Angela Griffith, a 46-year-old regional sales manager for St. Clair Foods, and Carrie Schween, a 44-year-old manager for FedEx Services, are running for the open Germantown School Board, Pos. 4 seat.
Both candidates were recently asked to complete an election questionnaire supplied by the Germantown News – Shelby Sun Times.
Early voting begins on Oct. 19 and election day is Nov. 8.
• Angela Griffith
Current Occupation:
Regional Sales Manager at St. Clair Foods for more than 20 years
Education:
University of Tennessee Knoxville, BA History, Minor Political Science
Family:
Husband Brad, married for 15 years with two sons, Henry (14) and John David (11)
Organizations/Groups/Activities:
Active member of Houston Middle PTO and Houston High PTSO, Leadership Germantown Alumni Association, Germantown Historic Commission, Member of St. Louis Catholic Church and volunteer for Memphis Union Mission and St. Vincent DePaul. I enjoy traveling with my family especially somewhere we can hike, fish or snow ski.
• List three significant issues in this election.
Rebuilding trust with families following the pandemic when schools were limiting visitors
Educating the community on how the state of Tennessee sets standards and how school districts choose curriculum that is aligned to those standards
Explaining how GMSD is funded
• Specifically, how do you plan to deal with each of these issues, if elected?
In order to rebuild trust with families, I will continue to encourage increased parent engagement opportunities in the district while promoting our schools’ family events.
To educate the community on how the state of Tennessee sets standards and how school districts choose curriculum that is aligned to those standards, I will continue to direct our families to state law, the state board of education and the state department of education. I will also ensure that the district continues to comply by posting all curriculum and instructional material information on its website in addition to making sure that all parents are aware of the process in the event a concern regarding curriculum is expressed.
I would like to put out a pr campaign to the community describing the funding sources for GMSD. The information has always been public but there are still many misconceptions in the community. As we begin to plan the budgeting process for the Houston High Facilities Master Plan, I believe it is imperative for stakeholders to better understand where our money comes from.
• What do you think is the biggest concern facing our school system at this time, and why?
The biggest concern facing our school district right now are the national narratives regarding public education that are being presented in our community whether they are things occurring in our schools or not. The school board and the district has spent quite a bit of time this year playing fact or fiction in the community.
• What specifically makes you best qualified for the position you are seeking?
Having served on the school board already, I have a robust understanding of what the role entails. My unifying leadership experience and extensive legislative advocacy efforts also set me apart. Having two students in GMSD, I have both a parent and a policy maker’s perspective. My business experience has helped me prepare during the budgeting process.
• Carrie Schween
Current Occupation:
FedEx Services – Manager, Strategic Payables
Education:
University of Memphis – B.A. Political Science (2000)
University of Memphis – MBA (2004)
Family:
Husband, Mike, Daughter, Kate (age 13), Sons, Cole (age 11) and Michael (age 4), Parents – Steve and Sharon Williams
Organizations/Groups/Activities:
Shelby County Republican Women’s Club, East Shelby County Republican Club, Active parent – Houston Middle School Cheerleading Program and Jr. Mustang Football Program, Volunteer – Postpartum Support International, Mrs. Tennessee International 2020 title holder
• List three significant issues in this election.
1) The expansion of Social, Emotional Learning (SEL) and Whole Child Learning within GMSD as a vehicle to introduce controversial materials, social agendas, and policy changes. Gender theory and sexual identity are two examples.
2) The absence of a true partnership between the current School Board and the Germantown community – including parents, teachers, and concerned citizens. The Board and the Superintendent operate without appropriate input, accountability, transparency, and consent of its constituents.
3) The growing abandonment of public schools by Germantown families as they seek better options for their children in private schools, home schools, and other communities. The pursuit by GMDS of transfer-in options from students outside Germantown fails to address the core issues and is not in the long-term best interest of our Germantown community.
• Specifically, how do you plan to deal with each of these issues, if elected?
1) As a member of the School Board, I will work to bring greater transparency to inappropriate uses of SEL methodology to expose our students to materials, topics, and policies that are not age-appropriate, that create safety concerns for our students, and that usurp the rights of parents to determine how and when to introduce sensitive topics to their children. My positions and my votes will always side with a strong focus on classical education that emphasizes core academic excellence and critical thinking to best prepare students for the modern workforce and an educated citizenry. I am the only candidate for Germantown School Board Pos. 4 willing to speak-up about these issues, and I promise to keep the focus on educating, not indoctrinating, our students.
2) As a member of the School Board, I will foster a welcoming environment with all its constituents and their many voices. This includes a commitment to routine town halls, regular “pulse checks” with parents and teachers, stronger communications with GMSD Parent Teacher Organizations and Principals, full transparency of GMSD success metrics to the public, and ensuring School Board agendas are published and include topics of greatest interest and impact. I will also demand greater oversight and accountability of the Superintendent in how the duties of that office holder are carried out.
3) As a member of the School Board, I will establish a new reach-out program to families who have chosen to remove their children from GMSD to better document and understand their concerns. I will work to supplement these learnings with regular “pulse checks” of existing GMDS parents and GMSD performance metrics on transfers in/out. The goal will be a comprehensive annual scorecard of the health of our schools, and a clear identification of key issues and opportunities that must be addressed to enhance the trust and confidence of our community in GMSD.
• What do you think is the biggest concern facing our school system at this time, and why?
Across our nation, parents and concerned citizens find themselves in one of the greatest struggles of our time, the struggle to be heard and to exercise their rights to push back against the overreaches of government and school boards in the education of their precious children. At a time when strong core education and excellence in math, science, language, and history are the undeniable enablers and predictors of future success, our educational system and priorities are increasingly focused on promoting the social agendas of the moment. Unfortunately, this national trend is affecting us right here in Germantown; that is why I am getting involved and running for Germantown School Board Position 4.
I believe parents, teachers, and citizens must have a stronger voice in public education. That includes the right to have a voice in curriculum, teaching materials, and value systems to which students are exposed.
• What specifically makes you best qualified for the position you are seeking?
First and foremost, I am not a politician. I firmly believe that in this tumultuous time, our School Board is in desperate need for concerned citizens to step up and serve.
I am a native of Germantown. I attended Germantown public schools for 12 years. My mother taught in Germantown schools for over 25 years. I understand its rich history and tradition of excellence.
With my husband Mike, I am the mother of three school-age children. Next school year, we will have one each in Dogwood Elementary, Houston Middle, and Houston High. This alone provide a unique perspective on the workings of GMSD and the atmosphere among parents, teachers, and administrators.
I am a full-time working professional at FedEx, where I have had the honor of building a career and honing a set of business skills that are much needed in the operation and overhaul of the current School Board.
I am also a proud Christian conservative woman. I believe in God and feel incredibly grateful for the abundant graces that his great love has bestowed on me and my family.
I welcome the challenge of this School Board position and I humbly ask for your vote.
