The candidates’ responses are presented without edits (except for formatting).
Below are the responses from Republican candidate Nikki Bascome.
The legislature has recently moved to fund vouchers for private schools, which provide public money for private schools. Do you support this voucher system?
The opportunity scholarship is a decision made by legislatures and not one for local school boards. However, I am interested in the Public School Reinvestment Fund. I understand they take the difference between the state allotment and the amount of the scholarship and reinvest it back into the public school system. While I know they have not yet determined how that reinvestment will be distributed, I would advocate for it to be within the school district the student left. I would also want to make sure we have a robust and innovative educational environment that would entice more parents to come back or not leave our public schools. I would like to see our CLDA and SPARKNC programs expanded, making sure our students are tracking towards understanding their interests and skills and how those may align with future goals. I attended ECU with the dreams of becoming a child psychologist. I learned very quickly that the college path was not for me at that time and joined the workforce. Helping students figure out their individual talents BEFORE going down the wrong path as a young adult, helping them figure out what they would like to do or better yet, what they would NOT like to do, should be a part of the educational journey.
How would you support the district’s diverse population, including minority, LGBTQ, and multi-language families?
As a board member I will follow policies 1710/4020/7230 and Title IX that already support our diverse school community and I expect our staff to do the same. I will support and work to protect ALL students, staff, and families. I feel that our educators are on the front line of our diverse school community but they were micromanaged and our curriculum is so structured and so restrictive that it leaves little time for our educators to assess or identify need for support. Speaking of support, I’m a little disappointed that we aren’t talking more about the lack of discipline in our schools, the lack of support our educators receive when it comes to discipline.
If elected, how would you handle dissenting viewpoints from fellow board members, staff, and the public?
There will always be dissenting viewpoints and what we have to strive for is respectful and meaningful dialog. Staying humble and questioning our own views and our intrinsic motivations will help us come together in the end and making sure we are following our Standards of Professional Conduct. I have volunteered in numerous organizations in our community and have a proven reputation of thoughtfulness, respect, and determination to learn and understand others across all demographics.
Do you believe teachers and staff are indoctrinating students with partisan ideologies? If so, what evidence can you share to support that concern?
I have not personally witnessed indoctrination. I expect our board and our staff to uphold professional standards, leaving personal and religious opinions out of the classrooms. With that said, we must take every staff concern, every student concern, and every family’s concern seriously and investigate. We must not become complacent when it comes to the well-being of our staff and our students.
Do you support the banning of books in libraries or classrooms? If so, are there any that currently concern you?
We should not be in the business of book banning. I personally and professionally have not EVER banned a book. We should however make sure that any material available to our students is age and developmentally appropriate. This includes all materials, books, supplemental materials, digital materials, access to materials on devices. It is not always easy to discern and implement such policies but that does not mean we should not strive to make sure our students are only exposed to appropriate material. We should be working with staff and families to ensure we are developing and implementing the right policies to achieve this goal.
How do you plan to support the district’s low-performing schools? Do you have broader concerns about or plans to address academic achievement?
I would like to take a closer look at WHY these schools are low performing. Not all low performing schools have the same issues and not all low performing schools could be addressed in same manner. What I do know is that quite a few of our low performing schools have turned around. 16 schools have met growth and exceeded growth. I plan to support staff who have worked hard to accomplish this turn around and find a way to bring the knowledge to other schools across our district.
When and how would you like to start reviewing the district’s budget? What are your priorities in terms of positions, curriculum, and/or programs?
I have already been reviewing our budget. To be considered for this position I felt it was my responsibility to be familiar with the budget and be prepared to offer suggestions or ask questions of the superintendent who presents the budget. My priority in terms of positions is EC first, any student-facing positions second, then supporting roles and enhancements. I would also like to expand our SPARKNC program in all high schools as well as our CLDA program in all middle schools.