Senate District 51: 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.
Doug Adams (defeated in primary)
1. What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family? One child attended public school. I am PR officer for Pascagoula Police Dept and lots of interaction with schools and students.
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. Until I see true figures of what is paid to local districts and what it covers it would be difficult to say.
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? Education is one of the most important issues we face. If other areas need to be cut then that has to be addressed.
4. Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not? I can not give a yes or no answer without more information about vouchers and which schools and why.
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 I do. I am not happy with the State of Mississippi receiving a C grade and us having the highest paid Superintendent of Education in the country.
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 I do and I believe between the district and state we should do whatever it takes.
7. Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high quality early childhood education statewide? Yes
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? It is not the legislator’s place to deal with most of the above issues. Most of this has to do with parents. The legislators can work to help provide jobs.
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
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 I do
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 it is very important that you speak to the every day working person that the bill affects. Can this happen all the time no. But when it’s as important as education yes. I know enough teachers, principals, superintendents and parents to get a true picture of things. I will also visit the school districts that I represent.
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 have been under pressure all my life. I will vote for what is best for my district and the State of Mississippi.
Butch Loper (defeated in primary)
1. What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family? Presently grand children
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
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? Millage rates must be maintained at a level to support that cost.
4. Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not? Public funds should only be spent on public schools. Virtual schools are not a good learning environment in my experience. Home schooling is a private choice so should incur private costs.
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
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. Many issues must be resolved to insure funding. Yes, it should be funded but some cuts in education administrative costs must occur as well.
7. Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high quality early childhood education statewide? Yes
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? If you work to create a better workforce environment as well as get teacher salaries compatible to maintain the professionalism and care needed would be a start.
9. Do you support raising teacher salaries at least to the level of our neighboring states and raising pay for teacher assistants? Yes and cutting the bloated administration costs and over-paid State Directors salary. It is shameful in our present state of finance in education needs.
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, as long as they cannot continue to accrue time toward retirement. If you retire then wish to serve longer you should have no further gain in the retirement system unless you suspend your retirement benefits.
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 would not only welcome such support from all but seek it. I am not an educator, however, what I have seen and dealt with as a government employee for over 30 years is administrative costs are out of control.
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? Well my career is complete and I have no use for lobbyists. They should be barred from committee meetings and places were they take up space were voters should be present.
