Voter Guide: Cumberland school board District 5 candidates on vouchers, SROs and more
Incumbent Susan Williams will face challenger Tracy Pelt in the November election for the District 5 seat on the Cumberland County Board of Education.
District 5 encompasses the Cape Fear High School district and part of the Pine Forest and E.E. Smith high school districts.
Here are Williams' and Pelt's answers to a candidate questionnaire from The Fayetteville Observer. Some responses may have been edited for style and grammar.
Tracy Pelt
Immediate family: Spouse, Dwayne Waterford; and four children, all boys. Two of them are currently in Cumberland County Schools, and my older sons graduated from CCS.
Occupation: I am the founder of C2C Equipping Institute and the president of Price University Fayetteville. Price University's founding mission is to attract, enroll and graduate future leaders to carry out the Great Commission apostolically and prophetically using Ephesians 2:20 as its scriptural basis.
Elected office held: If elected, this will be my first public office.
Contact: [email protected]; [email protected]; 910-302-6548; and search for "Committee to Elect Tracy Pelt" on Facebook.
What are your thoughts on where a new E.E. Smith High School should be located? Should it remain where it is, move out to Fort Liberty or move somewhere else? (Editor's note: The Cumberland Board of Commissioners voted not to move E.E. Smith to Fort Liberty after this questionnaire was sent and some candidates had already responded.)
E.E. Smith is not only a cornerstone of the Cumberland County community; it has also been pivotal in maintaining relations between Fort Liberty and Cumberland County Schools. A new campus would serve all stakeholders and enhance the experience and opportunities for students. If we are to build the new campus it is imperative that we move on securing the grant before the deadline. One question surrounding the E.E Smith construction has been concerning location. Practically speaking, Fort Liberty has the land required to accomplish this project in the most effective manner. However, the board has to be transparent and allow for the community to weigh in and voice their concerns on the matter. Ultimately, practicality, not sentimentality, should rule the decision-making process.
The N.C. Opportunity Scholarships, also known as school vouchers for private schools, have blown an estimated $17 million hole in the Cumberland County Schools budget, according to school officials. What is your plan to address that funding shortfall?
Cumberland County Schools must take ownership of the reason students are leaving the public school system in droves. The blame is on the failing schools, on lack of transparency and communication between schools officials and the community. The blame can be placed on the horrendous lack of discipline that makes students, parents, and staff feel unsafe in the classroom and on the school grounds. It is very telling that Cumberland County has the most recipients of the opportunity scholarships in the state. That tells a story that these parents see some level of incompetence, or lack of the ability to service their child in our schools.
I would like there to be conversations, cooperation, and collaboration between public schools, home schools, and private schools that encompass shared resources and shared funding. The services that the private school or home school are unequipped to provide can be furnished by the public schools for a share of the funds that follow the child. There is a solution that works for all involved for the benefit of our learners — we just have to be willing to have those conversations without the fear-mongering rhetoric so often attached to this conversation.
To address the funding shortfall, the school board should consider a bond to meet the many upfront needs our school system has today. We will also have to consider the consolidation of some of our schools. These are difficult conversations and choices, but we need a school board that is willing to take on this challenge rather than just coasting on a problem that is not being corrected.
School resource officers at many schools and metal detectors are two initiatives designed to protect our students, teachers and staff. What ideas do you have for enhancing school security?
School safety is one of the foremost challenges that must be addressed. The key to enhancing school security is a holistic approach that integrates physical safety, emotional support, technology and community engagement. Security measures should not only focus on preventing violent incidents but also create a school environment where students feel safe, valued, and supported. Engaging all stakeholders — students, staff, parents and local communities—is crucial for fostering a culture of safety and trust in schools. I can appreciate the current measures CCS has taken to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community. However, we can always take another step towards better security.Many advocate for student resource officers, and while they are beneficial to a degree, my observation does not instill high levels of confidence in their ability to stop violent crimes. To be effective, security must consistently check the perimeter of the school, the hallways, bathrooms, and other areas. We need a roving security team in our schools that will be vigilant in threat detection rather than being in place to respond after an event has occurred. CCS needs a security force specifically tailored to prevent rather than just react.
Not long ago, Cumberland County Schools put more than 90 books in school libraries under review after two complaints were filed about content. Was this the proper response? What is your position on so-called “book bans” or other measures to regulate content on school library shelves?
While I agree that we should have periodic reviews of the content in our school libraries in order to determine their value to a student’s academic and educational process, I do not agree with banning everything someone might disagree with. We live in a technological age and our students have access to all types of media via the internet and television. Banning books will never eliminate the content that our students can be exposed to. However, I believe that the periodic book reviews should result in books being placed in age-appropriate grade levels. Explicit content should be reserved for those mature enough to handle it. We should not find that material in K-8 libraries. Additionally, I would not be opposed to parental permission slips before students are allowed to check out certain library books that may contain sexual or other explicit content.
What can we do about the teacher shortage in Cumberland County Schools? Many talented international teachers in our schools leave after a few years because of the kind of work permit they use to teach here. Do you see any value in changing to more traditional work visas to retain some of those teachers?
