Josh Points, candidate for Wake County school board District 6, answers our questions
To help inform voters in the Nov. 5, 2024, election, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The News & Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Josh Points
District/seat: Wake County Board of Education, District 6
Political party: Republican
Age as of Nov. 5, 2024: 46
Campaign website: points4wake.com
Current occupation: Commercial Real Estate Advisor
Professional experience: I am currently a commercial real estate advisor for Medalist Capital in Raleigh, NC. I have run three small businesses: The County Club at Wakefield Plantation, Jim McLean Golf Schools and start up Profile by Sanford.
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of Virginia, Master of Business Administration with special emphasis in finance and marketing from UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School
Please list any notable government or civic involvement: Coach and attend lots of kids’ sports events
What would be your top priority if elected?
We have a crisis in our Wake County Public Schools with one out of three kids not proficient in reading and math that will require our entire community’s involvement to improve. Like our ongoing HVAC issues, this crisis has been a decade in the making. How will these results lead to a better future society?
What specific strategies would you promote to improve academic achievement for Wake County students?
Eliminating cell phones will lead to a more focused and disciplined learning environment. Reduce our high absenteeism by engaging our media partners and will require the courts to reduce their backlog. Re-implement classical teaching methods like math memorization. In grades K-3, we need more focused ways to get our low achievers up to grade level for this is crucial to long term success. The Read to Achieve Camp offered to kids not at grade level in third grade has a 6% success rate.
How should Wake County respond to the Biden administration’s new Title IX rules involving transgender students?
The Biden administration’s changes to Title IX are a significant departure from previous Title IX regulations and were met with immediate legal challenges which our Supreme Court supported. In the best interests of our students, parents, and teachers, we should have waited until these challenges had worked their way through the legal system. Unfortunately, our leaders chose a different path which has led to much division and confusion.
Do you think the legislature should fund about $500 million for private school vouchers through the Opportunity Scholarship program? Why or why not?
As a parent of a special needs child, I support school choice because only 24% of students with disabilities are proficient. This should be a needs-based program where those with the greatest financial challenges receive the needed help for school choice. Raleigh citizens invest another $700 million+ from local taxes; 25% of students eligible for our public schools choose alternate education methods. We bring these students back into our schools by improving our proficiency results.
What is your view on installing weapons detectors at every school as a security measure?
Every school from grade 6-12 should install these preventive assets, but they must be part of a much broader security plan. Strict rules and regulations go hand and hand with all safety additions. We need to ensure that all access points are properly secured, monitored with cameras, and have locks that are functioning. Our primary focus must be creating safe learning environments for all children and teachers.
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