Jeramie Eginoire for Carlisle School Board

03/14/2022

Hello! As you may know, our Superintendent, Bryce Amos has taken a new position. As a result, the Board is tasked with hiring the next Superintendent for Carlisle Schools. Please take the time to complete the following survey so your opinions can be made while we make our decision. Your opinion is very important, but it won’t be known unless you participate, so please do 🙂 Thank you!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSetm-3xeV_mlN7buBJ9kLm4i4zw-vsGQAPOGMmOC-J5pk1F9g/viewform

11/03/2021

Well, this time was a lot different experience, that’s for sure. Numbers aren’t yet official, but it looks like I will continue serving the students, staff, and community of the Carlisle School District. Congratulations to Hillary and John on their elections to the School Board. And congratulations to Thomas for representing our community so very well.

Part of me feels happy and wants to celebrate, and the other part of me has a sense of sadness in my chest that I can’t shake. I have always hated politics. No secret there. This time around saw people saying things that were untrue, twisting of words and positions, and just plain unkindness from people in the community.

I am disheartened. Though the majority of the community came through, it was very eye opening for me. I get it if someone believes a lie or a spun comment if they don’t know me. Complete strangers choose to believe the worse about someone if the narrative is good enough and they are told to. But, friends—people I respect—now that stings when they believe a lie over our previous encounters or my track record. It is also disheartening to know that there are some people who believe our individual local teachers—our neighbors, the ones who live and raise their families in our community—are actually part of some secret brainwashing plot. (If you are a teacher who does see this happening, please do not fear for your career. Please reach out to me. I will listen to your concerns and keep your name out of it.) Fear can be a powerful tool. It happens in every election. I never thought it would happen here though—but it did to a certain extent.

Some blame the schools for how society is. I argue that public schools are a reflection of our society, not the other way around. Our society needs to do better and needs to be a better example for the youth, not the other way around.

I’m happy. But I also can’t shake this sadness.

11/02/2021

Good evening! I’m going to be brief here because I think everything has been said that people are going to say (well maybe not…there may be some big reveal yet to come that I know nothing about…lol) and people are going to vote the way they are going to vote.

I’m not going to talk about anyone else. I just want to fill you in on how I spent my evening. I spent my evening participating in CYA basketball assessments because I am going to coach and ref again this season. Over the past decade or so, that’s usually where you could find me—coaching the youth in our community.

Over the past decade, I have coached kids from “traditional” nuclear families, kids from broken homes, kids with homosexual parents, kids of a variety of racial or ethnic backgrounds, kids with special needs, kids from affluent background, kids who I helped pay for their registration, kids who have played sports since they were five, and kids who had never played sports at all.

My goal is never to just have the top team in the league (though it is fun when that happens…haha). My goals are always the same: to make sure each player learns a bit about the sport, about being a good teammate, and about the importance of attitude and effort, accountability, and expectations. My goal is also to try and make sure the players leave the season with a little boost in self-confidence that will hopefully serve them in their next activity and life in general.

I have always taken pride in being fair and giving each player the chance to succeed or try something new. To this date, I hope my players have felt welcomed and loved but also aware of the high expectations I have of them to perform at the best of their individual abilities.

That’s who I have been as a coach and parent—and who I will continue to be on the Carlisle School Board.

I will never intentionally let harm come to our students in our district—in whatever form it may take. If trouble appears, I will work to eliminate it. I believe I have earned your trust to this point and I will continue to work to keep that trust.

Bottom line: please get out and vote. Please vote for who you believe will treat our students with love and respect. Please vote for who you believe will listen to and consider your opinion. Please vote for who you believe will represent the entire population of your public school district—our students deserve that.

Thank you and have a great week!

10/30/2021

Here is more insight regarding some of this year’s School Board candidates. Please get out and vote 🙂 Thanks for all the support during a weird time!

Six Carlisle candidates are running for three open seats on school board; three of them are incumbents.

10/28/2021

Sigh. Here we go again. I hate politics.

I don’t know how much more clear I can be on this topic, but evidently there are cases of selective hearing and “the putting of words in someone else’s mouth” (from maybe four vocal individuals—definitely not the majority of our sensible community) concerning my stance on CRT.

If someone believes I am in favor of teaching CRT in our district, they have some comprehension difficulties. Here I go again…

I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THE TEACHING OF CRT IN OUR DISTRICT.

