School Board Candidate Q & A

Joseph Rhymes is running as a write-in candidate for Waitsburg School Board Position 4.

Why are you running?

Simply, we need change. The majority of our current board is neglecting their duties to our kids and families and have become apathetic to the concerns of parents, students, and even the staff of our school.

What issues do you believe our district needs to address?

We need to return to the basics of education. There is something to be said about the old adage "reading, writing, and arithmetic". Our kids don't need to be inundated with questionable lessons about Critical Race theory, or taught to hate, or racism. As a nation, we spend far more than anyone else on public education, yet our children regularly score near the bottom when compared to other nations. That's on us. If our kids cannot compete in tomorrow's workforce, we have let them down. Let's give our kids the edge by giving them a good foundation, and then they themselves can build strong ethics and confidence upon that foundation.

What do you see as major issues?

Politics, politics. We have good potential for great schooling here in Waitsburg, yet in the current national political climate, we are under assault from Wash D.C, and even Olympia, to force compliance with questionable mandates, which hinder our children and grandchildren's learning ability. I listened recently as parent after parent shared passionately regarding the same concern, yet in the end, the majority of our current school board simply blew them off. Ignoring them. Our great nation was not built by people who will simply "fold" under threats by outside forces. RCW title 28 includes "parents have the right to attend classes if they so choose". Also, the local school board has the authority to "establish final curriculum...evaluate teaching materials, including textbooks, teaching aids, and handouts...and to hear (and deal with) complaints by parents who consider certain material objectionable". Is our current board living up to this responsibility? No. Our local school board MUST be accountable, and represent the best interest of our parents and their children, and not folding in the face of current political winds. I am a firm believer in the concept that evil thrives when good men do nothing. We currently have a "do nothing" board. Yes, I can say that. I served honorably in the Marine Corps to protect the right of any American citizen to say that. I will bring a strong voice to the table who is not afraid to take a stand. I will bring LOCAL CONTROL back to our schools. I will fight to protect our kids, our parental rights, and to keep the many good staff and teachers that we might lose due to current politics. And I will defend your right to strongly voice your concerns at school board meetings! (No FBI involved!) Please take the time to write my name in for District 4. Thank you.