Virginia R. Sheppard

Q: Both you and your opponent have expressed concern about Critical Race Theory in the classroom; however this theory, except in rare cases, is not taught in K-12 grades. What particularly would you be addressing in the curriculum, if elected?

A: As of yesterday I don’t really have an opponent. She didn’t file her financials with the PDC and can’t accept the position nor campaign. See Sequim Gazette.

ESSB 5044, which passed during the last legislative session, requires as a classroom best practice something called “cultural competency”.

That requirement is to be instilled through teacher certification standards as well as periodic mandatory teacher training days.

Under the rubric of cultural competency we find “inclusion,”, “diversity,”, and “equity”: all terms defined in broad, idealistic terms. While these terms, taken together, could be interpreted along the lines of Critical Race Theory, it is not a necessary conclusion. The actual meaning of these terms in classroom policies and procedures will be up to local school boards.

I am running for the Sequim School Board to help make sure that ESSB 5044 is implemented in the Sequim schools in a way that promotes a safe and fair learning environment and not trendy academiccurrents of thinking.

Q: The school district has received yet another imperfect state audit. What will you do to help the district get its financial house in order?

A: Current Sequim School Board members are very active in the Sequim Community, serving on various boards and commissions as well as being actively engaged politically. If elected, Sequim Schools will be my focus and concern.

Q: Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

A: Interesting question. It reflects a perspective that is about 40 years out of date when the teacher was sum total of the learning environment with which the student engaged.

The notion of a favorite teacher who could shape the classroom to make it a healthy learning environment has long passed.

This fact doesn’t denigrate the critical role that teachers play even today.

However, it is a simple reality that the classroom environment is shaped to a large degree by an abundance of administrators and top-down policies over which a teacher has no control. This is why school board elections have become so important of late. The people are waking up and demanding accountability.

Q: You mentioned you attended Santa Monica City College. What year(s) did you attend? Did you earn a degree?

A: It seems that you are asking whether or not I had a particular box checked on my resume. I would prefer if you asked about what I learned there and were there other life experiences that prepared me for service on the Sequim School Board.

Q: In your voter’s guide statement, you state you will be an advocate for the “defense of history,” and criticize that “schools fail to teach our children the full history of America.” What do you think is being omitted?

A: Civics for one.
Students seem to be escaping the Sequim School system without even a basic “I’m just a Bill on Capitol Hill’’ understanding of our government and institutions.

Q: You’ve mentioned equalizing vocational classes and college-bound classes. Will this require reducing or adding specific classes? What’s the current enrollment in college-bound and vocational/technical classes?

A: Once again asking the wrong question. There are currently twice as many persons holding college degrees as there are jobs, filled and unfilled, requiring a college degree. This situation has been in place for almost 20 years. At the same time, there are approaching 10 million job openings that require some level of technical competency.

Yet our schools continue to emphasize the desirability of going out and earning a degree along with up to $100,000 of student loan debt just so graduates can join an already tight job market. All the while many students are discouraged and frustrated.  If the schools were a commercial enterprise, this would be a failure in identifying its prime market of the first magnitude.