KC-area schools want higher voter turnout for board election

The upcoming general election is on Tuesday, Nov.

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Along with the mayoral and city council races, the school board seats up for grabs are getting more attention than years past.

THE GENERAL ELECTIONIS JUST AROUND THECORNER.ALONG WITH THEMAYORAL AND CITYCOUNCIL RACES "SCHOOL BOARD SEATSARE UP FOR GRABS -- ANDTHEY ARE GETTING MOREATTENTION THAN YEARSPAST.K-S-H-B 41 NEWSREPORTER JUYEON KIMEXPLAINS WHY PARENTSAND TEACHERS' GRPSOUWANT YOU TO GET OUTAND VOTE.TYPICALLY THESECANDIDATES WILL SEE RVON THE SCHOOL BOARDFOR FOUR YEARS.THEY MAKE IMPORTANTDECISIONS ON BUDGETS,CURRULICUMS ANDDISTRICT POLICIES.ALL OF THIS " DIRECTLYIMPACTS THE LEARNINGENVIRONMENT FOR BOTHSTUDENTS AND TEACHERS.GEORANN WHITMAN /PRESIDENT OF SPRING HILLEDUCATION ASSOCIATIONSI think the time ineducation where parents cansit back and just assume thateverything is going to be takencare of are gone.GEORANN WHITMANWANTS PARENTS TOET GINVOLVED.DO THE RESEARCH ANDVOTE.GEORANN WHITMAN /PRESIDENT OF SPRINHIG LLEDUCATION ASSOCIATIONSMake sure that yourcande idatknows what the roleof a school board member isand the responsibilities thatcome with it.

Not justsomeone running theiown ragenda.OFF-YEAR ELECTIONSOFTEN LEAD TLOW OVOTER TURNOUT.BUT WHITMAN SAYS YOUSHOULDN"T SIT OUT --LONOCAL ELECTIONS.GEORANN WHITMA/ NPRESIDENT OF SPRING HILLEDUCATION ASSOCIATN IOSBecause your localleaders, your local officialsarethone es that are making thedecisions that hit you close tohome.ESPECIALLY -- WHEN ITCOMES TO YOUR KIDS"EDUCATN.IOWHITMAN SAYS THEPANDEMIC HAS ADDED ASENSE OF URGENCY TOO.GEORANN WHITMAN /PRESIDENT OF SPRING HILLEDUCATION ASSOCIATIONSTimes are crazy, peleopare polarized on differentissues.SThe school boards arethe big ticket item thisyear.JASON ANRSDEON IS ASINGLE-FATHER OF ATH 5GRADER.HE MOVED INTO THE BLUEVALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT-- AFTER SEEING GLOWINGREVIS.EWHE WANTS TO KEEP ITTHAT WAY.JASON ANDERSON / BE LUVALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICTPARENTSIf you get the wrongcandidates in place, andthere's a real strong risk ofthat happening this year, itcan cause decades worth ofdamage.ANDERSON IS WORRD IEMUCH OF OUR NATIONALPOLITICS HAS FLOWEDINTO THE EDUCATIONSYSTEM.TOPICS LIKE MASKMANDATES, VACCINES ANDCRITICAL RACE THEORY --HAVE LED TO HEEDATCONVERSATIONS INSCHOOL BOARD ROOMSACROSS THE NATN.IOANDERSON AND WHITMANSAY THE BEST SOLUTION --IS GETTINGS AMANYLOCAL VOTERS TO THEPOLLS.JASON ANDERSON / BLUEVALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICTPARENTSIt"s supposed to abelocal representation of thefamilies in the school districtand how we want our childrento be educated in the schools.GEORANN WHITMAN /ESPRIDENT OF SPRING HILLEDUCATION ASSOCIATIONSWhen you have low voterturnout in any election, thepeople that show up are theones that have their agenda togo right?

And it might notnecessarily be representativeof the wleho.JUYEON KIM, KSHB 4