Candidate Profile: Lisa-Aline Hanes For Royal Oak Schools

Joey Oliver
·4 min read

Lisa-Aline Hanes, a Royal Oak resident is running for Royal Oak Schools.

Age: 49
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family:I have been married to my husband Bill for 22 years and together we have 2 children: Bryan (17) who is a Senior at Royal Oak High School and Madaline (15) who is a Sophomore
Occupation:BSN-RN for 23 years
Previous elected experience:This is my first time running for office
Family members in government:no
Campaign website: I do not have a website but I do have a FB page: https://www.facebook.com/LHanesforROSB

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
The single most pressing issue facing Michigan public schools is that all children are not getting the same high quality education and growth opportunities.
I intend to continue my work as a member of Royal Oak School Districts Cultural Competency Engagement Committee and as an active member of the Royal Oak Multicultural Parents Association. I will continuously and passionately stand up for the inequities of all students of color, religion and sexual orientation in my community and will not shy away from the tough conversations and work that needs to continue.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I have been a healthcare professional for the past 23 years and understand what needs to be done to keep our students and teachers safe, healthy and thriving both physically and mentally.
I have been very active in our schools as well as other Royal Oak organizations such as: Gilda's Club, Greater Royal Oak Democratic Club, Royal Oak Multicultural Parents Association and Stagecrafters community theatre. I am passionate about my city, it's citizens and our need to have the highest quality educational system for our children.
I am also a first generation American and proud of my Maltese-Lebanese descent.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I have experience as a Board Member for other educational institutions and higher learning programs. I am currently chairing/co-chairing multiple committees in our community and am a team player.
I am a dedicated Royal Oak Resident and volunteer with the Royal Oak Schools Foundation, Gilda's Club, Stagecrafters and for multiple groups within Royal Oak High School.
I am able to do all the above while also being a wife, mother and working full time as a Clinical Services Program Manager-RN.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
The State government should continue to fight for additional Federal funding to support our local businesses economic hardships. Communities can also support their local businesses by shopping local and purchasing food/items from neighborhood stores and restaurants. There are also plenty of volunteer opportunities for those community members who want to "give back" and make a difference in their cities.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
As an active Royal Oak Multicultural Parents Association member, I will continue to collaborate with our members and work on improving a collaborative relationship with our School Board. I will remain vocal about the inequities that exist for people of color and never back down from the fight for racial justice and police reform.
I will also continue to be a hard working member of the Cultural Competence Engagement Committee in creating new policies and procedure for the benefit of increasing diversity and fairness in our schools.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
My campaign platform is focused on:
1. Diversity: an increase in diversity of teachers, leaders and curriculum development
2. Healthy and safe environment: for our students and teachers
3. Quality education that includes the modernization of our buildings and curriculum

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
There are 4 open school board positions and 6 candidates and I believe the best way for voters to know who we are and what we stand for is to watch the School Board forums presented by ROMPA and the Greater Royal Oak Democratic Club.
1. ROMPA Forum: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2642366142690617&extid=eTXLeph0cvA1LNLJ
2. RO Democratic Club Forum: https://youtu.be/HUDq2tgXe3A

This article originally appeared on the Royal Oak Patch