To all HSE school board candidates: is it about politics or the kids?

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Dear Editor:

Gone are the days when a stay-at-home mom with a couple kids in public school would run a low-spending campaign for school board with a few yard signs and bake sales.

Last November in a PBS interview with Julie Marsh, Professor of Education Policy at USC, she spoke about how much more money is being spent to win school board seats. The sophisticated campaign strategies being used, the negative campaigning, and the influence of political parties behind the scenes are turning school boards into political pawns. Is this also happening to the HSE school board?

Public schools and public school boards are designed to be non-political. When you go to vote for school board, you won’t see Rs or Ds behind their names. When political action committees (PACs) are allowed to run candidates, create voting blocs, and influence school board policy, our community loses. School board members who cast votes according to the wishes of their PACs instead of their own conscience will put politics before the best interests of our children.

Currently, there are two PACs running candidates for HSE schools.

First, we have Democratic candidates supported by HSEqual. Any candidate running with the financial support and endorsement of this organization will more than likely be favoring a return to the promotion in our schools of CRT, SEL, DEI, Panorama, and to bring back the microaggression policy.

Second, we have Republican candidates financially supported and endorsed by Fishers One. When Fishers One began it was a conservative, grassroots effort made up of volunteers upset with the academic decline of HSE schools. However, Fishers One has branched out to run Republican candidates for city council and become aligned politically.

But, voters do have one option come November: a candidate who is running her own campaign with no support from PACs. She has had four children attend our public schools. She is the incumbent with four years of experience. She loves our community, our schools, and has worked tirelessly for the best interests of the children.

That candidate is Suzanne Thomas.

When Ms. Thomas was elected in November of 2020, our schools were already in academic decline. During her first two years in office, her voice was often the lone voice speaking out for our children. Ms. Thomas has implemented many policies as well as supporting others to help return our schools to be one of the best school districts in the state. You may read about her vision for HSE schools on Facebook page, Suzanne Thomas for HSE School Board.

Just one of the goals she achieved was the re-insertion of the phrase “academic excellence” into the HSE district mission statement. Some might think this is a small thing, but it is the vision of our school leaders which sets the tone for our entire school district.

Ms. Thomas has a stellar voting record. She is fiscally responsible, helping to save our community $15 million with the renovation of Fishers Elementary. She is a supporter of all children, including support for all educational pathways: vocational, technical, university, military, and trades.

Suzanne Thomas appreciates our fantastic teachers and support staff. She supports our new superintendent, Mr. Mapes, and his vision to improve HSE schools.

Suzanne Thomas has the experience, the voting record, and the vision to help move HSE schools forward. She is in this race for 21,299 reasons; that number represents HSE student enrollment. Ms. Thomas is there for each and every child.

The school board isn’t about politics for Suzanne, it’s about the children. And in her own words, “This Mama Bear will continue to advocate for students, teachers, and families.”

I urge all voters in the HSE school district to do your homework. Look up voting records. Go listen to the candidates. Choose your school board members wisely, they will set policy which shapes the vision of our public schools.

Please exercise your right to vote because your voice matters. Let’s turn out in record numbers in November and vote for the candidates who are truly in it for the right reasons.

Kellie Kelly
Fishers