Candidates for the Columbia School Board discussed mental health, racial disparities in school discipline and support for northern Columbia schools at a forum Tuesday night.
Candidates attended the forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters, which was held virtually and in person at the Columbia Public Library. Adam Burks, Andrea Lisenby, Suzette Waters and incumbent Blake Willoughby are running for two vacant board seats. Terms are three years, unpaid.
Support for schools in northern Colombia
Lisenby and Waters said resources should be allocated based on the needs and challenges faced by different schools in the district.
“Where the need is greater, there must be more resources – that’s what equity means,” Waters said.
Burks said the shortcomings stem from a lack of communication and trust between educators and administration.
Willoughby spoke about his experience on the board and shared the process for reviewing school budget requests. Currently, the district is allocating funds to schools that need it the most, he said.
Mental health problems
All applicants agreed that students needed more mental health support.
“The pandemic has done us all a lot of harm,” Lisenby said.
Lisenby added that students don’t have the words to express how they feel, especially when overwhelmed with emotions.
Willoughby said an ongoing partnership with community resources is key to providing assistance to students in the district.
“This topic is really personal to me as someone who has dealt with mental health issues,” Willoughby said.
The mental health screenings that students take are a good way to gauge how students are feeling, Waters said, and to determine whether students should be referred for additional support.
Burks mentioned that one way to help students is to limit the time they spend on technology so they don’t spend eight hours a day on tablets.
“We need to work with community partners, behavioral health, and academia to find other ways to start moving away from electronic devices,” Burks said.
Disparities in school discipline
Candidates also responded to racial disparities related to discipline in schools.
Teachers already receive training on equity and bias, Waters said, but they should work toward restorative practices.
Willoughby said the district is working to improve teacher-student relationships and foster positive interactions.
The district needs to find creative solutions and enforce discipline policies consistently among student populations, Lisenby said.
Burks said the district needs to focus on the root causes of issues and work with community partners to redirect resources.
Following the forum, Superintendent Brian Yearwood gave a presentation on bond issuance. He answered questions from the audience regarding the school district’s growth, enduring efforts, and how the funds would be spent specifically.
