Voter guide: Cincinnati Public Schools board candidates answer Enquirer questions

The Enquirer sent questions to all of the candidates running for seats on the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education this November. There are five candidates running for three seats.

Paul Schiele is running for school board but did not complete The Enquirer's questionnaire. The other four candidates did.

Read their answers below.

Eve Bolton

Age: 72

Hometown: Cincinnati

Years living in the district: 72

Education: Proud graduate of CPS, a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and Ohio Teaching License from the College of Wooster.

Job: Retired 36-year veteran social studies teacher in Wyoming City Schools.

Do you have children? Do they attend public schools? No. My family's school-age children do attend CPS schools. Our family is a multi-generational CPS family.

What do you think is the district’s greatest strength? Remarkable citizen support and organizational partnerships. CPS serves a demanding and discerning public making it possible for CPS to be Ohio’s highest achieving, fastest growing, most conscientiously green, and financially stable urban district. Support has allowed CPS to rebuild and right size the district keeping CPS the No. 1 choice by families when choosing schools among parochial, private and charter schools. The public has demanded CPS focus on the whole child strategy in classrooms, in mental and physical health services, and extracurricular activities. From PK to post-K12 enrollment, employment and/or military service. Families have an array of choices they've demanded.

In what 2-3 areas would you like to see the district improve over the next 5 years? (1) Attendance and enrollment growth; (2) early reading and academic rigor in middle grades; and (3) career and technical education for our juniors and seniors.

How would you work to improve communication and culture throughout the district and with parents and families? We already have engagement and communication infrastructures available to families and community members. However, priority No. 1 must be the expansion of our school PTAs. We must also make our board meetings more informative, interactive and transparent so board action is more understandable. We must provide the technology and opportunity time for more immediate communication between caregivers and their student's teachers. Finally, the CPS website continues to confound even serious users.

What is your stance on critical race theory? Does it belong in schools? CRT is a curricular outlook best taught in college and law schools. Of course, informed students will inquire about it and they should be able to receive answers from their teachers and discuss some principles of CRT in class. The CPS social studies curriculum is comprehensive and Ohio standards based. Students deserve a panoramic and diversified curriculum so they can understand political, economic and social power in America today. In that type of curriculum our students can see themselves and learn how to become responsible and civically minded citizens for tomorrow. Ohio Boards adopt curriculum and teachers teach the curriculum.

What is your stance on social and emotional learning? Should it be taught in schools? Most social and emotional learning is a function of personal relationships in school. Interpersonal relationships between staff and students are paramount and relationships among students are the most critical. To the degree that there exists social and emotional curriculum and available professional development, CPS should avail itself. However securing a safe and welcoming school environment for students and staff makes social and emotional learning more likely than does all the curriculum and professional development put together.

What do you think is an appropriate way to approach sex education in schools? "Sex education" should be taught by trained professionals to age-appropriate students. It should be science-based and include discussion about personal character and deep consideration of values clarification. Such lessons also allow for families to request their student to be excused from participating. As students age more and more such lessons become rooted in personal health and maturation habits that will well serve the students in adulthood.

Do you think the expansion of school vouchers in Ohio will have a positive or negative impact on students? Why? Universal vouchers will have an overall negative impact and operate outside the bounds of the Ohio Constitution giving voted taxpayer dollars to schools that taxpayers cannot hold accountable. Those dollars are given in a higher per-student allotment to non-public students, aren’t based on family need, and given directly to schools not audited by the State nor required to be evaluated via the Ohio Report Card. By the state's own admission, voucher applicants’ information is supplied on "an honor system" with no verification. As vouchers expand, dollars will be drained from public schools and taxpayers will bear a greater burden.

Would you be in favor of raising taxes to support the school district? Currently, I don’t think the district’s in a position to request a levy, nor do I think voters would be supportive. CPS has tax renewals in 2025, 2028 and 2032. CPS is experiencing decreasing state/federal funding and possibly shrinking local revenue due to city-determined developer tax abatement policies. This lessening revenue is challenging as is the need to resize and refit our building inventory and better use our current facilities. Fewer people choosing educational occupations require our salaries/wages must remain competitive. These conditions mean it’s possible the next board may be faced with a need to return to the voters.

Bryan Cannon

Age: 55.

Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts.

Years living in the district: 13.

