House of Representatives District 71: Candidate Q&A
Candidates for this office were offered a questionnaire on education issues by The Parents’ Campaign. See below for responses received to date.
Ronnie Crudup (Incumbent)
» See Voting Record
1. What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family? I went to public schools 6th-12th grade. I graduated from Murrah High School. I had a wonderful experience. My three children are in JPS. The school system is not terrible, but it can be better. My wife is also a product of JPS.
2. Do you agree that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) should be fully funded every year? If yes, what actions will you take to ensure full funding? If no, explain why. Yes, it should be fully funded. I will vote yes on any issue that raises the funding for MAEP. I will also seek to educate other legislators on why we need to fully fund it.
3. What will you do to ensure state revenue that is sufficient to provide all of the services Mississippi’s citizens need to lead productive lives? I will get a full understanding of the budget and seek to find ways to help communities and families. I will also seek to help find better employment for our Mississippians.
4. Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not? Yes, I will oppose vouchers. I do not believe that public dollars should be going to private schools.
5. Do you agree that all K-12 schools that receive taxpayer dollars, including private voucher schools, should be accountable to taxpayers for the quality of education they provide, using the same accountability measures as public schools? If any school received public funds, I believe the schools should be held responsible and accountable at the same level.
6. Public schools serve the vast majority of Mississippi students with disabilities. Do you agree that public school special education services should be fully funded every year? (Special education has been underfunded by the state annually since 2008.) If yes, how will you accomplish full funding? If no, explain why. Yes, they should be fully funded. I believe the funding going to vouchers should be sent to the public school systems for education.
7. Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high-quality early childhood education statewide? Yes, I do. I believe this is the only way we can compete and get students to succeed in the third grade testing.
8. The nation’s top teachers say that the greatest barriers to school success for K-12 students are family stress, poverty, and learning and psychological problems. What steps do you believe legislators should take to alleviate these obstacles for Mississippi children? I believe we need to provide more money for children to help eliminate these issues; such as family stress and poverty. After school programs meet a felt need when it comes to this.
9. Do you support raising teacher salaries at least to the level of our neighboring states and raising pay for teacher assistants? Yes, I do. I believe our teachers deserve a good salary.
10. Do you agree that retired educators (and other retired state employees) should be able to draw their state retirement while serving in the Legislature? I’m not sure about that.
11. Legislators have little or no staff to help them understand the many bills they must consider. Before introducing or supporting a bill that could affect public education, will you commit to seeking input from teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents of public school students in your district? Who will be advising you on education policies? I believe in seeking input from educators on bills regarding educators. MAE and other principals will be advising me on those policies.
12. Legislators receive tremendous pressure from the leaders of their chamber (House or Senate), state and party leaders, and corporate lobbyists, to vote in ways that may contradict the will of their constituents and harm their communities. How will you respond to this pressure? I am an independent thinker. I handle pressure pretty well.
Edelia Carthan (defeated in primary)
1. What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family? I am a College Professor. I teach future teachers.
2. Do you agree that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) should be fully funded every year? If yes, what actions will you take to ensure full funding? If no, explain why. Yes, MAEP should be fully funded every year. I will call for a Constitutional Convention to change the State Constitution that gives the legislature the option to choose to fully fund Education.
3. What will you do to ensure state revenue that is sufficient to provide all of the services Mississippi’s citizens need to lead productive lives? The funding formula needs to be revisited as well as ways to bring in additional revenue that would benefit public schools.
4. Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not? I am against vouchers. Public schools funds should be used only for public schools. Using public schools funds to fund private schools is illegal.
5. Do you agree that all K-12 schools that receive taxpayer dollars, including private voucher schools, should be accountable to taxpayers for the quality of education they provide, using the same accountability measures as public schools? Yes, all schools receiving funding should follow the same guidelines as every other public school.
6. Public schools serve the vast majority of Mississippi students with disabilities. Do you agree that special education services in public schools should be fully funded every year? (Special education has been underfunded by the state every year since 2008.) If yes, how will you accomplish full funding? If no, explain why. Yes, the IDEA Act requires that any child with disabilities be provided with the appropriate accommodations. Mississippi has been breaking the law by not providing funding and accommodations. We will write grants and ask the federal government for assistance.
7. Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high quality early childhood education statewide? Yes, study after study has shown the benefits of early childhood education.
