1) How has education played a role in your life?

A: Education played a huge role in my life and provided me with a path to success and a way out of poverty. I was raised by blue-collar, hard-working parents that put everything they had into raising their children and helping us create a better future. I lived in a house with four rooms and six people that did not even have indoor plumbing until I was in the 5th grade. When my siblings and I were young, my father worked construction when the weather was good and didn’t work when it wasn’t. Neither of my parents completed high school, but my mom eventually earned her GED. Yes, we struggled but my parents emphasized to my brothers and me that education was the path to a better life. They were right. We all became successful and productive citizens due to the encouragement we received from our parents and the quality education we received. I took the same position when raising my own children, and they went on to earn college degrees and have successful careers thanks to the education they received in our public schools and in college. Education for my family and me equals success!

2) What do you want voters to know about you?

A: I want voters to know how passionate I am about education. I have spent more than half my life working and volunteering in the field of education to ensure all students receive a quality education, regardless of where they live and their background. This means every child has the necessary instruction, materials, and classroom support in their public school so they are prepared to be successful in life. I believe all students can become productive and successful members of our society either through vocational training or college, as long as our public schools are doing what is needed to prepare them for life after high school.

3) What do you view as the most pressing issue students today face?

A: Students face many issues and challenges today, but the main issue I see is lack of face-to-face communication with adults and each other. Students today have never known a world without technology. While I certainly believe technology has its place and can help make our lives better, students are spending way too much time on electronic devices and use them too much as their method of communication and personal interactions with their friends. As a result, we have seen a significant increase in bullying, self-esteem issues and other mental health issues.

4) What are the top 3 priorities you aim to address if elected to the school board?

A:

1. Lack of student discipline in the classroom: we continue receive reports that a number of students are having disciplinary issues in our schools which is making it more challenging for teachers to do their jobs effectively. We need to establish a clearly defined plan that is enforced across the district where school leaders, teachers, and parents are working together to ensure our classrooms are free from any disruptions while finding ways to address the student’s behavior.
2. Teacher retention and the need for salary increases: We need to do more for our public school teachers, and it starts with paying our teachers. Teaching is a highly competitive field, and it’s one of the hardest positions to fill within the school system. This issue is more than just their salary. We need to look at our benefit and retirement package, the tools and resources provided to help them succeed in the classroom, and professional development opportunities. I believe it’s time that we examine our budget and find ways we can better use our school funds to support the short-term and long-term needs of our teachers.
3. Parental Involvement: our school system often has made decisions without getting feedback or input from our parents. Likewise, our public schools – for the most part – lack strong parental involvement in various programs and services. This must change if we want to move our school system forward. Our school system should reflect the values of our community and the parents who have children in the classrooms. We need a school board representative that understands this point and wants to bring parents into the decision-making process. Having active parents in the schools will lead to a more engaged parent, which will help lead to building strong support for future investments in our school system and create better educational outcomes for our children.

Campaign Page: https://www.jillblackforschoolboard.com/ 

1) How has education played a role in your life?

A: I have always viewed robust public education as the foundation of a thriving community. I am passionate about public education because I went to private school. Let me explain. My mother was a single mother raising me in Alabama and chose to sacrifice and send me to private school, wanting to provide the best for me. She prioritized my education and always encouraged me to forge my own path to independence. As I grew older and understood more about the world, I realized that circumstance has a lot to do with success. I believe deeply that no one should feel like they have to pay for private school, even if they can’t really afford it, in order for their children to have a good education. The public schools that are available to everyone should be the best we can offer. Because of my mother’s investment and encouragement, I earned a scholarship to the University of Mississippi, where I completed my BA in Sociology. I went on to study social work and complete my MSSW at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. All of these experiences shape who I am today and my dedication to public education as one of my core social values.

2) What do you want voters to know about you?

A: I ran for office because I wanted to use my time to be of service and create the kind of community I want to pass on to my children. I am a wife, a mom of two kids in public school, and a social worker. Even though I do not practice social work in a job outside the home anymore, I view my service on the school board as my social work practice. My decisions and advocacy reflect my professional code of ethics as a licensed social worker. I am dedicated to finding real solutions to the issues that face our students and educators. If we keep the main thing the main thing, kids, then we will govern in a way that serves everyone.

3) What do you view as the most pressing issue students today face?

A: Following COVID, our students struggled with adjusting to returning to school. We saw an increase in behavioral and mental health problems, causing issues for students and teachers. During my time on the school board so far, we have already successfully restructured the staffing model to nearly double the number of mental health professionals available – at least one available to each school in Hamilton County. It’s an invaluable investment to address a growing issue in schools everywhere and to relieve pressure on our teachers so that they can focus on teaching. We need to Keep our students ready to learn and providing opportunities to study what interests them will lead to students taking ownership of their own learning and lead to better outcomes.

4) What are the top 3 priorities you aim to address if elected to the school board?

A: Address teacher retention by increasing pay and improve their working environment. We must keep our talented teachers in the classroom working with our kids. Invest in school facilities to address years of neglect. The facilities plan we received failed to address real issues in school buildings in black and brown communities. I fought hard to prioritize a brand new school building at Clifton Hills Elementary and it is now the second-highest priority on the facilities plan that we sent to the county commission. Provide resources to address student behavior and mental health issues so they enter the classroom ready to learn. By addressing behavior issues we are providing support students need and improving the working environment for our classroom teachers so that they can focus on what they do best, teaching.