Steven Barton

Education

Rename and reschedule “spring break” as “Easter break” and “winter break” as “Christmas break”, their traditional names.. Learn more

Remove requirements for personally-identifiable dossiers on students —district reports to the state should be statistical and lack personally identifiable information. Learn more

I also pledge to consider proposals from stakeholders whether R, D, Parents, Students, Administrators, etc. As good ideas can come from many sources. Learn more

Require districts notify parents of student sex transitions, not hide them from parents as some districts do today. Learn more

Boot boys from girls’ sports, locker rooms, and bathrooms. Learn more

Strictly limit classroom screen time and ban cell phones from classrooms. Yes, I contributed to older computer designs as an engineer, but that does not mean second and third graders should spend all day glued to screens. Learn more

Preparing students for life also requires students learn the basics of personal and business finance with basic economics so they can deal with jobs, home, car, and health insurance, banks and 401-K programs, and understand the basics of government and law. Learn more

Improve security by arming selected staff or teachers- no soft targets. Learn more

Grade school districts on parental involvement in curriculum decisions and textbook selection to force districts to involve parents. Learn more

Require math-based science for teacher’s licensure. Science needs to be taught using math, and math needs to be taught with real applications including science and business. The handwaving-level science typical teachers now take leaves them unable to do this. Learn more

Schools should focus on preparing students for productive roles in life after graduation, giving students key skills including critical thinking, basic academic skills like reading, writing, and math that they will need in trades or college, as well as an understanding of basic science and technology that they can make use of in their careers. Learn more

Require teachers to learn enough business to know what a profit is and what it takes to make one. Most teachers mean well, but many fall into leftist traps because they have never worked outside government and don’t understand reality. Further, basic accounting can make wonderful math problem sets with calculations of cash flow, property tax, social security tax, unemployment tax, sales tax, etc. Learn more

Encourage districts to focus on reading, writing, and arithmetic in grades K-3 using traditional methods that work, like phonics and times tables. The proposed READ act rule does use a phonics-derived instruction method, but demands dossiers and micromanages implementation. Learn more

Involve parents, because they may have good ideas and many can also work with their kids when they need extra help—if they are informed of the type and extent of help their kids need. Too many board rules exclude parents. The Democrat ideal of schools taking full charge of educating, feeding, and raising kids should be changed—Schools should have mindset of being a support and aid to parents in raising and educating kids unless parents have abdicated that responsibility. Learn more

Improve financial efficiency by scoring school districts on their administrator-teacher ratio, and streamline state board reporting rules and grant procedures to allow school districts to spend more on classrooms and less on administration. Learn more

Prohibit granting credit or excused absences for political activities and demonstrations. Learn more

I believe schools should aid parents in raising kids, while the current Board is having the State replace parents. Learn more