The four newly-elected Board of Education members responded to questions from The Panther’s Tale. President re-elect Andy Watkins did not respond. 

(Responses were lightly edited for clarity and AP style)

Robyn Pearman

How many kids have you had that have gone through the school district? – I have a 2019 DHS graduate, 8^th grader and 4^th grader.

How would you like to see education changed? – I am not looking at changing education, but making sure that the education that is provided challenges are students and gives them the necessary tools they need to become successful, contributing adults to our society.

Now that you are elected, what will you go on to do to help our community? – I am already involved in the community. I am the current Cubmaster (Boy Scouts) for Pack 692 in Derby. Cub Scouts are kids in Kindergarten through 5^th grade. I am also involved with the Boy Scout Troop as my 8^th grader is an active member. Our Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts do a lot for our community through various service projects around Derby. I am an active parent so I am busy but when opportunities arise that I can serve my community I will do my best.

What do you feel your role is as a school board member? – My role is to be an advocate for the students and their parents. I will also advocate for teachers to ensure they have all the tools they need to teach our children.

Do you believe that the school board should be politically affiliated? – I don’t believe that the school board is politically affiliated I think what people are seeing in the news are the differences between core values. First and foremost it is the parents responsibility to raise their children how they see fit this of course includes decisions on health care and schools are there to teach students the common core subjects that will help students to become contributing adults to society.

What is your top priority to better us students? – Like I stated earlier I want to make sure that the education that is provided challenges students and gives them the necessary tools they need to become successful, contributing adults to our society.

And finally, would you be willing to put together a student board that you would meet with to hear concerns? – Instead of a student board I encourage students to attend School Board meetings where they can share their questions and concerns plus give them an opportunity to see how decisions affecting them are decided.

Jennifer Neel

Many kids in school are worried that school board leaders, such as you have become, don’t know exactly what is going on in our school – I know A LOT about what is going on at Derby High School. I not only have multiple children & their friends keeping me updated but I also have a great deal of staff & parents that I talk with regularly. If there is something you are specifically worried about or that someone wants to share, please reach out to me or sign up to speak at a Board Meeting.

How many kids have you had that have gone through the school district? – I am a mother of 6.  Caleb Strohminger graduated 2018 (Lauren Mcminn my soon-to-be daughter-in-law 2018), Bayley Johnson graduated 2020, Aidan Neel graduated 2021, Talen Neel Sophomore, Mia Johnson Freshman, & my youngest Colton is 3rd grade at Derby Hills

How would you like to see education changed? – We need to raise the overall quality of education in the public school system, support our teachers, & prioritize our students.

Now that you are elected, what will you go on to do to help our community? – This question is worded poorly, what am I going to go on to do? I am going to serve on our Derby School Board. I am also going to continue to raise & love my children. I will also continue to work full time saving lives as a Family Nurse Practitioner at Heartland Cardiology.

What do you feel your role is as a school board member? –
Listen to the community: students, parents, teachers, & taxpayers
Leader/ Spokesperson
Provide vision & direction
Fiscal responsibility
Prioritize students
Servant Leadership
Competence over politics – make sound decisions, best for everyone
Reduce distractions & Let the teachers teach; Reduce mandates/ unnecessary regulations, give them the tools to do their job to the best of their ability

Do you believe that the school board should be politically affiliated? – Do you believe the media/journalists should be politically affiliated? I briefly glanced through your Social media & within 5 seconds I found you retweeting Bernie Sanders & hating on Donald Trump. Your political affiliation is VERY apparent & may hinder your future interviews if you are hoping to continue in journalism- you may consider reviewing your social media fingerprint. I believe in transparency & honesty– I am a Conservative Christian mother- that is my value system but that does not define me. I do NOT blindly follow, I listen to all sides of an issue, I research, critically think & make the best decision. So if that makes me politically affiliated then yes, I would rather people have to be transparent with their belief systems. Problems aren’t solved with fake promises. We need people who say what they mean & mean what they say. 

What is your top priority to better us students? – Ensure we graduate upstanding citizens with traditional American values. Be a voice for the parents concerned about what is being taught in the classroom. Fiscally responsible–Enforce Accountability & Transparency. Active listener & advocate for all our teachers–Create an environment that inspires staff to come to work everyday

And finally, would you be willing to put together a student board that you would meet with to hear concerns? – If you put together a board- of course we would be willing to meet with you & listen to concerns. I would also encourage you to bring ideas of solutions. We could sit around all day complaining but that doesn’t get us anywhere.

Michael Blankenship 

How many of your kids have gone through the school district? – “I have two kids. They are both still in the school district. They are in fifth grade and eighth grade.”

What’s your role?– “The role of a board member is to help determine policy, help to write policy and to approve that policy. Those policies can come from a few different sources from a high level that is the purpose of a board member. To make sure that community members, meaning taxpayers, parents, teachers, students: we are elected officials to be their voice. That’s the rule of a board member.” 

How will you better students? – “The top priority of the district should be that whatever students want to pursue after high school, we need to make sure that we are providing a path to achieve that. That requires a lot of evaluation and input from a lot of people.”

Would you meet with a student board? – “I think that’s a good idea because what goes on at a student level and anybody who has gone through the school system and has worked in a school district will understand that there are a lot of things that adults, like teachers, board members and administrators that are around teachers, won’t understand. We don’t understand some of the dynamics of interactions and what is going on behind the scenes that students are involved in and, yeah, I think having a student voice to give us some insider information of what is actually going on at the school. Keep in mind that students are more than welcome to address the board in the same way that all public members are encouraged to address the board.”