Written by Tanya Terry, with photos by Tanya Terry
A recent Flint Community Schools Candidate Forum brought together school board candidates to discuss education issues and school district priorities. The candidates introduced themselves and responded to questions about their qualifications, experience and vision for improving Flint Community Schools.
Dr. Pamela Pugh, president of Michigan’s State Board of Education, spoke prior to the candidates introducing themselves. She noted increases in high school graduation rates to 84% statewide for the Class of 2025 (a record high since 2008 when the state adopted a federal calculation formula.) She also said more students are participating in advanced placement courses, despite half of all children in Flint and Saginaw living in poverty.
During her speech, Pugh pointed out: “As Karen Weaver said, Dr. Weaver said, gatherings like these really matter, and it’s important to come together to talk about why our boards of education, in particular, are very important.”
According to a report Pugh referenced, Michigan needs a nearly $23 billion in infrastructure.
“That work has begun in Flint,” Pugh said.
The candidates focused on addressing student dropout rates, the School of Choice program, resource allocation, building maintenance and security and community engagement. Candidates emphasized their experience working within schools, understanding student needs and commitment to accountability and collaborative leadership.
When debating the School of Choice program, concerns were raised that many students opt out of community schools despite available resources such as nurses, community workers and caring teachers. All candidates present said they wanted to make neighborhood schools more attractive to families, with some candidates saying they already are the best choice.
A former Flint Community Schools Board Member, Michael Clack, who remains active within the city, acted as the event’s moderator.
Clack asked both current school board members running to maintain their seats, as well as aspiring school board members: “What perspective or experience would you bring to the board that isn’t already represented?”
Flint Community Schools Board Vice President Laura MacIntyre, who shared that she and Board President Dr. Joyce Ellis-McNeal were out of state because the board was receiving an award, appeared at the forum on video.
“I have over 30 years of experience in curriculum development, in analyzing systems, in looking at data,” MacIntyre said.
She shared her belief that her experience had been and continues to be helpful in pinpointing what needed to be done to bring up students’ reading levels.
She also talked about her experience partnering with community stakeholders.
In addition, she stated she had experience advocating for students in Lansing and Washington with both Democrats and Republicans to get federal and state dollars for schools.
MacIntyre said the district is no longer in the position it was in when she first started because of her efforts and the work of the rest of the board.
Flint Community School Board President Dr. Joyce Ellis-McNeal also appeared on video.
“One of the most important things is understanding the strategic plan,” stated McNeal.
McNeal said now that she and the board are able to track the data, they don’t have to wait until the end of the year to figure out if and why students are in the ninth grade reading at a third grade reading level. Instead, she said they can make sure they get third grade reading in the third grade.
“So the experience and the perspective that I bring to the board-like I said, I’m a social worker,” stated Dominique McGlown, “…I believe that there is something that is missing in in the emotional well-being of our scholars.”
McGlown, who referred to herself as “a community builder” several times during the forum, stated how she would serve on the board.
“With the community building and with the governance and operation, understanding the role of the board member is to monitor the assess, advocate things of that nature…. understanding on how to ask the right questions…but providing that support to the superintendent with the tools and resources that they need to make sure that our school district is healthy and thriving,” McGlown said.
Meshelle Merritt stated “the role of school system should be to produce well educated individuals.”
Merritt said she believes Flint Community Schools students should have a K-12 curriculum by age 12 because “technology and the world has changed.”
“I think the dropout rate would decrease because people, sometimes they drop out because they’re not engaged and they’re learning too slow,” Merritt added.
Merritt pointed out that though Southwestern Classical Academy is in very close proximity to Kettering University, many Southwestern Classical Academy students are not able to attend what is considered one of the best undergraduate engineering schools in the country.
Board Trustee Terae King Jr. (an incumbent) stated that he has “perspective” because though he attended Flint Community Schools from pre-K to sixth grade, every school he attended closed. According to King, the impacts of his childhood elementary experience forced his parents to choose the School of Choice option and enroll him in schools outside of Flint Community Schools.
“I want to make sure everyone here can be able to stay inside of community schools…” stated King.
King noted that outside of the school board, he was appointed by the governor to serve on the Michigan State Teacher Commission, and he served on the Financial Credit Union Governance and Nominations Committee.
Kasey Calvert stated he has current in-class experience as a building sub.
“I’ve created relationships and influence and mentor students who are ready to emancipate themselves and begin in the workforce. Students who are 16, 15, 16 who want to drop out. They don’t see the value in a diploma. They don’t see the value in crossing the stage. They don’t see the value in continuing their education…I’ve been a bus driver…I’ve been an attendance agent. I’ve done home visits… I’ve had conversations with several teachers who struggled to come to work every day, who give their students their best and do not feel supported. I have experienced with the students who come to school every day from disadvantaged homes, where there they get on the bus broken, they get off the bus at school broken and then they go into broken processes and systems. I’ve seen it. I’ve battled it, and I’m still battling, battling it. And I’d like to take my experience to the next level.”
The event was a collaborative, nonpartisan effort hosted by four local community organizations: the Concerned Pastors for Social Action, the Flint Branch NAACP, Southside City of Hope and the Woodrow Stanley Black Leaders Forum.
Board of Education candidates Anna Lasia Padilla’s and Leonard Fox’s names also appear on the ballot.
