high quality neighborhood home schools, and excellent magnet programs diverse both
geographically and substantively.
6. What criteria would you use when selecting a new Superintendent?
See above. They must have demonstrated proven academic and organizational success in their
market. They must be recommended by their peers. I see no possible better choice than Ann
Clark.
7. What steps would you take to address bullying in our schools?
The physical safety of students and staff is a sacred responsibility. CMS has anti-bullying
policies and programs in place. In many ways this also coincides with the OneCharlotte and
restorative justice movements.
8. What would you do to ensure the success of students with special needs?
Special needs take more forms than many realize. Metro is an amazing resource for our families;
no such similar exists in neighboring counties. Highly gifted are “special needs” too, and too
few options exist in CMS for them.
9. Undocumented parents are unable to provide a social security number and therefore not
permitted to volunteer in their children's schools. What will you do to ensure that all
parents who want to, have equal right to volunteer?
 According to the FBI, SBI, DHS, and the Mecklenburg Sheriff's office,
fingerprinting is more secure and accurate than a social security number. Would
you support this as an alternative?
I support a reasonable alternative, whether fingerprinting or another. If a parent wants to
participate in their child’s education, we need to applaud that and make it happen. We cannot
have barriers to student achievement.
10. What would you do to ensure that CMS is a safe and welcoming place for its gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students and staff?
My professional role in the Human Resources community puts me at the forefront of inclusive
employment policies and practices. One area that CMS can do better is as an employer, owning
diversity a core value. When my law firm submits RFP bids to corporations, they typically
demand of us our diversity policy, and even our diversity hiring trends.
11. What role does implicit racial bias play in CMS, if any? Would you be willing to
champion a policy of sending all CMS employees through implicit racial bias training?
I have taken a continuing education training class from “Race Matters in Juvenile Justice”, and
agree that implicit bias is real. I encourage everyone to take such training. Teachers and staff
time is limited, as are CMS budgets. I am cautious to advocate a budget item on training that
could otherwise be spent in the classroom.
12. Nearly 3,800 schools across the nation have installed solar panels for their economic,
health, and educational impacts. How do you feel about powering CMS with renewable
electricity? What specific steps would you take to bring renewable energy to the district?
I am a proud supporter of Repower Our Schools and the Green Teacher Network. I think it fits
perfectly with the theme of STEM education and Charlotte’s place as a hub for the power
generation industry. I am all for renewable energy, but understand that under North Carolina
law, CMS is not permitted to use third-party financing, and so would need to pay for it itself. I
support making new school construction as “green” as possible.
13. 14,000 CMS students have asthma, which is one of the leading causes of school
absenteeism. What would you do to decrease missed school days due to chronic respiratory
disease?
My sister has suffered from asthma her whole life; I have seen it first hand. Indoor air quality is
such a very serious issue. Too many of our kids attend schools in mobile trailers, or old
buildings, with indoor air and mold issues. We must be vigilant in ensuring that no child attends
school in an unhealthy classroom.
Janeen Bryant
1. What in your experience has prepared you to be an effective school board member?
What is your vested interest in running?
I’m a mother, an educator, and an engaged community member. Like you, I believe the public
education system has the power to change the lives of students for the better. I am committed to
educational equity and am willing to serve the needs of teachers, even in the most challenging
schools, parents and students. We must feel supported and connected to work together for
change.
2. What do you see as the most pressing issue facing our school district and how would you
address them?
Resegregation. I see the disparities present in academic performance, diversity, and suspensions
within CMS; every issue disproportionately impacts students of color or students who live in
poverty. Something must be done to mitigate the factors that contribute to the imbalance among
schools. As we revamp a broken system, we need to commit to reducing concentrations of
poverty so that we have a real chance at equity for all students and families. Commitment will
mean having the moral and policy-based courage to boldly call for the reversal of race and
income based re-segregation. The status quo is simply not acceptable.
3. How can the district close the achievement gap (socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and
gender)?
We know that CMS has noticeable gaps with achievement, discipline and healthcare- all related
to socioeconomic group or race. There are two major steps we can take now. First, support prekindergarten and developmentally appropriate curriculum for all students. Research
acknowledges that students who enter schools from an impoverished background have
substantially less vocabulary. We should be supporting all learners and modalities and
examining ways to help kids start and end school on equal footing. Second, continue to examine
the disproportionate touch of school disciplinary policy on students of color. The number of
suspensions and expulsions in CMS can continue to be addressed as a system-wide problem that
requires training teachers towards the use of restorative justice and building student leaders who
promote self-advocacy. Both of these practices create community awareness moving us away
from the school to prison pipeline and towards cradle to career readiness.
4. What can CMS do to remain competitive by retaining and attracting the best teachers?
CMS is not the only school district in the nation that is experiencing high attrition. One thing we
could do is look to similar large school systems that have lower rates of attrition and investigate
what contributes to those lower rates. We could also look to survey responses we already have
from teachers in CMS and determine which areas teachers are least satisfied with in their
workplace and seek to improve those areas. For example, according to the 2014 North Carolina
Teacher Working Conditions Survey, 79% of new teachers in CMS selected they did not have a
reduced workload; over 50% of new teachers in CMS selected they did not have release time to
observe other teachers; 60% selected they did not have a formal time to meet their mentor during
school hours; and, 86% selected they did not receive any additional support as a new teacher.
