Here’s where Wichita’s District 6 school board candidates stand on the issues

Ron Rosales, District 6 representative on the Wichita Board of Education, will look to defend his seat this November against two challengers, Hazel Stabler and Holly Terrill.

Rosales, a former USD 259 teacher and Wichita’s first Latinx school board member, was elected in 2017.

Four of the school board’s seven seats are up for grabs this year, but none of the races will appear on the primary ballot. Rosales, Stabler and Terrill will all advance to the general election on Nov. 2.

Hazel Stabler

Stabler, 64, is a clothing designer and small business owner who in 2019 became the first Kansan and the first Native American to show a collection at New York Fashion Week.

“For more than 35 years I have traveled cross country sharing my Native American Culture through fashion,” Stabler said.

She grew up and attended school in Emporia, and has lived in District 6 for eight years. None of her seven adult children attended Wichita schools, but her husband did.

Stabler worked as a para in USD 259 for three years and serves on both the Maize High Fashion, Apparel and Interior Design Pathway Advisory Committee and an executive steering committee that supports education and cultural programming and events at Botanica Gardens.

Holly Terrill

Terrill, 38, is director of member support services at Meritrust Credit Union.

A self-described comic book enthusiast, Terrill has lived in Riverside for 20 years. She attended Wichita public schools growing up, and her 13-year-old son is currently in the district.

“I decided to run for office because I want students to have access to opportunities and the resources they need to thrive both academically and emotionally and to be a supporting voice for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the school system,” Terrill said.

These interviews have been edited for clarity and length.

CANDIDATE Q&A

If you were elected to the school board, would you rather have local control over the curriculum, or have the Kansas Legislature choose what students learn, such as potentially banning critical race theory or requiring passing a civics test to graduate?

Rosales: If elected, I would rather the local BOE or State BOE have control over the curriculum.

Stabler: First of all, I’d like to say as a Native American, I have always believed true history should be taught. Students should have a full understanding of our nation’s past. As a school board member, it will be my job to have a decisive role in public education policy and school system administration. The school board must represent their local community in curriculum choices. Wichita has unique needs in education and they are not the same as any other Kansas town or city. Our board must invest in each student by providing them with solid education outcomes that prepare them for higher education and/or opportunities to be a viable candidate for employment.

Terrill: Local school boards should determine the curriculum and allow teachers to decide how they will provide instruction. The current standards that teachers are expected to teach are English/language arts, English/language proficiency, math, science and social studies. There is no curriculum standard for racial theory and it is unlikely that critical race theory will be adopted as part of any other K-12 curriculum. I discourage Kansas legislature from imposing legislation that may cause educators to be fearful to teach in inclusive ways that are affirming and anti-racist, helping to eliminate barriers to education for Black and brown students. I believe it’s important to remember where we came from so we can do better now that we know better.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how important it is for students to be in school. What would it take for those priorities to shift and what metric would you use before deciding to revisit the district’s learning model?

Rosales: With many things that need to be changed in government, the need for community input is very important. Throughout the year we gained a lot of data to make better decisions on how to improve our learning model.

Stabler: 2020 has hopefully taught us a lot about how to function during a novel disease. Without doubt our 259 students and teachers have suffered a great setback during the school closings. Suspension of face-to-face instruction has restricted the progress of students, and stymied the teacher/student communication and interaction. Data shows that our students were already performing below grade level before the pandemic. Student assessment will determine the loss of student performance. Once confirmed, adjustment and strategy for recovery needs to be determined.

Terrill: I am disappointed that our current school board has opted to make masks optional for our unvaccinated youth as they return to school this fall. We’ve all experienced how challenging it is for students, parents and teachers to adopt a remote or hybrid learning model. As a parent of a K-12 student, I know that sometimes the hard answer is still the right answer; we need to protect our youth and set a good example for safety’s sake by wearing masks when unvaccinated. The biggest risk to maintaining an in-person learning model is a spike in COVID-19 cases in schools.