Period. I’m not sure if I need to put those capital letters in italics or bold or what. Maybe on a yard sign? I don’t know.

I have asked repeatedly that if someone has concerns about the district’s curriculum to please bring those lessons to my attention with as much information as possible. To this date, not one shred of evidence that CRT is being taught in our district has been brought to me. Not. One. Single. Shred.

Guess what? If proof of this type of lesson is brought to my attention, I will be one of the first to fight for its removal.

Is it being taught in other districts? Yes. I’m not a school board member in other districts. Sorry. I can’t control what Ankeny or Knoxville or whoever includes in their curriculum.

There are those who want you to believe that our teachers—the teachers who are actually doing the work of educating our children in our own district (not people out of the classroom for whatever reason)—are divided and arguing over lessons in the Carlisle district. Not one—NOT ONE—teacher has ever come to me with this concern.

Here is a clear statement (can’t believe I have to say it again, but whatever) to go along with the one above:

I HAVE SEEN ZERO PROOF CRT IS IN THE CARLISLE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

Maybe picture that sentence in some fancy, memorable, word art or something.

Do not misconstrue this communication as me being against the promotion of equity and mutual respect amongst ALL of our students, regardless of ANY differences there may be. Those are lessons that obviously needed taught to some long ago.

Don’t believe the hyper-sensationalism that this years election has unfortunately fallen prey to. It has turned into a sideshow and it is one of the reasons I hesitated running for this position from the beginning four years ago. Four years ago proved me wrong on how elections can take place. Now here we are back to my original apprehension.

I hear people want to “keep the district like it has been” and “I’m proud of our district” and whatever other ‘our district is great’ quote you want to use. I like to think I played and play a role in those sentiments. To think I would let something harmful occur in our district (that is illegal anyway), is tremendously foolish. I can’t believe I have to address this again, but it is what it is.

I’m sorry if this seems out of character. I have held my tongue for quite awhile. Some things just need to be said (and re-said and re-said in some cases, evidently)—especially when it is to nip inaccurate statements (whether intentionally or unintentionally) in the bud.

Thanks for listening. Vote for who you think is in it for the right reasons. I have no axe to grind, I have no absurdly elevated stances, I’m not representing one select group of our community, and I am in it solely for our students and staff.

10/14/2021

I invite all in the Carlisle School District to attend the public forum being hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. It is scheduled for Tuesday, October 26th from 6:30pm-8:00pm in the Wildcat Activities Center, at the HS.

I may be running unopposed now, but I have a whole lot to address in the appropriate setting and I can’t wait to see you there 🙂

Thanks for all the support!

10/08/2021

I am very proud of the endorsement from the Carlisle Community Education Association. There are three main groups I aim to serve and support as a member of the School Board: the students; the community; and the teachers and staff.

Without the teachers, where would we be? The machine doesn't run without them. Period. They are some of the most intelligent, dedicated, and tough people I know. They handled our most recent challenges with heart and grace. And they do an outstanding job educating my own children.

As long as I am on the Board, the teachers will have an ally. In my humble opinion, if someone isn't there to help support our teachers, they are probably in the wrong place. The success of our students is dependant on successful teachers. A Board Member's job is to help teachers succeed.

A tremendous amount of gratitude to a group of people I really admire and respect. Thank you!

10/02/2021

Good morning 🙂 Please direct those who have questions about me and my running for Carlisle School Board to this post.

I have been asked a lot of similar school board-related questions the past few days by a lot of people. I figured the time is right to make a blanket post that people who are unfamiliar with me can reference in regards to who I am as an individual, what some of my stances are, and what you can expect from me if elected to the Carlisle School Board once again. If you are familiar with me, not much has changed...haha. Hopefully this answers any questions, but if you have more, feel free to send me a message 🙂

I'll start with a general background and then touch on some of the "hot topics" that I have been asked about.

Profession:
Senior Fire Medic, Des Moines Fire Department (15 years)

Ramp Agent, Delta Air Lines subsidiary

Prior Related Experience - Substitute Teacher, Carlisle School District

Education:
AAS Fire Science Technology, DMACC

Paramedic Certification, Mercy College of Health Sciences

BS Secondary English Education, double minor Speech and Public Relations, Northwest Missouri State University

MS Organizational Leadership, Waldorf University

Certified Public Manager, Drake University

Political Party:
Stubbornly INDEPENDENT!

