https://www.facebook.com/KMcDuffieMurphyforNHCSBOE

I am running for school board is because I have nearly 20 years of experience as public educator. I spent 10 years and a Career & Technical Education Teacher and currently I am a 9 year veteran as a School Administrator. I am in the trenches each day along with our teachers, parents, students, and other staff. I have real time experience as to what is needed in publication based upon my day-to-day experience. This will serve as a benefit to the public schools system as I can relate to their jobs and what we encounter each day.

Secondly, I am running for school board because I care about our children’s education and where it is headed. Our children have taken such a learning loss from COVID. I would like to see more state and local funding invested in education beginning with Pre-School for all children. Because I have worked in a high school most of my career, I see how students struggle with basic reading, writing, and math as Juniors and Seniors. I can be the voice that will advocate for better preoperational stage learning and development for our children.

We have a serious issue with leadership. Our current superintendent has not only created a hostile environment between the school board and him; but he has not been transparent on many decisions that the has made. He fails to communicate and uses poor judgment. For example, the superintendent moved on opening a Newcomer’s School at the surprise of the school board and the community. Additionally, he moved toward closing a school who has been quite successful for students, simultaneously. This was not well-thought out nor was it communicated to parents, the board, or community. His actions caused unnecessary frustration for both students and their families. The ultimate solution would be to terminate his contract, immediately. His decision-making abilities has severed any trust that the community had in him. It will not be regained. The superintendent denounced the US Constitution openly and publicly, defying everything that we stand for in America. One of the main top issues is New Hanover County Schools having a superintendent whose practice is to tear down, rather than build up. As a board member, my priority and first on my agenda would be to terminate the superintendent.

The second issue is budget. New Hanover County Schools is in a $20 million deficit. There has been discussion and motions in place to cut positions that are vital to our students. Unfortunately, too much dependency relied upon ESSR funds, which has been depleted. Many positions that support students were funded by the government. The outcome of this is that staff will lose jobs and students will lose academic and behavior support. As a board member, I will seek ways to find funding to keep programs available for our students and employment for our staff. I will meet with hospital officials, board of commissioners, and officials at the state level to find these funds and to allocate them accordingly.

I absolutely support school choice. I believe that it is within a parent’s right and student’s right for them to be educated at a school that fit their needs. If a student is not successful in a public school, they should be given the opportunity to attend a private or charter school-without parents having to pay for it. This is no different that a parent and student selecting the classes that they take or the clubs that they join. Students can only be successful when they are being serviced, cultivated, and nourished in an environment that is conducive for them to learn.

parent. The parent knows their child. I believe that as a society, we tamper into trying to be the parent. Educators are hired to educate-not parent. As a result, we should let parents parent their own children in the way the deem appropriate.

I do not agree with this statement. When we define “inherently” we are stereotyping too many people who are not racist. America is not that way. We have some people who may be racists, biased, prejudice, or stereotypical; but the entire country should not be umbrellaed into this category. That is not what America represents as a whole.

I believe that parents and should be given the option to “opt out” of CSE. Firstly, I believe that this is another area of where we cross the line into parenting. Students should not feel obligated or pressured into sitting through a course that they are not ready for. Parents should not be placed in a predicament to have conversations that their child may not be ready for. This is a family decision and family option.

DEI is not productive. It draws unwanted and unneeded attention to subjects that creates hostility and anger. It is parallel to what CRT does for children. Children are taught biased, racism, dependency, prejudiceness, etc. These programs bring this to the young minds of children which is unfair to them. People have been enabled to play the victim by using their race, sexual orientation... This is all that DEI and CRT does-creates enablement. This is why we have a US Constitution that we abide by. The Constitution was written for all mankind. We don’t need anything additional to supplement what we already have and is working.

As a board member, I would first focus on establishing early learning programs-as young as Pre-School for all students, free of charge to parents. I believe that it is never too early for a child to receive the fundamentals of education. As a high school administrator, I am all too familiar with students who cannot do the basics and we expect for them to pass an end of course exam for Math 3-when they can’t add or subject; multiply or divide. I would also work with the State to change/revise the Common Core. Students should be given options based upon their abilities. For example, a student should not be made to have to pass Math 1, 2,3, and 4; when they do not intend to go to college. If they choose the military, they need maths that will help them pass the ASVAB. If they are going into the workforce, they need practical math skills such as business math that will assist them in productive citizens. The Common Core force-feeds students into absorbing what they do not need or will not benefit from.

If elected, I would focus on safety in the locker rooms and restrooms. This is where many violations occur. I would work to put policies in place that would restrict the number of girls who can be in a bathroom and those bathrooms would be closely monitored. I would work to hire or develop positions where the employee’s only job would be to monitor bathrooms for safety. I would ensure that they receive the proper training and that all who are members of a public schools campus would be aware of these safety precautions. I would also advocate for a (digital) check out and check in policy for both the locker rooms and bathrooms. This would assist in monitoring who are visiting these locations. If there are issues that I rise, we would have documentation to assist in an investigation. Also, I would enforce stricter policies on the consequences given individuals who violate any girl or girls in their private spaces.

Title IX is a law passed for education. It is not a part of the US Constitution. However, the 14th Amendment Section one states that no one can deny any person the equal protection of the laws. The term I focus on is “equal” protection. Title IX prohibits any type of harassment or discrimination. I believe that Title IX could be in jeopardy or at least under review due to views on transgenders playing sports outside of their biological make up and other sensitive topics. I believe that if Title IX is part of the educational system, there must be some revisions. When this law was put in place (1972), there was no open “talk” about lgtbqia2s+ citizens. But now, we have these issues that we encounter each day. Title IX did not keep up with the changes that we are facing in public education. There needs to be conservative conversations and decision making on this law.

Yes, Liberty First Grassroots