Education: BS Physical Education -University of Rhode Island, MS-Education Leadership/ Human Resource Development -Towson University, ABD Urban Educational Leadership -Clark-Atlanta University.

Job: Teacher; Mt. Healthy High School.

Do you have children? No. Do they attend public schools? No.

What do you think is the district’s greatest strength? The Cincinnati School District has several strengths. They have several schools that have claimed high marks on the Ohio State Report Card. This is evident that the district knows how to educate its students. Another strength lies in its opportunity to leverage the support of the five Fortune 500 Companies that are headquartered in Cincinnati. The district should develop a plan that creates partnerships with these companies so that they invest in the district. These partnerships could prove invaluable for the students, the community and companies. Lastly, is the dedication of the school staff. CPS has a host of lifelong educators that love their students and their district. They want nothing more than to see their district thrive.

In what 2-3 areas would you like to see the district improve over the next 5 years? In my opinion, the three most pressing issues facing the School Board at the moment are student achievement, transportation, and school safety and culture.

Student achievement is the reason why school exists. Teaching and learning should take place every day and in every classroom. Within CPS, approximately 40% of our students are proficient or, above proficient in any given subject. With that said, the majority of our students, 60%, are not proficient according to the Ohio Department of Education 21/22 Report Card.

What does the 60% of non-proficient students need to learn in order to score proficient on the state test? It is my opinion that we need to investigate that question and support the comprehensive plan to ensure more students end next year proficient or above.

Transportation and getting students to school appear to consume an extraordinary amount of money, human capital, and time. Furthermore, it causes frustration for the students, parents and the school staff. We must look at our policies and implement procedures which will reduce cost and minimize frustration.

School safety, or the lack thereof, is evident in our community and on the news media. Districts have failed to keep students under their charge safe and free from harm and danger. Daily occurrences of bullying, fighting, drugs in schools, mental and verbal assaults have become normalized. Students are frequently exposed to harmful things that have an adverse effect on their social-emotional psyche.

How would you work to improve communication and culture throughout the district and with parents and families? CPS has recently started a parent and community engagement push. They have a district-wide Parent Champion who has increased communication that informs the community about district activities. All schools consistently communicate via social media to their stakeholders. Additionally, all schools have a Local School Decision Making Committee (LSDMC) which is made up of parents, school staff, community/business members and have local school management and decision-making authority. I would leverage these systems that are already in place. I would support them and make sure that they are adequately resourced and functioning to the best of their abilities. Lastly, I would collaborate with the Superintendent and provide feedback on her plan to improve district culture.

What is your stance on critical race theory? Does it belong in schools? Critical Race Theory is a social construct, and asserts that racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in United States social systems and policies. CRT states that the criminal justice system, education system and labor market, housing market are laced with racism. The above statement is a fact. In a democratic society, where the First Amendment is that law of the land it should be discussed in schools. Educators are well versed in teaching sensitive content with a supportive, age-appropriate lens.

What is your stance on social and emotional learning? Should it be taught in schools? Humans are social creatures. Our parents and caregivers are our first teachers on how to get along with others. Schools assist in ensuring that students develop resilience skills and learn how to show emotions and empathy for others. I support the Ohio State Board of Education approved strategic plan that includes instruction in Social Emotional Learning. It is essential that the schools continue to teach what the parents/caregivers taught at home. Schools must take an active role in ensuring that students know how to successfully interact with others, function as part of the community, maintain positive relationships and achieve their goals.

What do you think is an appropriate way to approach sex education in schools? Like Social Emotional Learning, Sex Education should begin in the home. Parents and caregivers should be a child's first teachers. As a former Health teacher, I utilized research-based, approved curricula to support what was started in the home.

Do you think the expansion of school vouchers in Ohio will have a positive or negative impact on students? Why? I believe that the expansion of school vouchers in Ohio will have a positive impact on the students who are lucky enough to be selected to utilize a voucher for their school of choice. Unfortunately, all students will not have that opportunity.

Would you be in favor of raising taxes to support the school district? Yes, I would be in favor of raising taxes to support our school district. When students receive a quality education, they have a higher likelihood of employment and higher wages, it is also likely that the individual will not need social programs for their basic needs. When you look at places with a higher tax base, their students, schools and communities thrive. Our Cincinnati students and community deserve to thrive.

Ben Lindy

Age: 42.

Hometown: Cincinnati.

