SANTEE SCHOOL DISTRICT CANDIDATES SHARE VIEWS

By Mike Allen

October 25, 2022 (Santee) -- The Santee School District’s board of trustees has three seats of the board’s five seats up for election this cycle.

However, for Seat Number 3, there is only one candidate, incumbent Dustin Burns.

For Seat Number 1, there are two candidates, Ron Burner, a realtor, and incumbent Barbara Ryan.

For Seat Number 5, three candidates are on the ballot: Joseph Dolin, a sales supervisor; incumbent Ken Fox, who has served on the board for 12 years; and Tracie Thill, who describes herself as a parent/ educator/ advocate.

East County Magazine sent out questionnaires to all six candidates and received two responses — from Burner and Thill -- which are published in full below.

Ron Burner

Q: Please describe your qualifications in the form of a brief biography and why you decided to run for school board in this district.

A: decided to run because I want to see more done on school security. I have two kids who attend elementary school in the district. For them and their friends I want to ensure they are safe at school. I was also surprised that parents were taking their kids to Lakeside for middle school. I would like to expand the options for the Jr. High students in Santee. I grew up in Santee and attended Santana High School and Hill Creek Elementary.

Q:  How are the students in your district doing academically?  Coming out of the pandemic, how can we best help students make up for any learning loss, and improve in achievement testing?

A: State Test results for the district were well below where they should be. The district needs to focus on class size to make sure the students are getting the attention they need. I would like to see the district hire more tutors to focus on the kids that are behind and help them catch up.

Q:  Do you have any criticism of the way the district handled its responses to COVID (remote learning vs. in person, masking, vaccines, campus shutdowns, social distancing, etc.) – have policies been too strict, not strict enough, or about right?

A: I think the district waited too long to get the kids back to full time in person. The kids in the lower grades struggled the most. They need in person teaching. The district voted a couple times to move this back. For the Vaccines and Masks, I’m about Parent

Choice. Parents should be deciding what is best for their kids and not politicians.

Q:  What more might be done in the district to protect students and teachers from gun violence, given the rise in school shootings nationwide?

A: The district has moved to slow on School Security. It was 104 from the Texas shooting before School Security made the School Boards agenda. I want to see School Resource officers in the schools. The Grossmont District has figured out how to protect our High School Students with officers. Our Elementary Students and staff deserve the same safety and security. I would also like to see campus supervisors added to the schools. The high schools also have this position. The district should look to Veterans and retired police officers for this position.

Q: What programs would be funding priorities for you?

A:  I want to see security fixed first. I don’t believe our kids’ security is a luxury. I think it’s a must. Next would be the Jr. High Electives. Third would be Teachers Pay making sure we are competitive with the districts next to us.

Q:  Regarding civility and divisiveness, how would you set an example for students and others in contentious discussions during school board meetings?

A: A current board member lied about what I said on a video. When confronted he doubled down and said I put out misinformation. I think the board should be welcoming parents to come talk and have input. I’m for streaming the board meetings. I believe in transparency and want the community to understand what is being discussed and voted on.

Q:  What are your views on the teaching of critical race theory, teaching history/civics, banning books, or other hot button issues raised in some other districts? 

A:  I would refer to the district policy on banning books. I’m not in favor of teaching Critical Race Theory.

Q:  Is there any other issue you’re concerned about, or information you’d like our readers to know about the district or your candidacy?

A: Jr. High electives. The Lakeside District is providing more options for Jr. High Students. There are Santee kids transferring in 6th grade to Lakeside. Santee needs to become more competitive and keep the Santee kids home. The electives I would add are Spanish, Music, Drama, and coding. I’m also concerned about teacher pay. First year teachers make more in Lakeside, Alpine, and El Cajon. I would focus on attracting and retaining top talent for the district. This starts with teachers.

Q:   Do you have endorsements and/or a webpage you’d like to share?

A: I was endorsed by Lance Christensen who is running for Superintendent of Public Instruction. I’m not endorsed by either party. I’m 100% self-funded. I’m running for Parents and not the party or donors. My Instagram is @ronburnerofficial and FB page is https://www.facebook.com/burnerforsanteeschoolboard

Tracie Thill

Q:  Please describe your qualifications in the form of a brief biography, and why you decided to run for school board in this district. 

A: I grew up in Santee, attending Hill Creek and graduated from Santana High School.  After my husband was honorably discharged from the Navy, we moved to his hometown in Wisconsin for several years while he went back to school for his nursing degree and established himself in the healthcare field. When he got a job offer from a local hospital, we knew we wanted to settle in Santee. All three of our children have spent time attending Santee schools. I am a former Special Education Instructional Aide for the Santee School District. I was fired from the district for non-compliance of discriminatory, over-reaching Covid testing policy.

I worked as a SPED Instructional Aide throughout the pandemic, beginning with distance learning and navigating education through masks and plexiglass. I began to attend and speak at bi-monthly school board meetings. Through my own frustrations and listening to many parents and guardians in the district, I founded SanteeParents4Choice as well as co-founded East County Parent Alliance-arguably two of the best parent advocacy groups in San Diego.

Q:   How are the students in your district doing academically?  Coming out of the pandemic, how can we best help students make up for any learning loss, and improve in achievement testing?