I like things about both political parties. I despise things about both political parties. In general, I do not like politics and hate seeing what they do to people. (Yes, I recognize that it is ironic that I am once again seeking an elected position...haha)

Religion:
Christian

Hobbies:
Traveling and coaching youth sports

Community Involvement:
Carlisle Girls Softball Association (current member, former President)

CYA Basketball coach and referee

Regular PEACH Affair volunteer

Regular Prom chaperone

That is a brief rundown of who I am and what I do. I'll be happy to provide more information if requested. Now I'll be happy to touch on a few of the questions that have been asked pretty frequently lately for some reason.

#1 Am I running for this position "with" anyone or have I ever considered running with anyone?

This question has never been asked of me until recently so I never really considered it. After some reflection, the short answer is "no". Now here is the long answer:

My reason for not running "with" other candidates is not because I do not respect or like the other candidates running for their respective positions. I actually have a great amount of respect for each of them and have known several of them for many years through different facets of my life.

The reason is pretty simple to me: it is because I am an individual and I am an independent thinker. I do not welcome the situation where I would feel like I "owed" something to another member of the Board. I am an opponent of "groupthink" and believe the Board should be made up of individuals with individual thought-processes. I can be an ally with a board member on one topic, but oppose their stance on another.

This is how we ensure as a community that we maintain a Board that is open to receiving the community's honest input. I am interested in hearing the various opinions and input from those around me and not just seeking "my opinion coming from someone else's mouth".

#2 What is my stance on masks related to COVID?

I have already voted on this topic and not much has changed since my vote to NOT require masks in the Carlisle School District.

My vote was based on feedback from the community, feedback from school staff, feedback from school leadership, reviewing our current infection and absentee rates, and lastly, my own beliefs.

If there is a large spike in numbers or our situation changes, I would be more than willing to revist the topic. Until then, my vote would remain to keep masks highly recommended, but not mandated.

#3 What is my stance on Critical Race Theory (CRT)?

Over the past couple years, I have received messages from approximately four families regarding the teaching of CRT in the Carlisle School District.

For those who are not up to speed with what the teaching of CRT is, in simple terms, those who are concerned believe that white students are being taught that they are "oppressors" and students of color are being taught that they are "less fortunate". Yes, I know that this is a much deeper and complicated issue than that, but these were the main concerns brought to my attention.

My response was always (and will always be) that I am against that sort of lesson. My response and request was always (and will always be) for those particular lessons to be brought to my attention so I can more closely review them (contrary to popular belief, School Board Members are not experts and familiar with every single lesson plan in every single classroom or content area).

More often than not, the response was that the individuals did not believe it was being taught in the Carlisle School District, but that they knew it was being taught in other districts (also, contrary to popular belief, a Carlisle School Board Member has no input on what is taught in other districts).

In the instance where a particular lesson was brought to my attention, I reviewed it. It included a couple powerpoints and short YouTube videos. Did they include people from different races than me? Absolutely. Did they include people with different lifestyles than me? Sure did. Did they include people who believed they had experienced bias? Yes.

Did the lesson state that white people were evil and people from other backgrounds were less fortunate? No. Not at all. Here are a couple takeaways from the lesson:

-to encourage people to consider other perspectives
-to encourage people to try to get to know people who are different from them
-to encourage people to form opinions of others according to their character and not by their skin color
-that each individual human is unique and priceless, regardless of any differences

I have to be honest, I have no problem with those lessons. In fact, those are lessons I want my own children to hold dear to. Those are lessons I try to implement into my daily life and my being.

Do I find the teaching of CRT in our district concerning? I absolutely do. I would not approve of lessons that promote CRT in our district (plus its illegal, so there's that). Do I have evidence that CRT is being taught in our district? Absolutely not. What I do find concerning is that there are people out there who are appalled that the lesson of mutual respect is being taught in our district.

We live in a diverse world. If there are those who cannot accept that there are diverse people in their public school district, there are private school options available where they can surround themselves with people who look, think, and act just like they do. Again, I am not a supporter of CRT. I am very much opposed to it. I do, however, embrace diversity and uniqueness.

#4 What can you expect of me as a School Board Member?

I have served faithfully for this past term. I have been told that, for the most part, people are proud of our district and proud of how difficult situations have been handled. I like to think I have had at least a very small role in those opinions.

