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In my responses to Rockingham County News' request for a debate, they had 6 questions for each candidate to respond to before the debate. In my responses below, you will see where I introduced the new "three R's" for public schools. I will expand on them further in a future post.
Paula E. Lam Candidate for Rockingham County District 5 School Board 1. What inspired you to run for this position? Over the past 20 years, I have been engaged in the learning process as my children have all attended RCPS schools. I have volunteered in various roles, including PTA, PTSA, SHS Athletic Boosters, and Rockingham Educational Foundation, Inc. Now that we have one child left in school, it is time to take the next step in the educational process. My goal is to represent the current and future parents, teachers, and students of Rockingham County by being a voice of reason on the school board in 2024. I have seen first-hand how things have changed since the oldest child graduated in 2010. As an involved parent, I noticed that my access to what my children were learning became less and less. I’d have to email the teachers to obtain information about assignments instead of being able to open a book and review assignments. There needs to be transparency in what our children are being taught. I have presented to the board several times how that can be achieved quickly and easily using the current software programs that the county already uses. Now is the time for solid leadership that can protect and preserve the conservative family values of Rockingham County. 2. What are your three top agenda items? The safety of our children is my top priority. We must ensure each facility has the appropriate physical security mechanisms and support for mental well-being. The physical safety of our children requires quality relationships with area first responders, and we need their presence in all our schools. We also need to ensure the safety and security of the physical buildings by having card swipe access on all doors at every facility. Keys can easily be misplaced and/or in the wrong hands; the card swipe access will ensure our students are in a secure facility, and access can be granted and denied quickly. Each child has a unique family situation that requires the teachers to amend how they instruct the class so that they can best meet the needs of each student. There are times when additional resources are needed to ensure the entire class can succeed. Qualified guidance counselors and behavior specialists who provide a caring environment for struggling children are essential for the learning environment to succeed. My next priority would be solidifying the partnership between parents, teachers, and students. I would introduce the new “three R’s” of education: relationship, responsibility, and rights.
My final agenda item is to create a culture of community service. Many times, we are unaware of the needs of our community. Providing opportunities for our children to give back to their community will help them look for opportunities to engage in their civic responsibilities as citizens of this country. 3. What makes you the best candidate for this position? I have the skills and experience necessary to protect and preserve the values of our community. These skills include membership in/on professional boards, experience in facility maintenance and oversight, effective policy and procedure implementation, fiscal management in an educational environment, and professional leadership skills. My experience volunteering in the school system has allowed me to build quality relationships with teachers and administration. I’ve enjoyed being a part of my children’s educational journey by supporting our teachers, coaches, and administration by being an involved parent who has led many different parent-led school organizations. 4. Are you willing to participate in a debate or public forum? Here is a list of the dates and times that I have accepted:
5. What is a personality trait that you would like people to know about you? I have a solid work ethic, and I’m not daunted, and when the odds seem to be against me, I work harder. For instance, I sought the endorsement of the Republican Party. I even helped them craft a few of the requirements. One recommendation I made was not incorporated; I thought the process was happening too early in the election cycle. In June 2022, there wasn’t an exemplary process for finding a candidate pool representing various factions within our community. After not being selected for the Republican endorsement in October 2022, I informed the committee that I would prayerfully consider continuing to seek the school board seat. I told them I’d also like to know more about their selected candidate. I did what I told them I would do. I prayed about it and met their candidate. The fact that I would choose to run when the odds are stacked against me, personal attacks are being thrown like darts at my back, and I’m running against the political party that I have consistently voted for almost 30 years shows that I am willing to stand up for what I believe in and work hard towards protecting the future of our educational system. 6. What is your favorite thing about the Shenandoah Valley? The people are my favorite part of this community. When I think of this area, I think of a quilt handmade by my grandmother. That quilt was made from various dresses, shirts, and blankets used by the family members. They are joined together into a beautiful design that holds countless memories of days long gone. The quilt resembles the fabric of this county - one of hard-working farmers, factory workers, churchgoers, and many others who have strived for generations to protect our families and uphold conservative family values. Today, that quilt provides warmth and comfort to those who choose to take a stand; we respect those who have gone before us by honoring the values of our heritage.
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The model policies that Youngkin has proposed are sufficient to ensure parents remain at the forefront of decisions relating to their children’s identity while respecting all students. As a future board member, I want to listen to varying perspectives to make an informed decision representing our community's values. These policies align with the community while maintaining respect for all students.
Below is the statement I prepared to share with the board: Good Evening, My name is Paula Lam, and I am a parent of 4 students; three have graduated, and one is currently in high school. I am also a candidate for Rockingham County District 5 School Board. I am here tonight to express my support for Youngkin’s model policies for our county. The components of these policies include: Schools shall respect all students; Parents have the right to make decisions with respect to their children; schools shall serve the needs of all students; and schools shall partner with parents. At least 50% of transgender youth have considered suicide. That being said, one protective measure is having their family’s support. It would be a dereliction of duty not to inform parents when a student’s life is in the balance. The argument that I’ve heard against this policy is related to concerns about child abuse. Child abuse is a significant concern of mine. That is one of the reasons that I had many conversations with our school board members during COVID because I was concerned about caregiver abuse not being reported during the extended closure of schools. The CPS has stated that child abuse reports were significantly less during COVID. Child abuse is not gender specific and must be handled like the crime it is, no matter the reason. Another concern about the policy I’ve heard is that it would be impossible for a teacher/administrator to call home when a child requests to be called by different pronouns. However, I receive a phone call after my child has been tardy to class three times; tardiness does not directly correlate to a higher risk of suicide for our students. If a child has requested to be called a different gendered name, I can and should receive a phone call because that poses a threat to the child's wellbeing. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. I would strongly encourage the board to adopt these policies. |
Paula E. LamI love my family and my community. We are so blessed to call Rockingham County home. I want to see our county take the lead on providing a quality K-12 education that retains the heritage and values that has made this county a wonderful place to raise a family. ***The views expressed on this website are my own and do not reflect the views of my employer or the Commonwealth of Virginia.*** Archives
September 2023
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