Ketchikan Borough Election
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A few months ago, like many members of our community, I was shaken to the core by the news of a sexually abusive teacher at our high school. Like any parent anywhere, I was shocked, pained, and utterly enraged. I immediately began talking to teachers in the community. As the conversations began to unfold, it dawned on me that I needed to know more about the school system my young son would enter in just a few years. The more I listened, the more I heard that communication has broken down, that trust is low, and that emotions are high. I started streaming the archived School Board meetings and was convinced.
I come from a family of very different belief systems, and for most of my life the rule was if you disagree about it, then don’t bring it up. That might work alright at the dinner table, but as a social policy, it is an utter disaster. As a Teacher, Therapist and Social Worker, I have spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours, studying, learning, and practicing the skills required to have difficult but productive conversations.
We need more bridges and less walls. We need peaceful, positive, productive communication between teachers, community members, and school board members. We need new eyes, or maybe better glasses, to see our common interests and to pursue them creatively. We are on the same team. This island is a unique experiment in human history, and it will be what we make of it.
I envision a school board focused on the big picture, allowing those staff members with boots on the ground to make the important day-to-day decisions in their schools. I envision a school board devoted to the science and art of education, to supporting teachers and students financially and in new and renewed community, national, and international partnerships. I envision a school board focused on transparency, integrity, and cooperation. I’d like to help.
Rachel Breithaupt LMSW, M.Ed.
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(APOC Requirement) Paid for by: Rachel Breithaupt - Candidate for Ketchikan School Board - P.O. Box 6491- Ketchikan, Alaska 99901
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