2023 Pikes Peak Region
JT60 – Miami-Yoder
School Board Candidates
Candidates presented in Alphabetical Order
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Mobile-Friendly JT60 Candidate Listings
THE TOPICS
& QUESTIONS
click each box to read answer
Candidate Information
Campaign Website URL:
Email Address:
Occupation/Vocation:
Military Background (if any):
Resident of Colorado Springs:
Political Leanings
As a candidate in a nonpartisan School Board election, you are not officially associated with any specific political party. How would you describe your political leanings (socially, fiscally, etc.) and why do you define yourself in this way?
Your Experience and Vision
Improving Schools
Curriculum
What types of curricula, including library books and materials, do you believe should be added or removed from your district’s schools? Why?
Financial Stewardship
Depending on the size of their district, School Board Members decide how to spend $10s of millions of dollars, or even $100s of millions, in taxpayer money each year. How would you seek to prioritize the funds being stewarded by your district’s School Board?
Securing Constitutional Liberties
In recent years, established freedoms, including that of speech, peaceable assembly, exercise of religion, and medical autonomy, have been impacted by various mandates adopted by schools across America. As an elected representative of the citizens of your district, how would you seek to secure the Constitutional liberties of your schools’ students and staff?
Parental Role
What do you consider to be a parent’s role in a child’s education? Do you believe that any information about a student should ever be withheld from a parent?
Sex Ed
Why do you support or oppose comprehensive sexuality education, including LGBT health and relationship information, in public schools K to 12? What are your positions regarding age appropriateness, curriculum transparency, and opt-out policies?
Gender Issues
Explain your positions regarding teaching and discussing gender issues in the classroom, including the use of “preferred pronouns”?
School Safety
As a School Board member, what will you do to help assure a safe and secure environment for both the students and staff of your district?
School Board Meetings
What do believe is the correct balance between the authority of School Boards and the rights of the public to present their views during School Board meetings?
SHARON DARBY
Candidate Information
Candidate did not confirm receipt of our Questionnaire, though we sought to contact her multiple times and by various methods. Therefore, we do not know if the Candidate is even aware of the opportunity to participate in the Voter Guide, or whether she is aware and chose not to participate.
Campaign Website: None Found
Email Address: SMDarby04@gmail.com
HEATHER GITTINGS
Candidate Information
Campaign Website URL: None
Email Address: None
Occupation/Vocation: Director
Resident of Pikes Peak Region & District: 43 years and 7 years
Political Leanings
As a candidate in the Colorado Springs nonpartisan municipal election, you are not officially associated with any specific political party. How would you describe your political leanings (socially, fiscally, etc.) and why do you define yourself in this way?
Just do what is right and the rest will follow.
Your Experience and Vision
What experience (personal, professional, other) would you bring to your role as School Board Member that will benefit your district? What is your vision to help ensure the highest quality education for your district’s students?
Candidate chose to not answer.
Improving Schools
What are the primary strengths and weaknesses of your district’s schools? How can your district make public school a more attractive choice for local families?
We are small community with big heart.
Curriculum
What types of curricula, including library books and materials, do you believe should be added or removed from your district’s schools? Why?
Candidate chose to not answer.
Financial Stewardship
Depending on the size of their district, School Board Members decide how to spend $10s of millions of dollars, or even $100s of millions, in taxpayer money each year. How would you seek to prioritize the funds being stewarded by your district’s School Board?
Keeping the needs of the school/teachers/kids so we can continue to excel in exceptional knowledge and life skills for the kids to excel in life .
Securing Constitutional Liberties
In recent years, established freedoms, including that of speech, peaceable assembly, exercise of religion, and medical autonomy, have been impacted by various mandates adopted by schools across America. As an elected representative of the citizens of your district, how would you seek to secure the Constitutional liberties of your schools’ students and staff?
Candidate chose to not answer.
Parental Role
What do you consider to be a parent’s role in a child’s education? Do you believe that any information about a student should ever be withheld from a parent?
The parent is the first line of teaching a child.
It is not the school that needs to teach them how to behave.
Sex Ed
Why do you support or oppose comprehensive sexuality education, including LGBT health and relationship information, in public schools K to 12? What are your positions regarding age appropriateness, curriculum transparency, and opt-out policies?
Age appropriate. Do not force a child to make a decision that they can not fully understand. Do not force your sexuality preferences on a kid who is not old enough to understand right from wrong/vote/drink/ live on their own. Not every person wants to hear about it should be their right as well.
Gender Issues
Explain your positions regarding teaching and discussing gender issues in the classroom, including the use of “preferred pronouns”?
Again forcing a child to try to understand something they are not ready to deal with is wrong. If the child wants to talk about it with a counselor or trusted adult great but not force every kid to learn about whatever it is.
School Safety
As a School Board member, what will you do to help assure a safe and secure environment for both the students and staff of your district?
Open carry by a trained officer/person.
School Board Meetings
What do believe is the correct balance between the authority of School Boards and the rights of the public to present their views during School Board meetings?
To be able to voice your opinion in a structured environment.
DESIREE McKNIGHT
Candidate Information
Candidate did not confirm receipt of our Questionnaire, though we sought to contact her multiple times and by various methods. Therefore, we do not know if the Candidate is even aware of the opportunity to participate in the Voter Guide, or whether she is aware and chose not to participate.
Campaign Website: None Found
Email Address: McKnight.Desiree@gmail.com
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Christian voting
Voting is a simple, yet significant way to do something about public policy in our country. As people of faith, we will be held accountable for our actions, as well as our lack of action. (Luke 12:48)
Biblical worldview
By diligently learning, applying, and trusting God’s truths in every area of our lives, we can begin to develop a deep comprehensive faith that will stand against the unrelenting tide of our culture’s non-biblical ideas.
Vote your values
The issues of the day change. Political parties and platforms change. God’s Word never changes. The vote of every Christian should be based on the principles of Scripture and not persuasive personalities.
Electing righteous leaders
Bad governance and our loss of freedom is the direct result of the church’s failure to disciple. When the citizenry do not seek to be obedient to God’s Law, they vote in wicked and corrupt candidates, who then trample underfoot the God-given liberties of the people.