And, candidly, CMS should be feeding its own pipeline of excellent students that matriculate
and become excellent teachers, giving back to the community that nurtured them.
5. From now through November 2016, CMS is examining its student assignment plan.
What are your priorities for student assignment?
As CMS develops a new student assignment process, we must prioritize a system that reduces
concentrations of poverty while increasing diversity and opportunity. We must address the issue
of social mobility in Charlotte. Education is one way in which we do that. We can’t approach
school assignment without acknowledging that there is a correlation between poverty and school
performance. If we are truly committed to equal opportunity and the belief that every child has
the right and the ability to succeed, then we need a school assignment process that ensures that
zip codes do not determine outcomes.
6. What criteria would you use when selecting a new superintendent?
A Superintendent should be a sustainable leader. Many of the characteristics demonstrated by
current leadership are modeling for the district what investment and sustainability looks like in a
leader. We need leadership with a clear vision towards building school district culture that
celebrates and welcomes parents, teachers and students. Further, this leader should have
demonstrable experience in a district that has a similar urban demographic with a variety of
socioeconomic, racial and languages apparent in district composition. Their interpersonal skills
should be geared toward building partnership with School Board Members and all elected
officials at the county and city level. We need a leader who is committed to seeing a difference
in our schools and committed to building a better Charlotte, not just a better resume.
7. What steps would you take to address bullying in our schools?
Character building and Curriculum helps- but the real key is creating a school culture that
acknowledges and supports the dignity of our young people. Restorative Justice is one such
practice that can have multiple positive benefits, most notably supporting a school culture that
cultivate the leadership of young people as they navigate differences among peers and seek to
remedy their issues publically with each other’s support. Restorative Practices support the
development of healthy relationships based on mutual respect and the ability of those involved to
resolve their conflicts rather than relying solely on punitive measures for student behavioral
issues.
8. What would you do to ensure the success of students with special needs?
CMS should be providing specialized support to teachers and assistants who are working with
these fragile populations. Additionally, we should build awareness and parental support around
proper diagnoses of student need to ensure that we are not continuing the trend of mis-labeling
students who are developmentally appropriate but may not display the maturity requested by the
teacher.
9. Undocumented parents are unable to provide a social security number and therefore are
not permitted to volunteer in their children's schools. What will you do to ensure that all
parents who want to have equal right to volunteer?
Municipal ID or FBI fingerprinting can both provide pathways toward supporting parental
volunteer involvement ( eventually). Current legislative measures prevent the district from
lawfully changing district policy.

According to the FBI, SBI, DHS, and the Mecklenburg Sheriff’s office, fingerprinting is
more secure and accurate than a social security number. Would you support this as an
alternative?
Yes
10. What would you do to ensure that CMS is a safe and welcoming place for its gay,
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students and staff?
Safe zone training as it is done on the college level; work with an advisory council of students
and staff who can make recommendations for what is needed on district, school and classroom
level to make sure everyone feels the welcome that should be inherent in our schools every day
for everyone. I also fully support having gender-neutral bathroom facilities available on school
sites for staff and students. As a school board member my job will be to make sure that every
student, regardless sexual orientation, has a chance at an excellent education that will allow
him/her/them the opportunity to graduate and be productive, successful citizens. Whether that
means having safe spaces to go in school buildings, access to resources and wraparound services,
bully-deterrent initiatives and appropriate staff training, challenging and inclusive curriculum, or
restorative justice practices, I will be an advocate for it.
11. What role does implicit racial bias play in CMS, if any? Would you be willing to
champion a policy of sending all CMS employees through implicit racial bias training?
Yes, I attended REI training for 2 days with leadership from multiple sectors of CMS. This kind
of experience can be transformative for educators as they build awareness around how
institutional racism may be furthering the school achievement gap and unfortunately
strengthening the school to prison pipeline. We have a real opportunity to develop cultural
competency training that helps staff understand that diversity is more than race; its ethnicity,
language, income, parental background and more.
12. Nearly 3,800 schools across the nation have installed solar panels for their economic,
health, and educational impacts. How do you feel about powering CMS with renewable
electricity? What specific steps would you take to bring renewable energy to the district?
Rigorous Evaluation of the operating budget may help us see opportunities to continuously phase
in renewable energy. However, I think is just as valuable to match our efforts to transform
buildings by including curriculum and experiential learning opportunities for teachers and
students about the value of environmental stewardship and importance of sustainable energy in
general.
13. 14,000 (10%) CMS students have asthma, which is one of the leading causes of school
absenteeism. What would you do to decrease missed school days due to chronic respiratory
disease?
As an urgent measure, be sure that teachers and staff know the implications of asthma.
Online/alternative recovery programs can be provided for students with chronic asthma to help
them enroll prior to any issues. I support the presence of school nurses and other services that
can be provided on-site, perhaps providing us the opportunity to be proactive about asthma
before school time is missed.