Interested Party

I learned when I testified before the Ohio Senate Education Committee that everyone who wished to provide testimony was labeled one of three things: "proponent" [of the legislation], "opponent" or "interested party." When I testified for the House Budget Bill in 2018 (and served on a legislative committee in 2021), I was a proponent, but when the Senate wanted to amend HB154, I offered opponent testimony. Many people testifying before the Senate at any given hearing choose to be an "interested party" and don't declare themselves to be "for" or "against" the legislation. I thought this was interesting to say the least, and the more I read and learned from webinars, town halls and workshops through OSBA (Ohio School Boards Association) the more I learned that the label one uses matters most. When I was a proponent of a bill, it was because I stood to lose more of my employee rights if the bill passed (major skin in the game). When I was an opponent, the amendment was downright scary and I feared would make our bad situation [in Youngstown] even worse (major skin in the game). But those people who called themselved "interested party" neither stood to gain nor lose by the legislation, but they cared very much about the institution which would be impacted by the legislation. As I prepare to run for Canton Local School Board, I am very much indeed an "interested party" and not a "proponent" or "opponent" of any particular organization, policy, employee, or school within the system. I have no axe to grind with anyone. I'm not upset about anything the district has done. I'm not lobbying for anything either. I'm not looking to get something specific passed or get someone hired or fired. I moved here less than a year ago. I'm a staunch advocate for my son with Autism, and I've been through a roller coaster with him during the 2022-2023 school year. In the end, he had grown. In the end, after all his struggles throughout the school year, his teachers and his parents were proud of the progress he'd made. As parents, my husband and I are most pleased. I want to give back to this district that is working so hard to educate my boy. I also know how I am uniquely able to do that. Since we moved here in August of 2022 I toyed with the idea of attending school Board meetings, seeing how things operated, and possibly running for a seat on the Board. However, because I was in a new teaching position in a new district and in a field I'd left over 15 years ago, I needed time to get my feet wet. Since school let out and I've been chaffering my son around to various camps, library and Stark Parks activities, I've had time to reflect on what I can do to further my own personal growth. I knew that I very much loved being on the Canfield School Board and what we accomplished there. I regret the people of Canfield are still very much divided over the much needed new facilities proposals, and I genuinely hope the Board can bring everyone to consensus. But I'm no longer in Canfield. I'm in Canton Local School District. Because I'm not a "proponent" or "opponent" of anything pending in the district, I'm not on any particular "side" of anything - yet. I feel this makes me a perfect fit to step in as a fresh new perspective and support the district as an "interested party". I'm sure as I learn more about the community and the district I will take sides on issues. I have read the strategic plan and I've started attending Board meetings, so I can see how they flow and how the members interact. I have a good bit of experience on a Board that was redefining itself, but that may not be at all what Canton Local needs. I will find out soon, and I'm looking forward to it!