I always fought for public schools

Opinion

On September 3, I had the opportunity to attend the Roundtable Discussion at Brooke Point High School with Governor Terry McAuliffe and Secretary of Education, Anne Holton.  The event took place in the brand new library – a high-tech learning space to foster collaboration and innovation among students. The takeaway from the discussion with 20+ parents that morning was that investing in teachers, reducing classroom size, and bringing innovation back into our schools will build a more prosperous Virginia for us all.

These parents made it abundantly clear that we must reform the SOLs. As one parent mentioned, previous generations sent a man to the moon and they never took a single SOL test.  We need to empower teachers to be creative and innovative in the classroom again.

Parents described the negative experiences of their children when they are stuck in overcrowded classrooms.  Fewer students in the classroom enable greater conversation and better exchange of ideas.

Several parents recounted how difficult it is for parents to be involved in their children’s schools, when they spend so much time fighting traffic to and from work everyday.

These parents also explained the importance of teachers having ongoing support through professional mentoring, skills training, and the chance to learn from one another.

Based on what these parents said, investing our schools must be our top priority.

Public education has seen a 17% reduction in state funding since 2008, while our student population continues to grow. Virginia is the 9th wealthiest state, yet our teacher salary ranks 37^th in the nation – $7,456 below the national average. When I served as the Aquia District Supervisor in Stafford County, I always fought for public schools. When Richmond told us they weren’t going to fully fund the Standards of Quality (SOQs), which covers the basics in our schools, I staged a bi-partisan protest outside the Stafford Administration Building because we deserve better for our kids.

I ask for your vote on November 3^rd because elections matter. I want to go to Richmond and champion public education. Our ability to build a more prosperous Virginia in the future depends on the quality of public education today.

*Kandy Hilliard is a former member of the Stafford Board of Supervisors and is currently running for the 28^th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.