8. The nation’s top teachers say that the greatest barriers to school success for K-12 students are family stress, poverty, and learning and psychological problems. What steps do you believe legislators should take to alleviate these obstacles for Mississippi children? The NCLB Act is a part of the problem. Legislators should eliminate some of the required state testing.
9. Do you support raising teacher salaries at least to the level of our neighboring states and raising pay for teacher assistants? Yes, any teachers have second jobs just to make ends meet. This takes away time from classroom preparation.
10. Do you agree that retired educators (and other retired state employees) should be able to draw their retirement while serving in the Legislature? Yes. Legislators do not get paid a decent livable wage.
11. Legislators have little or no staff to help them understand the many bills they must consider. Before introducing or supporting a bill that could affect public education, will you commit to seeking input from teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents of public school students in your district? Who will be advising you on education policies? Yes, I will have an Education Advisory Board. I am still working on putting this team together. Unlike most candidates, my background is Education so I feel comfortable pulling a board together as well as making decisions on behalf of the boys and girls in MS public schools.
12. Legislators receive tremendous pressure from the leaders of their chamber (House or Senate), state and party leaders, and corporate lobbyists, to vote in ways that may contradict the will of their constituents and harm their communities. How will you respond to this pressure? I was an activist with my own voice before I ran for office and I will continue to be the voice of the people even if I have to stand alone. I am not here for personal gain but to change policies in Mississippi.
Shabaka Keshun Harrison (defeated in primary)
1. What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family? My siblings, parents, grandparents, and I attended public schools in Jackson Public Schools and Copiah County Schools. I have nieces and nephews who are attending public schools in Jackson and north Mississippi.
2. Do you agree that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) should be fully funded every year? If yes, what actions will you take to ensure full funding? If no, explain why. Yes, MAEP should be funded to its capacity and should be compensated for years missed. No more giving out tax incentives to companies when they’re not helping with public education.
3. What will you do to ensure state revenue that is sufficient to provide all of the services Mississippi’s citizens need to lead productive lives? I will not support a bill that states otherwise. Fighting for everyone not only in my District but across the state to make sure that Mississippians today, lives are protected by state revenue goes to the correct avenues.
4. Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not? Yes. I oppose all kinds of schools except public and private schools that are ran off public support. With adequate funding for public education, without school vouchers, every student will have equal access to the same curriculum and services.
5. Do you agree that all K-12 schools that receive taxpayer dollars, including private voucher schools, should be accountable to taxpayers for the quality of education they provide, using the same accountability measures as public schools? Yes, but I disagree that public schools pay for students that live in the district that attend charter schools.
6. Public schools serve the vast majority of Mississippi students with disabilities. Do you agree that special education services in public schools should be fully funded every year? (Special education has been underfunded by the state every year since 2008.) If yes, how will you accomplish full funding? If no, explain why. Yes, they should. I would amend the state lottery bill so that special education and public education can be fully funded. No child should be left out of fully funded education.
7. Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high quality early childhood education statewide? Yes. Preparing children through all avenues will get Mississippi off the bottom of the country regarding education.
8. The nation’s top teachers say that the greatest barriers to school success for K-12 students are family stress, poverty, and learning and psychological problems. What steps do you believe legislators should take to alleviate these obstacles for Mississippi children? Raise the minimum wage and provide equal for women and men across the state of Mississippi.
9. Do you support raising teacher salaries at least to the level of our neighboring states and raising pay for teacher assistants? Yes. I believe we should go past what neighboring states offer teachers. In regards to education, Mississippi and neighboring states are at the bottom together. Mississippi has to stop following and lead by example.
10. Do you agree that retired educators (and other retired state employees) should be able to draw their retirement while serving in the Legislature? No.
11. Legislators have little or no staff to help them understand the many bills they must consider. Before introducing or supporting a bill that could affect public education, will you commit to seeking input from teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents of public school students in your district? Who will be advising you on education policies? Yes, I will seek input from them. My education advisor in my campaign will be the same person advising me on education policies.
12. Legislators receive tremendous pressure from the leaders of their chamber (House or Senate), state and party leaders, and corporate lobbyists, to vote in ways that may contradict the will of their constituents and harm their communities. How will you respond to this pressure? I will stand my ground to my own and vote to what is best for my constituents, administrators, and teachers across the state.
