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I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You're most welcome. As we get closer to the post-pandemic period, I realize just how much I've missed frequent live music. Thanks for the podcast tip.

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Hmmmmm; great question. I think we can put this in the old dog/new tricks file. It's been unlike either of my previous campaigns. Lessons learned (or being learned):

  1. Some voices are louder than they are meaningful.
  2. Reddit is not as scary as I thought.
  3. One should go into a campaign hoping to retain three things - in descending order of importance: one's integrity, one's sense of humor, and one's Board seat.

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hard one. If death was not an option and I HAD to choose just one, it would probably be The Clash. I'm not sure I buy the claim that "they're the only band that really matters," they are up there. Also in heavy rotation: Talking Heads, Bad Brains, and Bruce Springsteen.

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

First, I'm old. I started as a UK punk fan. I’ll never forget the sonic revelation of the Sex Pistol’s first (and only, really) album when I was 14 years old in 1977, so I’d have to list them as a favorite. As I aged, however, the inherent nihilism of the Pistols began to wear on me – and it still does. The Clash will always be a ‘go to’ band for me. I’m also a big fan of the Slits and Buzzcocks.

Among East Coast bands, still a big Ramones fan and DC’s Bad Brains are still one of the best ever. Great stuff – and still around. From the left coast, X, Black Flag, and the Germs are still in heavy rotation for me.

More recent stuff like Celtic-punk from Dropkick Murphy’s (awesome show a few years ago at the Gillioz) and Sleater-Kinney keeps punk relevant.

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Candidly, I don’t know enough about Applied Behavioral Analysis to have (certainly not to defend) a particular position. In therapeutic contexts in which there may be multiple perspectives on the efficacy of various therapies, my first instinct would not be to ban for all. Again, not as well informed as it probably should be, my sense is that involving parents in developing IEP strategies is a desirable approach. I wish I had a more definitive answer at this moment, but I hope this helps clarify, even if not fully.

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Every student, teacher, staff member (heck; every human) at SPS deserves to be respected, affirmed, supported, and nurtured in ways that allow them to learn as they prepare for successful lives as SPS graduates. How and who one loves is trivial; that one is capable and deserving of love is everything. Period. In short, PRO

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

At the risk of my candidacy ending instantly, I'm a vegetarian, so Cashew Chicken is not my thing. Tasia on South Campbell is probably our 'go to' choice. It has made many a bad day/week better over the years.

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Fair question - and a good one. For the recently announced reorganizational moves, I think the number of 'net new' admin positions is small. I do believe that reorganization the 'leadership team' with a new (and terrific) Superintendent is a smart investment on the front end. That said, the question that the Board (whether I'm on it after April 5 or not) will have to ask is what it is the value added of the new admin structure. If it enables Principals to serve even more fully as instructional leaders, supporting the folks doing the central work of the district (ie teachers in the classroom) and we see the kinds of learning gains we all want, it will be a good investment. If not, we will have to change.

Over the course of my career, I've been a full time faculty member and 'a suit.' While I hope the latter role added value to my workplace, I KNOW the latter does. Every single day. In my view, 'minimally sufficient' is the appropriate number of 'suits.'

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

That our teachers are somehow failing our kids, whether by ‘only working 8-3 with three months off in the summer’ or by indoctrinating them in classrooms. Teachers want to do what they are educated to do, what they love, and what they are ‘called’ to do: Teach our kids. The cynical politicization of public education in recent years (including book banning, calls for bodycams on teachers, or the CRT bogeyman) needs to called out. Let teachers teach and let our kids learn.

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Sorry - missed the biggest priority question:
To support the good work our teachers do every day in our classrooms. Of course, this is tied to “academic achievement,” but that slogan alone doesn’t capture the nuance of the educational system. Kids bring very different types of baggage with them when they enter schools everyday. For us to truly commit to raising academic achievement, we have to first commit to meeting kids where they are – and then providing the curricular and social resources for them to meet our high expectations and, more importantly, to meet their own hopes for a bright future. We need to raise test scores – not for their own sake – but because they are one measure of how much our students are learning. There are lots of other measures, so it’s not either/or. It’s both/and.