A: Many of our students are showing various levels of learning loss. Santee has excellent educators leading our students on the path to gaining back what was lost. They need the support staff behind them to achieve these gains. Hiring more Paraprofessionals for the classroom to assist our teachers, Speech Language Pathologists and Occupational Therapists would help with the already enormous load our educators are bearing.  Parents and guardians also need to stay active participants in their student’s education. Education has to be a 50/50 commitment between the district and families. Helping families find grant money to afford and find outside tutoring resources would be great as well.

Q:  Do you have any criticism of the way the district handled its responses to COVID (remote learning vs. in- person, masking, vaccines, campus shutdowns, social distancing, etc.) – have policies been too strict, not strict enough, or about right?

A: In the beginning of the pandemic, none of us knew what to expect-it was unprecedented times. But as we learned more, we found children were not affected the same way as adults. I believe that children aren’t to be used as a shield to protect the health of adults. I witnessed firsthand inside the classroom how masked teachers struggled to educate our students through rows upon rows of plexiglass. Even as recent as May 3, 2022, our Superintendent recommended against parent volunteers inside the classroom. I spoke at this meeting against this recommendation-pointing out that SSD currently had unvaccinated, untested staff working on campus, thus setting precedent that parents should immediately be allowed to be back inside the classrooms. After some discussion, two incumbents up for re-election voted to keep parents out of the classroom until Fall 2022 and the action item did not pass. Parents deserve the right to have access to their children throughout the school day.

Q:  What more might be done in the district to protect students and teachers from gun violence, given the rise in school shootings nationwide?

A: Although the district recently approved funding for cameras to be placed on all campuses, I believe more should be done. Secure entryways with locking mechanisms, more SRO’s and more community engagement need to happen. Once elected, I have a steep learning curve with district budgets-we can’t pluck the funds out of thin air. I’m looking forward to working with our well-established board members to find the funds in the budget to make this happen as soon as possible. As a school employee, there wasn’t a day that passed that I didn’t think about the worst-case scenario. Where do you run? How do you protect all of your students? I felt like a sitting duck. Although it’s a state level decision, I firmly believe in qualified staff exercising their Second Amendment rights throughout the school day.

Q:  What programs would be funding priorities for you?

A:  Extra curriculars that lead seamlessly to our feeder high schools. Vocational programs that provide a course for our students that won’t be attending University. Programs that provide a more challenging curriculum for our gifted students. Mental health interventions for not only out students but for staff as well.

 Q:  Regarding civility and divisiveness, how would you set an example for students and others in contentious discussions during school board meetings?/

A:  Our board had a first reading of Board Policy 1313-Civility at the 10/18 meeting.

Board members and meeting participants alike should display active listening, be welcoming and encouraging and refrain from interruptions. I have attended and spoke at many meetings. You can always get your point across without raising your voice or using vulgar language.  Our board members are community members, too. They live, work and volunteer in Santee. Until proven otherwise, everyone deserves a measure of civility.              

Q: What are your opinions on the teaching of critical race theory, teaching history/civics, banning books, or other hot button issues raised in some other districts? 

A: I believe the good, bad and ugly should be taught at age-appropriate levels. Kindergarteners do not need to be taught about massacres (as suggested by a recent board meeting speaker). I do not believe in teaching CRT. As a parent of a bi-racial child, I don’t support her being taught to hate one whole side of her family. I DO believe in curriculum transparency.  Parents should take an active role in what is being taught inside the classroom. Ask questions. Take time to read those answers.

The Santee Teachers Association union reps are telling teachers that I would require all lesson plans to be submitted to parent groups for approval. This is an absolute lie-I have never spoke on the matter of lesson plans. If any teacher has a question for me, I am available to answer those. I am an avid reader. I encourage all parents to go to your schools LRC and look at as many books available to your students as you can. Librarians are busy and have much on their plate. Age-inappropriate literature can slip through the cracks. I myself found one with drug, alcohol and heavy violence in our LRC. I do not support pornographic books for our students. (for example, “Fun Home’ by Alison Bechdel as found in Poway Unified).

Q:  Is there any other issue you’re concerned about, or information you’d like our readers to know about the district or your candidacy?  

A: East County has a human trafficking problem. Nearly 20 children from GUHSD have been trafficked over the last two years. Santee is a feeder district to GUHSD and I want to have every resource available to fight this issue. Cybersecurity on our students’ district-issued iPads needs to be looked at. Parents should have access to said iPads at all times. District Administration should be held accountable to 100% transparency. Santee should lead the way for area schools to develop an internet safety course for our junior high students to prepare them for high school. Parents should also have safety courses available to them as well. If our districts work together with law enforcement and local anti-trafficking groups such as The Rad Movement, I know we can make a lasting impact on this tragic issue.

Q:  Do you have endorsements and/or a webpage you’d like to share?

I am endorsed by California state candidates Kevin Kiley and Lance Christensen, Steve Baldwin, former Assemblymember District 77/Minority Whip, Save America Now-PAC, California Parents United, California Parents Union, Catholic Families 4 Freedom California.  I have Facebook and Instagram pages at Tracie 4 Santee School Board

My website is tracie4santeeschoolboard.com