Chad Stall, candidate for Wake County Board of Education District 6
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Candidates for Wake County Board of Education District 6
Sam Hershey, Dajma Livingston, Patrice Nealon and Chad Stall are running for Wake County school board district 6. School board member Christine Kushner, who has served in the District 6 seat since 2011, is not seeking another term.
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Name: Chad Stall
Political party: Nonpartisan
Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 43
Campaign website: www.electchadstall.com
Occupation: Self employed/landlord/business manager
Education: High school and life
Have you run for elected office before? No
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Our businesses have done plenty of things to help raise money for good causes. We support charities when we can. I have been head down and focused on my own family. I see how important it is to be involved, and why I must take a position and advocate for the future of our children, county, state and country.
Why do you want to serve on the Wake County Board of Education?
I want to apply the skills I have developed over the last 20 years, in teaching and in business management, to WCPSS. There is something missing in the life ready component of our young adults. I have a great vision to bridge our graduates to adulthood. I want to modernize vocations being taught and create an easier method for our students to turn their passion into professions. An inspired graduate will be a very productive citizen. The future belongs to them.
What are the Wake County Public Schools doing well?
Wake County is providing a lot of jobs for our community. These jobs just need to be better defined and focused to benefit our students a lot more.
What would be your three top priorities if elected? Choose one, and explain how you would address it.
Teacher burnout and learning loss; focused budget; life ready skills. We must provide an easier track to inspire our future teachers and give them a faster track to an annual salary of $50,000 per year. I want to utilize more of our high school students to help by tutoring and taking simple tasks away from teachers. These activities could be recognized in a raise in GPA, credits, etc. It is important to make sure we have support in place to stay ahead of resentment.
What should the district do in response to calls to remove books from schools that some say are inappropriate for students?
The district should always be neutral and work for the betterment of the students and staff in our schools. WCPSS already has policies in place that do not allow some materials in schools. We all want to help our children make it through life as easy as possible. Parental consent is never a bad concept. I believe in a much stronger parental partnership with our schools. There are risks when parents are not included: Who will discuss the context of the content?
How should schools discuss issues involving discrimination based on race, gender and other factors?
Enforcement of policies that prevent bullying and any actions taken against another student is very important. Every student should have a school that is welcome to them. Adding outlets that allow different students to socialize is a great way to reduce toxic tribalism. Introduction of more culture, different sports and different foods will create a shared society and a reminder of the human element.
How would you go about making schools safer in the aftermath of school shootings such as in Uvalde, Texas?
I would start with practical things like kick-locks on doors. I believe having a well-defined SRO program is instrumental in keeping our schools safe. Keeping a safe perimeter around our schools will keep threats out of schools. WCPSS should not have its own police department. Local law enforcement has more range to go off-site to prevent major threats. I would like to see any interior SRO in plain clothes and in some kind of instructor capacity. DARE, gang prevention, self-defense, etc.
What would you do to try to address student learning loss that was exacerbated by the pandemic?
The first thing we have to do is acknowledge it. The second thing we need to do is reach out to our teachers and get their perspective. Many of them created their own game plan to prevent so much loss. Teacher burnout and learning loss go together. I would like to see a return of simple, tangible learning exercises so our students can practice the lessons enough to gain more retention. Proficiency is a reflection of consistency. Direct instruction and more practice of fundamental lessons.
What’s the appropriate level of funding that should be provided to Wake County schools?
I think it is a fair statement that all funding should be focused towards our children and their classrooms. Nutritious meals keep our students healthy and in a good mental state. Well supported teachers keep our children learning. Access to opportunities, beyond high school, keep our society moving forward. I will support all funding requests that hit the bullseye of giving our children the best chance of success in life. Productive, working citizens is how we fund ourselves. That is the ROI.
This story was originally published October 21, 2022 at 10:34 PM.