Years living in the district: 30 years (18 years growing up here, then the most recent 12).

Education: Bachelor's degree from Yale College, Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.

Job: President of the Cincinnati Public School Board and independent consultant.

Do you have children? Do they attend public schools? Yes. My daughter attends CPS. My son attends Springer.

What do you think is the district’s greatest strength? CPS has extraordinary pockets of excellence. We are home to Walnut Hills High School (a National Blue Ribbon School and often the top-ranked school in Ohio), as well the School for Creative and Performing Arts, and several outstanding Montessori programs.

In what 2-3 areas would you like to see the district improve over the next 5 years? Our first priority has to be improving academic outcomes (outside the pockets I mentioned above) because every child in every zip code deserves access to an excellent public education. In addition, I would like to see us strengthen the apprenticeship programs and job-training programs we offer, and I would like to see us continue to make improvements in transportation.

How would you work to improve communication and culture throughout the district and with parents and families? We need to make sure all families feel heard and receive timely, helpful information from the district. To that end, we need to provide consistent communication across multiple channels (text, email, traditional mail), and we should make sure families have ability to opt into the methods of communication that work best for them. Further, we recently began giving surveys to students and families at key points each school year, and we should continue doing so. These surveys give us helpful data on where we can best make improvements.

What is your stance on critical race theory? Does it belong in schools? Critical race theory (or CRT) is a term that’s often misapplied. CRT is an advanced legal theory that is taught in some law schools, not to elementary, middle, or high school students. That said, what is typically driving the use of this term in our context is some concern over how we teach students about race, racism, and American history. I do believe in teaching students an honest account of American history, including the role of race and racism. I want students to graduate with an informed understanding of how our country came to be as it is, as well as a commitment to making our country better and more just place for everyone.

What is your stance on social and emotional learning? Should it be taught in schools? I support teaching students the social and emotional skills they need to be successful, like resilience, courage, and independence. Schools are not the only places students can learn these skills, but when I think back on my best teachers, they taught me critical lessons here.

What do you think is an appropriate way to approach sex education in schools? I believe it’s important to rely on the recommendations of scientists and experts. The American Academy of Pediatrics has found that strong, developmentally appropriate sexual education leads to reductions in adolescent pregnancy, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections. We should follow those recommendations.

Do you think the expansion of school vouchers in Ohio will have a positive or negative impact on students? Why? The most recent expansion of vouchers focuses on many families that are not considered low-income and can already afford private school tuition. We would see a larger impact for students if the state invested these dollars in improving low-performing schools.

Would you be in favor of raising taxes to support the school district? Not at this time. I believe it is our job to get the most out of the resources we currently have.

Kendra Mapp

Age: 37.

Hometown: My hometown is Cincinnati, Ohio.

Years living in the district: I have lived within the district for 37 years.

Education: I have a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Cincinnati and Master of Artsdegree from Xavier University.

Job: I am a licensed professional counselor.

Do you have children? Do they attend public schools? I have three children that attend Cincinnati Public Schools.

What do you think is the district’s greatest strength? One of the greatest strengths of Cincinnati Public Schools include the effort to receive input to develop policies, goals, and guardrails that are reflective of the community. In addition, the district has worked to create community partnerships with the focus of addressing inequities, while creating a network of resources for students, families, and staff to enhance successful student outcomes.

In what 2-3 areas would you like to see the district improve over the next 5 years? Specific areas that I would like to see the district strengthen over the next five years are: Learning environments that are affirming, respectful, supportive, inclusive and equitable for both students and staff alike. Facilitate healthy mindsets and behaviors toward learning and career development through a holistic curriculum. Strengthen alignment between school and community, to promote student achievement and healthy engagement.

How would you work to improve communication and culture throughout the district and with parents and families? I would work to support effective communication and a culture of wellness throughout the district by establishing rapport, trust, positive regard, and cohesion. This effort will result in mutual respect, clear understanding of expectations/responsibilities, and equal ownership to uphold the aligned vision and goals. Also, while serving on the board, I would advocate for timely, bilateral communication with all of the constituents to enhance the culture. Lastly, I think that it is essential to audit the levels of communication and engagement among parents and families through a strong equity lens. This approach will allow the district to elevate new voices and ensure balance to foster greater representation.

