Election 2020: Q&A with Muscogee County School Board District 3 candidates
To help Columbus area voters decide which local candidates to support in the June 9 election, the Ledger-Enquirer is publishing a series of stories about the contested races in a Q&A format.
Today, we feature the District 3 seat on the Muscogee County School Board. The one-term incumbent is Vanessa Jackson. The challenger is Sherrie Aaron.
Aaron, 37, is from Oakland, California, and joined the U.S. Army after high school. She served for eight years before medically retiring in Columbus. She is founder and president of Sybil’s House, a residential program for girls ages 10-12. She earned a GED in 2006.
Jackson, 56, is director of the Childcare Network. She graduated from Hardaway High School and earned an associate’s degree in early childhood education from Columbus Technical College. She has 25 years of experience in early childhood education and 20 years in management.
The candidates answered the following questions via email.
Why should residents in your district vote for you over your opponent?
Aaron: “I am asking for the support of District 3 voters because I am the only candidate willing to do the leg work required to make a true difference in the district, not just lip service or campaign season programs posted to social media. I plan to be accessible and available to the citizens and educators I’m serving; and my service will always be a priority. However, regardless of how people decide to vote, I believe it’s crucial that everyone get out to vote.”
Jackson: “The residents in District 3 should vote to re-elect me because I have supported the families in District 3 and worked very hard to ensure that the needs of children were met at school and often outside of school.
“On many occasions I have helped families identify wraparound services in support of the children and to assist with family stability.
“This is not new territory for me because I have served Muscogee County children and families for more than 25 years in early childhood education.
“I have some great success stories of kids I have served over the decades. MCSD teachers, military, healthcare workers, first responders.
“The children have always been and will remain my first priority!”
What is the most important issue in MCSD, and how should it be addressed during the 2020-21 school year?
Aaron: “The most important issue at this point is getting our children back in school while also keeping them, our educators and staff safe.
“I have no idea how that will look, but I expect it will take some collaboration with the board, school administrators, parents and health professionals to ensure it’s done properly.
“As the District 3 School Board representative, I plan to be an active, vocal part of the process. We need someone representing District 3 that is willing to listen and work with everyone involved to find solutions.
“I plan to stay connected to the people I serve and make the effort to educate myself on the issues facing our students and schools, so barriers can be identified during the planning stages; not when plans are announced to the public.”
Jackson: “Ensuring that we continue to provide quality education throughout the district while maintaining the safety of the children and all employees.”
What is the most significant strength and the most significant weakness in MCSD that has been highlighted by the coronavirus pandemic, and what will be their impact when schools reopen?
Aaron: “Well, first I’d like to say our students, the MCSD and the parents/volunteers of Columbus did a phenomenal job jumping into action in the aftermath of COVID-19. However, one area of opportunity was the realization of connectivity issues. I think some of us took internet access for granted, not realizing there are different types of connectivity and all are not compatible with distance learning methods. So I believe the district will be tasked with helping address that and other issues educators and parents encountered.
“On the positive side, I think we saw some great things can happen when parents get involved in education. I also believe the quarantine forced some parents to overcome fears they may have had about tackling their children’s schoolwork, as well as figuring out better work-life balance to find time they thought they didn’t have. So if we can find ways to keep parents engaged, we can definitely come out of this pandemic with some educational positives for all of our children.”
Jackson: “Our greatest strength in the district is our employees and their commitment to our students.
“Our greatest weakness is we must develop emergency safety plans to address COVID-19 in the middle of the pandemic. Safety for all of our staff and students is a major concern.”
Should voters approve the ESPLOST referendum? Why or why not?
Aaron: “As a voter and parent to 14 girls attending MCSD schools, I support the ESPLOST. The ESPLOST, to me, is a ‘given’ ... 92% of school-aged children in Columbus attend MCSD schools, so the reality is the schools are the foundation of our city’s future workforce; and investing in that should be of interest to all of us.
“And for those who have concerns about how the money is spent, I encourage them to exercise their right to vote and be sure you have representation that you can trust. ... I feel like trust is built from relationship, and I plan to build bridges that foster relationships between the school, neighborhoods and businesses in the district so we can continue to provide a quality education for all children.
“When people know they have representation with shared values, and they are aware of the needs of their students and educators, they can feel confident in the decisions being made, even if they aren’t physically present at the table.”
Jackson: “I believe the citizens want the best for our students. Prior to COVID-19, the community seemed to be on board to support the ESPLOST. The ESPLOST is a kitchen table issue. Because of COVID-19, many families are unemployed and seeking social services to bridge their families in District 3. I am an Essential Service Provider, and I continued to work through the Pandemic. Personally, I will support the ESPLOST.”
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