With a 2021 budget of $809 million, Wichita Public Schools spends more taxpayer dollars than either the City of Wichita or Sedgwick County. What, if anything, would you like to see changed about the district’s budget?

Rosales: We continually look for ways to minimize the amount of taxpayer money that we spend, such as through transportation cost and technology. Unfortunately, Infrastructure cost in itself continues to go up which ultimately affects the bottom line.

Stabler: The school budget must justify the expenditure of public funds. I would like to see spending focus on classrooms, Title 1 funding, at risk students and SPED. Funding should closely follow the students for whom those monies are marked. Administrative pay should be linked to measurable educational improvements versus classroom staff pay.

Terrill: We must invest in K-12 students; they are the future of our community. We are currently funding our schools at the minimal level required by law. The level at which we were funding our schools in 2016 was found to be unconstitutional by the Kansas Supreme Court and only reached adequate funding in 2019. Part of the investment in our students, is paying faculty and staff equitably, which necessitates funding at or above our current levels.

A Kansas National Education Association staffer said during a December school board meeting that union officials want Wichita teachers to be the highest-paid in the state. If elected, would you champion this issue?

Rosales: I support the need for more pay for our teachers, but for some teachers, a better benefits package is more important. Also, referring back to the previous question, if our teachers are the highest-paid then that has to come from our budget, which some people feel that it is too large to begin with.

Stabler: Wichita teachers face some challenging circumstances such as urban poverty, disengaged community and a high percentage of students identified as at risk. They should be paid well, and teachers should have the opportunity to earn merit pay based on their students’ educational outcomes. Teacher pay can also be driven by local taxes, so electing a board who engages the community, gets educational results and inspires Wichita to increase local funding and teacher pay will be a part of my priorities.

Terrill: I would absolutely champion to make Wichita teachers the highest-paid in the state. According to simplyhired.com, a teacher in Wichita makes on average $34,900 a year. Teachers seek careers in education because they have a passion for learning and want to share that passion with others through teaching. How can we expect our teachers to devote their professional lives year after year to our children’s success if they are struggling to make a living?

Across the state, some students struggled to learn during a global pandemic. What types of initiatives would you support to assess learning or ensure students get caught up?

Rosales: To help the students get caught up, the district will have to provide summer school classes along with more tutoring during the school year.

Stabler: The elimination of social promotion would allow students to achieve at their own developmental pace, and ensure that system failures do no become student failures. This accountability will help students become successful scholars and graduate with confidence in their academic life skills.

Terrill: First and foremost, we need to focus on keeping our kids in an in-person learning model. This means we must establish, maintain and enforce ongoing safety guidelines. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for K-12 students states masks should be worn indoors for anyone over the age of 2 that isn’t vaccinated. Many schools will have students under the age of 12 and these students are unable to be vaccinated at this time; it must be our goal to keep them safe. In addition to physical health, we must prioritize emotional wellness support for our students, faculty and staff.

Students under below 18 can’t vote for you, but if they could, what would you tell them about why you’re the best candidate for the job?

Rosales: I will tell students that during their life, tough decisions have to be made. And during my term I have made tough decisions in order to keep schools functioning and the learning process continued.

Stabler: I want them to know that I will stand up for them and their right to receive a good education in Wichita. I want to hear from them, and to know how they see our schools could be improved. I understand USD 259 used to be an innovative educational leader in our region, and I’d like to push our school board to take the risks and lead once again. Lastly, I will be a voice that proudly and boldly represents them and their families

Terrill: Nothing is more important to me than making sure my child is safe, feels accepted and knows that he is loved. This love and acceptance I feel for him extends to all children, especially those who don’t have parents or guardians who love and accept them for who they are, regardless of what society says they should be. I am passionate about providing children with opportunities to feel safe and secure while learning; removing this barrier can allow kids to thrive and to become what they choose to be.

This story was originally published July 20, 2021 at 2:30 PM.