Ben Clapsaddle, candidate for Wake County Board of Education District 1
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District 1 candidates for Wake County Board of Education
Heather Scott is not running for another term in 2022. Those running to replace her are Cheryl Caulfield and Ben Clapsaddle. Get to know the candidates with our 2022 NC Voter Guide.
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Name: Ben Clapsaddle
Political party: Did not answer
Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 63
Campaign website: https://benforwakeschools.com/
Occupation: Director of Operations for the FORSCOM G-2 at Fort Bragg
Education: B.A. in political science from The Citadel, M.A. in Strategic Studies from U.S. Army War College, M.S. in Administration from Central Michigan University
Have you run for elected office before? Candidate for Wake Forest Town Commission in 2011
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Boy Scouts of America, 2005-2012, Assistant Scoutmaster, Wake Forest Troop 500; Wake County Democratic Party Precinct 19-05 Chair, 2010-2016
Why do you want to serve on the Wake County Board of Education?
I support and believe in the promise of public schools. My wife and I moved to Wake Forest in 2005 so that our children could benefit from the outstanding public schools. As a parent in the WCPSS prior to and during the Great Recession, I know the impact of state budget restrictions as well as the importance of community support. Our current students need support more than ever. I am confident my leadership experience and communication skills will benefit our school system.
What are the Wake County Public Schools doing well?
The WCPSS has some of the most dedicated teachers, principals, support professionals, and volunteers I have witnessed. This is true today just as much as when our children started in 2005. Our graduates attend Ivy League schools, receive academic scholarships, win national competitions, and are recruited to play collegiate sports. We have award-winning teachers, principals, and professionals, a nationally recognized superintendent, a Blue Ribbon school. Many great things take place every day.
What would be your three top priorities if elected? Choose one, and explain how you would address it.
1.) Ensuring a safe school environment for all students, teachers, and families.
2.) Retention of teachers, support staff, and principals.
3.) Improving parental involvement and partnership. I would like to improve parental involvement with better lines of communication. Parents have told me it is difficult to know what their child is working on in class, especially younger students. I’d like to improve the existing platform to connect with parents without placing a larger burden on educators.
What should the district do in response to calls to remove books from schools that some say are inappropriate for students?
The district has Policy 3210 that defines the process for parents to inspect and object to instructional materials. I think it is critical to follow this procedure in a consistent manner so as to ensure everyone is treated fairly.
How should schools discuss issues involving discrimination based on race, gender and other factors?
Schools have the duty to teach the Standard Course of Study. Parts of the NCSCOS do call on educators to discuss sensitive topics throughout history. If there are accusations of discrimination within schools, these must be addressed swiftly through the Title IX Coordinator, per law.
How would you go about making schools safer in the aftermath of school shootings such as in Uvalde, Texas?
I recently heard the senior director of WCPSS Security speak on school safety. In addition to allocating appropriate funding to implement the physical suggestions in the School Security Audit, I want to focus on character building, social and emotional health for our students. School safety is just as much about the relationships in and around the schools as it is about physical security of buildings.
What would you do to try to address student learning loss that was exacerbated by the pandemic?
All students have been impacted with learning disruptions that have taken place during the pandemic. I think it is critical to build on the high-dosage tutoring program the district has started, as well as utilizing all available community partners for intentional after-school programs. We must engage and work with our parents and caregivers to help them support their children at home and encourage them to be involved at school.
What’s the appropriate level of funding that should be provided to Wake County schools?
Thankfully there was a thorough investigation to find out the appropriate funding for public schools based on our State Constitution and the 1997 NC Supreme Court ruling. The results were published in the WestEd report, “Sound Basic Education for All: An Action Plan for North Carolina,” otherwise known as the Leandro report. This report discusses the appropriate resources that our schools need in order to provide the best education for our students.
This story was originally published October 20, 2022 at 11:20 AM.
