Amanda Propst for WCUSD #5 School Board

The past few weeks have been full of ups and downs and I'm happy to be off the election roller coaster... Or maybe I'm wrong and the real ride is just beginning. Either way, I'm ready to get to work. I can't thank you enough for your support and trust. The significance of having a seat on the school board is not lost on me.

Final thoughts before tomorrow!

1. Parents have the right to direct the upbringing of their children.
2. Educators are special people and Waterloo has some of the best.
3. Politicians and their politics don't belong in education.
4. School boards should provide local citizen control over public education.

If we've met, you know I'm 5'5" but my courage is 6'5". I'm not afraid to walk alone if I don't like the direction everyone else is going.

No matter where you stand on the candidates and issues during this election cycle, it's great that our community has gotten so involved. It's imperative that we get out and vote because this is how we make our collective voice powerful enough to be heard.

I want to start by saying I’m going to list many ways that school safety concerns COULD be addressed. These security measures do not necessarily reflect my personal views because this matter involves all children and not just mine. Consequently, my goal would be to have community input and consensus so that we can work together to keep our students safe. Please note, I have also not taken funding into account.

1. Indoor and outdoor surveillance cameras that are monitored by a security guard or surveillance agent. This would allow intruders to be more easily recognized before they attempt to gain access to the building.
2. School resource officers at each building.
3. Have conversations with first responders and include them in crisis planning. Do they feel they have the necessary training and tools to respond in a crisis like this?
4. Consult with local law enforcement and security contractors regarding safety measures the district could take.
5. Train all school staff to recognize students who are emotionally struggling.
6. Work with Human Support Services, school counselors, school social workers and other professionals to create a document that lists warning signs of violence. Send it home with students. See if Human Support Services does or is willing to provide community education regarding these signs.
7. Future construction plans should be made with security in mind. Many schools, including my own, have a tremendous amount of windows and doors that provide easy access to those who mean to do harm. I don’t want schools to look like prisons but I think we have to make it more difficult for intruders to get in. At the high school where I work, there are 3 windows on the side of every classroom door. Those windows are large enough that if someone shot through them, they could crawl in without difficulty.
8. All classroom doors are equipped with locks and are locked from the inside at all times.
9. Electronic door locks that could be activated to lock down the entire school simultaneously.
10. Bulletproof windows and/or doors.
11. Numbered interior and exterior doors so first responders can respond to the correct location more easily.
12. Metal detectors.
13. Trimmed trees and bushes to provide good visibility.
14. All exterior doors are locked from the inside and can only be accessed with staff ID badges (with the exception of arrival time).
15. Have all or some staff carry walkie talkies for easier communication. In my school building, I have a radio as do the security guards, secretaries and administrators.
16. Arm willing school staff and/or security guards.
17. Ensure that students and staff have a way to report threats they’ve heard or concerns they have.
18. Review current school crisis plans.

I recognize that some of these measures may give staff and students a few minutes to try and prepare before an intruder gains access, but ultimately, they may not prevent an attack. School safety measures are extremely important because every second matters in these situations. Sadly, the problem starts before the shooter arrives at school. I feel strongly that mental health is at the heart of this issue and one that requires more local and national attention and community resources.

I've been asked if there are like-minded candidates, and there are! Nate Mifflin, Lloyd Jarden and Josh Kurth are great people and I'm so thankful to be running alongside them. I've attached all of our information below. There are 4 open spots during this election cycle. Josh and I are in the same township but we can both be elected.

The new email.

1. Now they want to use a common sense approach? It's too bad they didn't try that last Friday.
2. Where is the apology for the absolute lack of professionalism in the first email?
3. Students were marked absent or tardy on Friday per the first email. Those will be changed to excused. Why are Monday's being viewed differently? Are they still investigating students waiting to use the bathroom as "planned harrassment?"
4. Why are they using a law firm from the Chicago area?
5. What are their plans to address the bathroom issue in the meantime?

Waterloo deserves better.

I'll be joining Marc Cox on his morning show tomorrow at 7:08 regarding the recent events at the high school and why I'm running for the school board. You can listen in at 97.1 FM Talk.

Remember when we all showed up to the board meetings during covid and they ignored us? I had hoped there were some lessons learned since then but was disappointed to see history repeat itself last night. If the board's lawyers are advising them not to talk to the public that elected them, then perhaps they need to find new representation. A simple, "we hear you and are seeking resolution" would have been better than nothing. Instead, they allowed a lawyer whose condescending tone mirrored that of the superintendent's email, do the talking for them. Her participation and their lack of participation only widened the gap that exists between the district and community. Brave students, parents and community members on both sides of this issue deserved much more than they were given last night.

Some board members ran unopposed during the last election. I'm thankful they have competition this time.

Thoughts on the current situation at the high school.

The 22-23 school year marked my 13th year as a school social worker. As an educator and parent, to say I was disappointed in the email we received on Friday would be an understatement.

Without a doubt, the superintendent should be held to a high level of professionalism. Although he had the opportunity to bring the community together in search of resolution, he instead heightened an already difficult situation.

I attended the student led prayer group at the high school this morning. I saw an amazing group of young men and women who had been threatened with disciplinary action for feeling uncomfortable about sharing a bathroom with the opposite s*x. Schools should be promoting critical thinking, but instead we saw a superintendent who seemed determined to punish those who were brave enough to stand up for their beliefs.

Educators should support ALL students. I am hopeful that tonight's meeting is about understanding and working cooperatively with parents, students, staff and the community. I will be at the board meeting and hope to see you there!

A little about me.

I'm from Bellevile but my family moved to Hong Kong when I was eleven and I completed middle school and high school there. I attended Indiana University where I received a degree in Sociology in 2003. I met my husband Clinton when he was stationed at Scott Air Force Base and I returned to the area to pursue a Master's degree in Social Work at St. Louis University. I graduated in 2005 and worked for two agencies contracted by the Department of Children and Family Services. I have also conducted evaluations for youth in crisis to determine their eligibility for inpatient mental health treatment or community stabilization. Since 2009, I've worked at Pathways School in Belleville where I provide individual and group social work services to students with emotional and/or behavioral disabilities who have not been successful in the regular education setting. Over the years, my students have ranged in age from 5 to 21 but I currently work with high school students.

I've been married to my husband Clinton for 13 years. We have 3 children who attend Rogers, Gardner and WJHS.

I'm not a politician and I promise not to become one. I believe parents have the fundamental right to direct the upbringing of their children. My main goals are to retain the wonderful staff Waterloo schools are known for and to keep politcal ideologies out of our K-12 schools.

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