Transparency is vital to the health of our school system. Talking with citizens around the county has made it clear that a lack of faith and trust in our school system is prevalent.

Our current school board seems to prioritize optics, not “looking bad,” over being open and honest with the public. Trying to sweep issues under the rug only makes matters worse. The school system must rapidly and factually notify parents about any situation that could affect their child. The adage “Sunlight is the best medicine” is certainly applicable here.

With 14,000 students, 29 campuses, and over 2,000 employees, bad things will occasionally happen. When a problem arises, the school system must make every effort to share relevant information openly. The only exception being personnel or student issues protected by confidentiality laws.

I also believe that all spending and budget reports should be made available in a standardized digital format for free access and download as prescribed by The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014.

Transparency builds trust. Trust is a foundational building block for an excellent school system.