I have a servant's heart. My very career in the fire service is that of "civil servant". I put my own physical, emotional, and mental well-being on the line each day in order to protect and serve others. I believe that we should look to serve things that are "bigger than us". I take the same approach as youth sports coach, a community volunteer, and a member of the Carlisle School Board. My job is to serve others. That is who I am.

I am not a micro-manager. I am not an expert in all things education. Although I have a BS in Education, I do not have a post-graduate degree in curriculum. I do not have specialized education in mathematics. I do, however, have a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership. My job is to help place people in positions and then to trust them to do what they do best. Do situations arise that need attention? Sure. But trusting those you are charged with leading is vital to success. We have some of the best in those positions, hands down.

I know that I will not always vote in a way that will make 100% of those I represent happy. But I also know that each decision will be made after deep, meaningful thought with an openmind. I will listen to all sides of an issue (you can look at my track record if you would like--live streams are available). Just one example of how I make decisions can be found at the 28:45 mark of the 2021-09-21 Special School Board Meeting found here https://www.carlislecsd.org/apps/pages/Live # . I will never come to the table with my mind already made up. My job is to listen to everyone and then make a decision. I have always done that and I will continue to do that.

So there you have it. A short (sort of) summary of my background and a few stances that have been asked of me as of late. Maybe my stances will gain your support, maybe they will turn you away. I'm okay with whichever it does. Please vote how you see fit. Voting is the only aspect of politics that I can agree upon. We need your participation to make sure the Carlisle School Board represents what the majority of the community wants.

Thanks for your time and GO CATS!

09/15/2021

Good afternoon! This post will serve two purposes: the first is to address an upcoming vote regarding mask mandates and all the controversy that comes with it; the second is to announce that I have decided to throw my hat into the ring once again for serving on the Carlisle School Board...so please read on 🙂

#1 Mask Mandate (or lack of a mask mandate...however you want to look at it)

We will be having an upcoming meeting to determine how the district will handle the Federal overturning of the Governor's ban on mask mandates. I just want to say that I am undecided on this decision at this point. The reason is because I do not believe it is my job to push my own opinion on matters without first listening to those I was originally elected to represent. The pushing of one's own personal beliefs or political party's stances with a disregard for the beliefs of those in any given community is one thing that I despise about politics.

What I do know to this point is this: I plan on using the feedback gathered from the teachers and community (from all sides of the aisle), our district's infection rates for this school year, and a number of other factors before considering my own personal opinion. Whether my final vote aligns with your preference or not, please know that the decision will not be made lightly and a lot of factors will be considered. It is, yet again, one of those issues where a lot of people will be thrilled and a lot of people will be really ticked off. Just know that when the time comes to make a decision, it was not made without honestly considering the opinions of those I represent.

#2 After a whole lot of thought, discussions with people in the community, talks with my wife, and a lot of prayer, I have decided to again run for the School Board At-Large Director position for the Carlisle School District.

This decision was also not taken lightly. When I originally ran for School Board, it was to serve our kids and teachers. Another big factor was the loss of collective bargaining rights for our teachers. I wanted to protect our teachers and their benefits. Who would have seen a global pandemic and other controversial and complicated social issues arise during that span of time? I sure didn't.

That said, all of that did happen, and is STILL happening. Polarizing decisions were made and controversial actions had to be taken. It sure wasn't easy. I am a people-pleaser by nature, but I am also a realist--you cannot make 100% of the people happy 100% of the time. However, it has now turned into "you can't even make 50% of the people happy" types of situations in the current climate in which we all live.

If elected once again, I will probably make decisions that you agree with and are happy with. I will probably make decisions you disagree with and really tick you off. That is the nature of the beast, and I can handle it. The reason I can handle it is because I know my intentions are true. I want to serve on the Board once again because I want to serve my community, the great kids in our district, and our AWESOME teachers and school staff. No other reason than that. No personal gain. No alterior motives. I just want to serve my community.

One more thing to note: I despise politics. I can't stand when people put blinders on because of their political parties. I may agree with one stance Republicans might take on an issue, and then despise the party the very next moment. Same with the Democratic party.

I'm going to be honest with you. This may gain your support or it may turn you away...but either way...I'm pretty much an open book. Along those lines, I'm going to be honest when I say, that while I will always follow whatever the current laws are (with hands tied in the process), I don't really care what the opinions are from the White House. I couldn’t care less what our Governnor thinks. No matter which party is in office. I only care about our bubble. Our community. Our school district. Politics play ZERO role in the decisions I make and the votes I cast.

