Joe Marshall
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Question 1:
Do you support JCPS' current "Safe Haven" resolution? How will you support immigrant students and families during your term? What is your view of the role of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within our schools?
The Safe Haven Resolution states, "The resolution asserts that JCPS has a responsibility to welcome and educate all students, regardless of their immigration status, and to celebrate their contributions to our diverse learning community." I am in full support of this measure. As a classroom educator at Wheatly Elementary, I had the pleasure of teaching many ESL students from various cultures including students from Mexico, Senegal, and the Philippines. These students and their families brought a rich, diverse perspective to the importance of education and provided a welcomed addition of diversity. As a board member my job is to review policies and budget measures to ensure that all underserved populations have equity including immigrant families. With that said, I do not support the presence of ICE within our school buildings. Our job is to provide a safe environment for all students; the trauma associated with ICE would not allow us to achieve this goal.
Question 2:
The School Board is exploring changes to the Student Assignment Plan which is used to assign all students to "home" or "reside" schools. The most significant proposed changes would be a "dual reside" system in which middle- and high-schoolers in West Louisville can choose to attend a local school or a more distant school in East or South Louisville. Do you support this proposal? What additional changes, if any, would you like to see to the student assignment plan?
JCPS is one of the most diverse urban school districts in the country. What this hasn't led to is equity in school choice for all families. I support a plan in which all of our families are given the best number of options that will lead to academic growth and success for their student (s). I will also support any policies and plans that give substantial focus on and budgets for improvement to the quality and attractiveness of our magnet and academy programs. I believe supporting these plans will provide an increase in parental involvement and a number of students matriculating from the east end of the county to the west and southern parts of JCPS.
Question 3:
The school board has not renewed its contracts with local police departments, meaning JCPS no longer uses armed police officers to act as School Resource Officers (SROs). Do you agree with that decision? What role, if any, should police play within schools? If elected, what will you do to address racial disparities in student disciplinary actions and dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline?
The number one priority of JCPS should be student safety, both physically and mentally. Research proves that if students don't feel safe then they're not achieving at the level they are fully capable. I am not in support of having armed police officers in our schools. The fractured relationship between the police and a portion of our community can provide trauma to our student population that isn't conducive to their growth. I support of model that utilizes increased mental health professionals and School Security Officers who have been trained in proper deescalation and cultural competency. Police should provide a community role in our schools and create a relationship with the buildings in the area of their beat. By doing this we could see an increase in positive interactions that students have with officers. It is also important that we continue to monitor our Racial Equity policy to ensure that all administration and staff are informed as to the demographic of students that they teach. The school-to-prison pipeline has caused many within the education field to ignore the potential of our children to achieve greatness, and focused on their differences as a reason to police them. Our children to not need to be policed, they need to be nurtured and mentored in an environment that values them as human beings.
Question 4:
What is your stance on restorative justice? Would you support more comprehensive restorative practices within JCPS? If so, what would that look like?
As a teacher at Wheatley Elementary I learned first hand how ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) can shape and mold the actions and reactions of children. Once put into context, we begin to understand that the effects of trauma on a child's brain are significant. Children never asked to be born into their circumstances and we shouldn't write them off based on their struggle to process emotions. I beleive that we must review all policies around student behavior to ensure that we are taking everything that involves our students lives into account. Every student deserves a chance to start over and be treated accordingly each day and it is our job to create that culture in our schools. If it requires a full overhaul of our diversity training then I believe this option should be on the table.
Question 5:
What would you do to ensure that the goals outlined in JCPS' Racial Equity Policy are achieved?
I have a three point plan to ensure that our Racial Equity Policy doesn't become a mere checklist to our schools.
1. Identify "priority" Equity schools and administration that have higher than average disparities in suspension and referral rates for students of color.
2. Purposefully recruit, train, and support teachers of color in these building while also training existing staff in cultural competency and racial equity.
3. Create open lines of communication with parents and students that include surveys and evaluation of the building culture and ability to be inclusive to ALL families.
Question 6:
What is your stance on sex education and LGBTQ inclusion?
Sex education should be an offered elective in all middle schools and high schools. I am against teaching abstinence only, and believe the curriculum should be inclusive of all gender identities and gender expressions. I am also in support of elementary age body confidence/identity education that teaches younger students proper identification of body parts and confidence to claim their personal space.
Question 7:
What is your stance on charter schools?
I have pledged to use my influence on the school board to protect against any and all state or local government overreach when it comes to JCPS. This includes the outside influence of Charter Schools. I strongly believe that we in JCPS have the power, ability, and talent to create educational opportunities that will decrease the achievement gap. With evidence from the Dubois Academy, the Newcomer Academy, and the soon to be opened Girls of Color Academy, we will prove that outside influence isn't needed and that Charter Schools have no place in Jefferson County.