School District 1 Forum - Cancelled

The LWV of Spartanburg County planned a public forum for the candidates of the Spartanburg School District One School Board Election to take place at the Inman Public Library on Monday, October 16, 2023, at 6 pm. 
 
Eight candidates are running for 4 school board positions. Six of the candidates indicated an interest in participating in the forum after receiving an invitation e-mail and, at their request, were sent a list of questions that we would choose from for the forum (listed below) as well as the format and expectations for the forum. One candidate declined because they did not wish to sign the standard Video Recording Policy our League requests from all candidates. Four withdrew for various other reasons. We have one candidate who is still interested in sharing their views with the public. However, the standard policy of National, State, and Local Leagues is to not hold a forum for just one candidate. As a result, we must cancel the planned forum. 
 
The list of questions shared with the candidates is below so that voters can see some of the issues that we, the forum hosts at the League, the Upstate Action Alliance, and SIREN, thought would be important for voters in Spartanburg School District One (or any other school district) to consider.
  
Respectfully,
Ruth Stanton
President LWV of Spartanburg County
 
Spartanburg School District 1 Forum Questions for Candidates

• What was your deciding factor in choosing to run for Spartanburg School District 1 School Board Trustee?
• District 1 has lower rates of Student Chronic Absenteeism than that of South Carolina’s statistics. However, that rate in D-1 almost doubled between 2021 when it was 8.8% and 2022 when it was 16.8%. What would you do to reduce that number back to 8.8% or lower? 
• What do you think District 1 Schools should be doing to make sure the students and staff are safe? 
• Do you think one parent’s complaint about a lesson plan should lead to the firing of a teacher or librarian? Please explain your response. 
• What are 2 to 3 strengths of which District 1 can be proud? Why do you see these as strengths? 
• From the last data we are able to obtain about District 1, 49.3% of seniors were enrolled the following fall to pursue an Associate’s Degree, a Certificate, or a Diploma, down from 66.52% the year prior. How would you work to increase the numbers of seniors enrolling in higher education programs? 
• Considering that 22% of the student population of District 1 identifies as nonwhite, what actions should be taken to assure that the school board fairly represents all its students? 
• What is your position on teaching history accurately and not omitting unpleasant events? 
• What do you see as the role of technology in education in District 1 Schools? 
• Based on your current understanding, what is your opinion of the school district’s policies for students with special needs? 
• In the last few years, according to OneSpartanburg, Inc., there has been an explosion of manufacturing jobs in our county. Should our schools help prepare students for manufacturing careers or to enter higher education? Please explain your position.
• How would you guide your schools to work with transgender youth? 
• How long have you lived in School District 1? 
• School District 1 teacher salaries have increased from an average of $54,372 to $55,206. Do you think teachers deserve a further increase in compensation and, if so, how would you pay for it? 
• Do you support removing certain books from a school library? Why or why not? 
• As a person running for public office, what are your thoughts about school vouchers? Or using public funds for private religious education? 
• What is the last book you read and what impact did it have on you? 
• The percent of teachers in District 1 returning from the previous year is down from 92.9% to 88.4%. How will you and the Board recruit and retain qualified teachers? 
• What roles, if any, should school districts assume for dealing with such social issues such as hunger, poverty, emotional illnesses, or drug abuse? 
• What are the best hopes for the future of this school district? How would these aspirations help our students?