What is your stance on critical race theory? Does it belong in schools? I am in support of critical race theory because I believe in efforts to teach honest and inclusive history. Currently, there has been a consistent attack on public education through the tactics of extremism. Consequently, this harmful attempt to ban any critical assessment of American history would further marginalize and impair the well-being of students, staff, and families in public schools. Yet, Cincinnati Public Schools has proudly served as a positive example within public education, by pioneering the development of the first equity and anti-racism policy to promote an environment of wellness for all members of the CPS community. Educating on critical race theory honors the identity and history of Black and brown students, reduce implicit bias, equip students and educators with the skills to engage in critical thinking/ problem-solving strategies, develop empathy, promote tolerance, and acquire the creativity to address difficult conversations to upend vast disparities within the academic system; from a holistic approach in our ever-growing multicultural society.

What is your stance on social and emotional learning? Should it be taught in schools? My platform to run for Cincinnati school board is grounded in the importance of ensuring the well-being, health, and safety of our district; through the framework of social-emotional learning. A social-emotional curriculum has several benefits such as: safely regulating emotions, developing self-awareness, cultivating positive relationships, and refiningeffective leadership skills. I firmly believe that “When we ensure that students and staff feel Safe, Secure, andValued, it yields expanded learning Opportunities, increased Academic Outcomes, and positive investments throughout our Community.” My goal is to Mapp Transformative Education through Body, Mind, and Connection which entails: Body: The foundation of student achievement and staff performance are a result of learning environments that are affirming, respectful, supportive, inclusive, and equitable. Studies continue to reflect the importance of meeting the fundamental needs of physical, social, and emotional security; to optimize an individual’s fullest potential. When these needs are fulfilled, both students and staff alike develop a positive mindset toward learning and work. Mind: Once students have acquired the self-confidence to succeed, they develop pride and take ownership with their education. Students desire to be engaged participants with their academic experience and make authentic, meaningful connections through innovative approaches. As a result, students establish healthy attitudes and beliefs about themselves to excel in rigorous coursework that promotes college, career, and life readiness. Connection: Schools are the heartbeat of the community. A thriving school advocates to strengthen the whole child; which facilitates the esteem to contribute to their school culture and greater community. When we enrich our students, we elevate the opportunity for students to practice civic engagement and make constructive investments within their respective neighborhoods. This endeavor creates a healthy system and a shared endeavor between school and community to ensure student achievement.

What do you think is an appropriate way to approach sex education in schools? Presently, our society is overwhelmed with several platforms that expose impressionable and vulnerable children to explicit content. Despite censorship efforts, many children are likely to gain access to sexual material that can provide misinformation and disinformation. As a result, I do support age-appropriate, comprehensive, unbiased, uniformed standards based, medically accurate information for prevention and intervention methods; yet with mindful considerations. I believe that it is important to take into account the diverse audience to alleviate the possibility of targeting a specific group regarding race, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. Equally, I think that the facilitators teaching the curriculum need to be well-trained and have a credible history of providing data informed, evidenced-based responsive care that yields positive results.

Lastly, as a licensed professional counselor, a major requirement within my profession is to give individuals a professional disclosure statement and informed consent forms. These documents outline the process, qualifications, as well as the risks and benefits to the individual. I believe that the same requirements should be upheld for families to make informed decisions about their child’s participation in the course.

Do you think the expansion of school vouchers in Ohio will have a positive or negative impact on students? Why? I think that the expansion of school vouchers in Ohio will have a negative impact on students within public schools. My position is that the voucher programs are being inappropriately distributed to several families within the private school sector that do not meet criteria or need financial support. As a result, the use of public money is being diverted away from the public schools, while advancing inequities within the community at large. This system continues to disproportionately impact the limited fund allocation that the state funding formula provides for the public schools operating budget; which places our most vulnerable students within the district in jeopardy of not having the adequate programming and resources that they need.

Would you be in favor of raising taxes to support the school district? I am in favor of raising taxes to support the school district; specifically due to the disadvantages that are presented from the Ohio Fair School Funding Plan, which has been deemed unconstitutional. As a school board member, I would work to educate the public onthe purpose of the tax levy, why it is important, how funds will be allocated, and how the passage of the levy will help support academic achievement for CPS students. Furthermore, I would collaboratively model good fiscal stewardship, to maintain trust among taxpayers.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: CPS school board candidates answer Enquirer questions