Gagnon, Grana, Nelson, Daura, Gulino, & Mongon-- Advocating for ALL

Each week, the Advocating for ALL slate running for the Sparta Board of Education in November will highlight an important issue currently facing our district. Our goal is to provide insight on matters we find important and showcase the quality of work we’d bring to the board by bringing the focus back to education. We believe we can achieve this by advocating for every student, every staff member, every administrator, and every parent alike.

“When you have integrity, nothing else matters. When you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.”

These are the words I’ve spent the majority of my adult life trying to uphold, mostly for the sake of the ever watching eyes of my two sons. Often considered synonymous with honesty, integrity takes its counterpart one step further: it’s unwavering, relentless honesty, even in the face of certain turmoil and opposition. Integrity is the guarantee that our words and actions “are in alignment” with one another, no matter who is watching, who is listening, or what is at stake. In my humble opinion, integrity is what our beloved Sparta district’s Board of Education desperately craves.

My first direct involvement with the Sparta Board of Education occurred in August of 2020. I had been regularly attending board meetings since my oldest son was in Kindergarten and, like many, as a concerned parent navigating the uncharted world of the COVID pandemic. I first privately engaged Sparta’s BOE after a sitting board member wore a political garment to a board meeting. Disappointed by the lapse in judgment and concerned with its implications, I, along with other Sparta parents, penned a letter to all board members… “We would like to reiterate (and we hope the Board of Education will do the same), a public Board of Education meeting is no place for personal, political statements, motivations, or gains.” Although it’s been over two years since I wrote these words, I believe the culture of local school boards across our nation has only grown more politicized. As each day passes, the words I wrote resonate even louder.

There is a time and place for all politics. The Sparta Board of Education is not one of them.

A Board of Education that operates with integrity does not serve nor cater to one particular ideology or set of beliefs and values. Its processes are rooted in the separation of church and state with a concentrated focus on public education, or, education for ALL students. Any political leans, motivations, or gains instantly compromise the integrity of a Board of Education. This does not mean turning a blind eye to the existence of today’s harsh political climate mentioned above, but rather, ensuring that climate does not permeate the functionality of the Board and the performance of its members.

A Board of Education that operates with integrity does not possess a hidden agenda. Its members view their roles as opportunities to improve the district through policy and procedure, not as opportunities to assume control or power. The roles of BOE members are explicitly laid out and those roles cannot be compromised nor occasionally redefined. This means board members must follow protocol at every single turn, applying due process and following the proper chains of command throughout. Before a Board of Education is willing to “check” its professional educators (and the resources those professionals have carefully vetted), the Board must be willing to apply the same standards, the same system of checks and balances, to its most “revered” board members.

A Board of Education that operates with integrity does not have room for interpersonal alliances. This simply means there should be no opportunity for one board member to personally influence another member’s voice or vote. Members of the BOE must be strong enough and capable of disagreeing with one another without the fear of social consequence or retaliation. Differences and votes that reflect such differences should be expected to ensure board members are always operating without bias nor under intimidation.

A Board of Education that operates with integrity has clear lines of open communication to the public. This is where integrity’s counterpart comes back into play… honesty. “Those who have nothing to hide, hide nothing.” While confidential matters should remain respectfully undisclosed, certain elements of BOE procedures (i.e. executive session, attorney-client privilege, redacted information) should not be considered avenues for important information to be deliberately withheld from the public. When community members find more productivity in utilizing expensive and time-consuming OPRA requests to obtain information that should be made publicly available to them, it’s fair to deduce the BOE’s integrity has been compromised. Open lines of communication empower members of the public with knowledge– the good, the bad, the ugly– while promoting the direct involvement of the community through its feedback. It is imperative for the Board of Education to establish clear lines of communication with the Sparta public, especially to our students, teachers, and staff, who collectively deserve to know their voices are heard and valued.

The one characteristic that every board member should passionately possess– what I wholeheartedly believe every member of our slate has in common– is integrity. Since deciding to run alongside five talented, intelligent, resilient, and capable women, I have tremendous hope for the future of Sparta’s Board of Education. I trust that each of us will apply the standards laid out above with the utmost respect for the Board of Education and our fellow members. The culture that has been created over the last few years can easily be improved; with your vote, we can change what is into what should be.

If elected, the integrity of the Sparta Board of Education will be our North Star as we serve our beloved community.

-Kaitlin Gagnon, #5 (three year term)

Advocating for All

Gagnon, Grana, Nelson | Daura, Gulino, Mongon

For candidate bios and additional goals, please visit:

www.spartaBOEadvocatingforALL.com