Why I support Kim Swartz for Cape school board

The last few years have taught us all that we must question everything. We must take an active role in our local, state and federal governments. The days of blindly trusting edicts that come from government bureaucrats are over for me.

I just read that New York schools are lowering their standards permanently because their students have consistently failed to meet the old standards. This doesn't seem like a good move, and I hope lowering standards does not happen in our state. If we are not getting results with new ways of teaching, how about we go back to the old ways?

Across the nation, we see more and more frustrated parents at school board meetings. These parents now realize they must keep tabs on the bureaucracy that certainly needs limits concerning our children's education. And board members should actually welcome that. When the Department of Education was created in 1979, Congress used these words: "Parents have the primary responsibility for the education of their children, and states, localities and private institutions have the primary responsibility for supporting that parental role." I think we have swayed from that perspective. It's an awesome responsibility to direct the teaching of children. So parents, who are the primary stakeholder in their children's lives, must be listened to. What liberal cities and states want taught is not necessarily what we in the Midwest want taught. Citizens, especially parents, of this school district must trust our school board to look out for their children.

Board members represent the citizens and their children. They are the buffer between the citizens and the four-letter, non-elected agencies and bureaucrats like DESE. DESE was once a small office of fewer than 10 employees and now employs approximately 1,850.

When I hear that CRT, equity and socialist ideologies are being taught in schools across the nation, I'm concerned. These ideologies promote division and aggressive behaviors. There is no place for collective guilt, neo-segregation and basing everything on race or gender. These violate our basic principles of equality and justice and sew division. Also of great concern is the sexualization of our children. These ideologies have been injected into the schools, the teacher training programs and come as directives from Ivy League universities. While reported instances nationally may not have reached our Cape schools yet, everything that comes from the elite East and the wacky West eventually will meet in the middle. For instance, the furry phenomenon has graced our local schools. Thank you, TikTok. Teachers are caught between keeping their jobs and speaking up. We cannot continue to blindly go along with every edict that comes from another ZIP code. We need our board to look out for our children and teachers.

For these reasons, I support Kim Swartz for Cape Girardeau School Board. Kim takes a common sense approach in all that she does. She will always give consideration as to how her decisions will impact the citizens. She has a deep love for this community, and has grandchildren in the district. This is why she is seeking this position. Kim is forward-thinking and has an insatiable appetite for research. Which other candidate has attended school board meetings for more than a year and a half prior to filing? She digs deeply and connects the dots; getting to the bottom of the issues and the money stream. She wants full transparency and detailed communication with all parents and taxpayers; no back door or behind the door parlaying. Kim knows how to operate on a fiscally responsible level. She understands the immediate concerns that our school is facing, and she is more than capable of meeting the challenge. Kim is of the highest integrity and believes that more access and accountability will bring great success.

It is time to get some fresh faces on the board; time to analyze what is working and what needs to change; time for our school board to actually be a watchdog for our citizens and not a rubber stamp for the bureaucracy. On April 4, I encourage all to vote for Kim Swartz for Cape School Board!

LINDA REUTZEL, 3011 Minutemen Way, Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63701