Jacob Jenkins is running for Decatur School Board for "four simple reasons." He says we need to "reimagine public education" and put students first, build stronger community partnerships and "[bring] the community back into the schools as a way [to] help [stabilize] and engage families." And he wants to see better board governance and support teachers and staff.
Jacob says that School Board members cycling out every two years can affect accountability. Further, he says there's a lack of transparency and a "flagrant disregard for the law", claiming the Open Meetings Act was "violated 16 times" and that during previous board cycles "they [locked] kids out of school that had disabilities."
Jacob says a "huge focus" for him is to "do better at our wraparound services for our students and our parents." Wraparound services involve helping families and students outside of the classroom, such as with mental health and substance abuse. He says "The idea is not only to stabilize them in the classroom, but to also make sure that they have a safe environment at home where they can learn."
To be a good steward of taxpayer money, Jenkins wants to "make sure our teachers have the basics, like Clorox wipes," saying that may seem "really small" but when it "hits the teachers' pockets, that's something that's real."
He talks about proper use of Title 1 money, or a "pot of money that we get from the federal," saying it is intended to help with student achievement and bridge gaps. Jacob says Title 1 money is used for "English & Language Arts, reading programs, and all of those other things as mitigation strategies and interventions to get our students up to where they need to be." He says it includes "after school tutoring programs and the likes."
Watch his short interview and a campaign video to hear it from him.
Note: Jacob Jenkins is the source for most claims in this article.