Lynn Edmonds, candidate for Wake County Board of Education District 5
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District 5 candidates for Wake County Board of Education
Jim Martin is not running for another term in 2022. Those running to replace him are Ross Beamon, Jackie Boegel, Lynn Edmonds and Dawn P. Townsend. Get to know the candidates with our 2022 NC Voter Guide.
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Name: Lynn Edmonds
Political party: Democrat
Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 51
Campaign website: lynnforwake.com
Occupation: Outreach Director for Public Schools First NC
Education: Associate’s degree from Peace College
Have you run for elected office before? No
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Volunteer and former staff, at WakeUP Wake County and Great Schools In Wake. Leadership positions in several school PTAs. Member of District 5 School Board Advisory Council.. Member at-large of Wake County Library Commission.
Why do you want to serve on the Wake County Board of Education?
I am eager to serve to be an advocate for students, educators and public education. I am interested in public school policy and providing influence on such policy. Teachers and the teaching profession are under attack and need champions. I want to be that champion and leader as a member of the Wake Board of Education. WCPSS educates the majority of school-aged children in Wake County and I want to ensure our district remains strong with adequate resources and community support.
What are the Wake County Public Schools doing well?
WCPSS is successfully helping students recover from the pandemic. Students are rebounding, outperforming the state on recent assessments. WCPSS is highly efficient for the community and taxpayers. Students and families can choose nationally recognized magnet schools, year-round calendars, Early College high schools, and a variety of arts and CTE offerings in middle and high schools. Leaders have worked to implement restorative justice practices to reduce out-of-school suspensions.
What would be your three top priorities if elected? Choose one, and explain how you would address it.
Staffing shortages, school safety and equity. WCPSS has an Office of Equity Affairs. I will work to provide the resources necessary to ensure that office is effective and able to assist schools across the district. The current school board is developing a new strategic plan with a focus on equity, as well as a new equity policy. I look forward to supporting that work as I believe it is critical to student success and well-being.
What should the district do in response to calls to remove books from schools that some say are inappropriate for students?
WCPSS has a process in place for responding to book challenges. It starts at the school level and can advance to the school board. I support this existing process. I also believe it is essential that we trust the professionalism and integrity of our school librarians and media specialists. These are well-educated, qualified professionals capable of curating collections for our school libraries that are age-appropriate and reflect the diversity of our students.
How should schools discuss issues involving discrimination based on race, gender and other factors?
Our educators are professionals, capable of leading and moderating discussions on challenging topics such as those listed in the question. I believe we must have these discussions in our public schools while adhering to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, as decided by the State Board of Education. Discussing these issues in our classrooms can help students develop critical thinking skills and be better prepared to enter our diverse community and workforce.
How would you go about making schools safer in the aftermath of school shootings such as in Uvalde, Texas?
WCPSS has many strong safety protocols and tools already in place such as cameras, locked exterior doors and background checks for volunteers. A 2019 district-wide safety audit revealed vulnerabilities that are currently being addressed. I do not and will not support arming teachers and/or school administrators with firearms. School safety must include a whole-child approach and violence prevention tools such as relationship building, restorative justice practices and student support.
What would you do to try to address student learning loss that was exacerbated by the pandemic?
We must do all we can to adequately staff our schools. Our educators know how to help students recover academically but they need adequate resources and support. This includes fully staffed schools so that teachers can focus on teaching rather than covering other duties because of staffing shortages. We must also focus on student wellness and well-being. Students cannot learn if they are in crisis, are hungry, are experiencing unstable housing, or other life challenges.
What’s the appropriate level of funding that should be provided to Wake County schools?
Whatever level is necessary to provide the resources educators and students need to be successful. The NC General Assembly must fully fund all public schools, including the full funding of Leandro. If Leandro is fully funded, WCPSS would see a 28% budget increase. These funds would provide classroom resources, more helping professionals, pre-K services and more. Over the last decade, more funding burden has been placed on local county governments, while the state moves toward privatization.