I do not see any value in changing to a more traditional work visa for international teachers. While I believe that students may benefit some from international teachers, I find that teachers who understand American and local culture are more beneficial to our students. Cumberland County Schools should look at strategies that make staying in the district more attractive. We have several universities and colleges right here in our local area, as well as Fort Liberty. Cumberland County Schools could look at developing partnerships with universities to create a pipeline for highly qualified teachers who are ready to meet NC educational standards. A Troop to Teacher partnership could be forged with Fort Liberty that allows veterans to bring their varied leadership skills to our classrooms. There are many options we have to grow a diverse teacher force right here in Cumberland County. Teacher supplements, safe schools, support staff and actually letting teachers teach would go a long way toward attracting the teachers we need in our schools.
Susan Williams
Immediate family: Husband, Mike Williams; daughter and son-in-law, Terri Hurley and Scott Hurley; daughter and son-in-law Alex Patton and Tyler Patton; and three grandchildren
Occupation: Retired teacher with Cumberland County Schools
Elected office held: Cumberland County School Board, District 5
Contact: [email protected]
What are your thoughts on where a new E.E. Smith High School should be located? Should it remain where it is, move out to Fort Liberty or move somewhere else? (Editor's note: The Cumberland Board of Commissioners voted not to move E.E. Smith to Fort Liberty after this questionnaire was sent and some candidates had already responded.)
The current facility that houses the E.E. Smith school family is not adequate for enabling students and teachers the advantages of a 21st-century comprehensive high school. We have looked as a board at several different land options for a new school all along the Murchison Road corridor including an option that would sit on the existing school site. Based on the options presented and the cost factors involved, I voted in favor of submitting the Fort Liberty site to our County Commissioners as a possibility. The decision was forwarded to the commissioners and we are waiting to hear their response. It is time for E.E. Smith to have a new facility and it is my hope that we are able to work collaboratively to make that happen in the near future.
The N.C. Opportunity Scholarships, also known as school vouchers for private schools, have blown an estimated $17 million hole in the Cumberland County Schools budget, according to school officials. What is your plan to address that funding shortfall?
Each year, the board receives recommendations from the district leadership team regarding budget priorities with student achievement being given the highest priority for spending. Our chief finance officer gives projections on how the allocated monies can be spent. These are reviewed by the board and after thorough discussion, are voted on. Anytime shortfalls occur, the recommendations made reflect adjustments for us to consider. I will continue to contact and encourage our local delegation to push for more funding for the State's public schools.
School vouchers siphon valuable funds from our schools and the schools they go to do not have the accountability systems that our public schools have in place. The state requires participating private schools to give standardized exams, but their students don't take the state assessments required in public schools. We have to continue to get our message out to the community that public schools, our schools, are continuing to meet the needs of every child. Public schools accept every student that enrolls and strives to meet their needs.
School resource officers at many schools and metal detectors are two initiatives designed to protect our students, teachers and staff. What ideas do you have for enhancing school security?
Students, teachers, and staff need a safe place to learn. Having an SRO officer in every school, the use of weapons detectors, cameras and facial recognition systems certainly play a significant role in achieving that goal. We also need to continue practices and strategies that increase access to mental health and counseling resources that can greatly improve the school climate and foster strong relationships. Strong relationships have been found to significantly reduce school violence. We have to continue to help connect students to learning through engaging classrooms that make them feel welcome and valued so that the school is a positive force in their lives each and every day.
Not long ago, Cumberland County Schools put more than 90 books in school libraries under review after two complaints were filed about content. Was this the proper response? What is your position on so-called “book bans” or other measures to regulate content on school library shelves?
Instructional materials should enrich the curriculum and enhance learning. The principles governing the selection of materials is clearly stated in board policy 3200 including but not limited to grade level appropriateness, ability to support students in accessing the North Carolina standards and educational significance to instructional objectives. Libraries are not places where only one viewpoint is shown. The book review process for the district is aligned to board policy. When there is a question about a book, the procedure in place begins at the school level. For a library book, the request is first to go to that school's Media Advisory Committee. The committee makes a recommendation and presents it to the parent/guardian or whoever made the inquiry. They can appeal that to the principal if desired. If they don't like the principal's answer, they can move their concern to the county level. We now have the capability when a book is being checked out that is above grade level appropriateness, or has been challenged, for it to require parent permission before the book can be checked out to the student.
What can we do about the teacher shortage in Cumberland County Schools? Many talented international teachers in our schools leave after a few years because of the kind of work permit they use to teach here. Do you see any value in changing to more traditional work visas to retain some of those teachers?
Teacher shortage is not just a Cumberland County district issue. It is both a state and national issue. Students deserve high quality teachers and a competitive market salary is essential to retaining teachers but the board of education does not set the pay schedule so we have to continue to work with our legislators to ensure that discussions around that issue are a priority along with restoring master's pay. As a board, we have already committed to making increases in supplement pay a priority. Our finance officer has already begun work on how we might be able to accomplish this goal. Our district has explored the option of changing the international teacher's visas. Due to the limitations of the exchange program that we participate in, it is not a viable option at this time.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Who is running for District 5 on Cumberland County school board?