As a teacher and mother, I can safely say that educating young people is not simple. Kids are complex. That’s precisely why I teach: to share my love of language with these unique, complex people. No two days are the same. No two students are the same. Each class period is unique, and none of it is simple.

When you vote for the Summit School District Board of Education candidates, please remember education is complex.

Please do not fall victim to the oversimplifications that we’re hearing from some board of education candidates:

• When test scores go down, we must be a failure. Forget the whole child. The welding classes, the arts. It’s that simple.
• When we acknowledge students who are less privileged, we must be ignoring those who have access to tools for success. Forget the unique challenges all of our students face. It’s that simple.
• When we teach topics that make adults uncomfortable (like race in America), we must be indoctrinating kids. Forget listening to those whose voices have been historically silenced or ignored. It’s that simple.
• And when we have seats open for the board of education, we tear down the work that has been done. Forget the thoughtful, student-centered approach of recent board members. It’s that simple.

Please vote for candidates who understand that children are more than test scores, that hard conversations lead to deeper understanding, and that as a community, we are headed in the right direction, and our schools are awesome.

Please join me in voting for true advocates for the whole student: Chris Guarino, Lisa Webster, Johanna Kugler and Kate Hudnut.