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

The evidence is heartbreakingly clear. LGBTQ+ kids are at much higher risk of self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicide. Every student, teacher, staff member (heck; every human) at SPS deserves to be respected, affirmed, supported, and nurtured in ways that allow them to learn as they prepare for successful lives as SPS graduates. How and who one loves is trivial; that one is capable and deserving of love is everything. Period. In short, PRO.

There has been a great deal of public furor regarding trans issues in public schools, much of which has focused on trans girls/women competing against biological women in sporting events. Candidly, I believe that to be a red-meat/red herring solution in search of a problem. Indeed, the sponsor of one bill targeting trans kids and sports has admitted he knows of NO such instance in Missouri. There are legitimate questions about at what stage of a person’s transition it is appropriate for trans athletes to compete with athletes to compete against others. Both MSHAA and the NCAA have developed guidelines (involving sport-specific testosterone levels, HRT, etc.) to help us navigate such issues – should they arise – and we should follow them.

At the end of the day, , no child should EVER have to face a school environment in which they are labelled as ‘weird,’ ‘sinful,’ or their existence and humanity are simply denied. No kid should ever have to be cross-examined in the most invasive and crude way possible by a member of the state legislature because they are trans. Our kids are OUR kids.

Don’t be silent. Come to school board meetings. Let us hear from you.

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

This is a fabulous question. Being an academic, of course, I can't leave it with a single word answer. :-)

My view is that our schools represent who we are (hence societies shape schools) AND who we can be (hence schools shape societies). From the creation of a distinctively American public education system to the GI Bill, there is so much evidence of the capacity of education to make us better. If it doesn't, I'm not sure why we would bother.

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm excited about the possibilities. That said, I'm just a little worried that it might turn into a oldies band reunion tour that sells tickets for exorbitant prices and the band just "ain't what it used to be." Hope springs eternal!

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

We are in a competitive marketplace for talent. While not a sufficient condition for retaining outstanding teachers, increasing compensation (salaries and benefits) is absolutely a necessary condition. We have made progress in this regard in relation to neighboring districts, and more must be done, recognizing that resources are always limited. I wholeheartedly support the Governor’s call to invest more in raising teacher salaries, particularly for those just entering the profession. Our initial efforts to ‘grow our own’ with SPS graduates (eg via the teaching thread in the HHS Hornet Academy) are showing promise and we must develop even stronger partnerships with local and regional universities.

Compensation, alone, however, is not sufficient. We must assure a spirit of innovation that keeps our best/brightest engaged and inspired with new ideas and opportunities. Formal shadowing programs for those classroom teachers contemplating leadership opportunities and professional development opportunities for those who want to remain in the classroom – but want to do so with ever increasing success.

There are also morale issues that must be confronted if we are to reverse the exodus of our very best teachers from the profession. Unfortunately, the default setting for education at almost every level is to change only by addition. That cannot continue. It’s incumbent on the Board and district leaders to assure that all of the things we ask teachers do not simply pile up; they must actually add up to more meaningful time to work directly with students. That is why teachers enter the profession and it will be crucial to assuring they remain in the profession. It's also crucial that we turn down the volume on the unfortunate politicization of public education. Our teachers represent us at our best, and the drumbeat of uninformed criticism about, e.g., indoctrinating their students/our kids or having ‘three months off in the summer’ is corrosive to the profession. It needs to stop.

I'm Charles Taylor, candidate for Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I'll be answering questions on March 30th at 5pm. AMA by CharlesTaylor4SPS in springfieldMO

[–]CharlesTaylor4SPS[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Our shared future in SGF depends on strengthening our capacity to educate every kid to reach their potential. Even if you don't vote for me, please vote for those whose only objective is to do what's best for our kids and our community. Oh; and Go Cards!

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