If you have seen any of the meetings, you know that I am unafraid of speaking my mind and I will not hesitate to stand up for others. That said, I am not one to cause drama just for the sake of causing drama. I am a man of convictions but arrive at those convications only after deep thought and reflection.

I have been called many names this past year--from "idiot" to "hero". While I don't see myself as either, it is important to note that I don't respond well to bullies or those who try to charm others for personal gain. I have thick skin and resolute integrity and will not be swayed by anything beyond public feedback, professional feedback, relevant numbers, and my own personal moral code.

Finally, I have pretty much no idea what the stances of any potential opponents are. But again, my focus is on what I can control. I can control myself. I can speak for myself and let others speak for themselves.

If you think I am the person for this role, please cast your vote on November 2nd. If you would rather vote for someone else, you can cast your vote on November 3rd. JOKING! Please vote, no matter who it is for. We need the community's involvement to get an accurate and desired direction for our district. Nowadays, that part of politics is about the only part I can agree with.

Thank you very much! All of your support the past few years has been very much appreciated...and having your continued support would mean the world to me!

07/31/2020

Another great season, Wildcats!! Thanks for providing some normalcy and for working so hard! It was a lot of fun watching you this year, and runners up for state ain’t too shabby. Proud of those girls and coaches! And they won’t be rebuilding...they’ll be reloading :)

07/20/2020

An Open Letter to the Staff of Carlisle Community School District:

Good Afternoon,

It is no secret that we have a big School Board meeting this evening. I just wanted to touch base with you all briefly about my own decision-making process with the final Return to Learn Plan to be presented and voted on tonight (or at least as “final” as something can be these days…). I have three children in the district, a wife who teaches in the district, and I know many of you personally—and those of you I do not know personally, I already have a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for what you do and what your occupation and calling will soon be asking you to do. My own family and I have many of the same feelings of fear, apprehension, and confusion that many of you and your families are experiencing and I feel that as someone who was elected to represent our students, staff, and community, I owe it to you to reach out. Nothing angers me more as an individual than having someone in a position of leadership going silent when it seems like words and action are needed the most.

I want to commend our administrators, staff, and those involved in the multitude of committees and focus groups that have met to troubleshoot creatively in an attempt to make our return as safe and efficient as possible. This is a tough, tough time—for everyone. I have had numerous “off-the-record” conversations, read and considered several emails, have seen many different social media posts, and laughed at or was angered by different memes floating around, etc., etc.—from all sides of the topics. Just like you, I have my own personal opinions about masks vs. no masks, return to school vs. remote learning, and especially, the politicizing of all the above. My goal during this process is to remove as much of my own personal opinions as possible and focus on what we have control over. Basically, there are three main areas that I, as an individual Board Member, am trying to focus on: what the State mandates, what the CDC recommends, and the information about what our parents and staff desire gained in the survey. I will not speak on behalf of the other members of the Board or our administrators, but I suspect their processes are probably pretty similar.

First, as you know, the Governor has mandated that Iowa schools must conduct at least half of their instruction in-person when classes resume. Is it the right decision to send students and staff back to school when COVID-19 cases are spiking and many openings may be rolled back soon? I will be brutally honest and say, “I. Do. Not. Know”. I have NO idea whether this is the right decision or not, all I know is that our district is required to do so. That said, as a Board Member, instead of focusing on whether I believe our Governor’s decision is the right one or not, I am trying to help focus on possible solutions to a situation we otherwise have no control over. It appears that our administrators are taking the same approach. I am very happy we are able to offer the choice of remote learning to help students and families who choose to stay home, but I know that doesn’t always help out the staff we are calling on to teach, clean, drive, and serve in person. With the requirement to return to school comes so many questions and concerns—questions and concerns from you, questions and concerns from parents, questions and concerns from students, and questions and concerns from me. I have already asked several of the questions that you and I have and will continue to do so. Some of those questions are regarding you as staff and how certain situations will be handled. I am hopeful for some more clarity soon.

Second, our district has chosen to rely on the expertise and guidance provided primarily by the Warren County CDC. Our district will try to be as consistent as possible with the other districts in our county, but since each district is unique, being flexible will not be out of the question. We have no choice but to follow the guidance of those who specialize in the field of communicable diseases. Knowledge has been gained and suggestions have changed very regularly and the experts are doing the best they can with a new and relatively unknown threat. I am going to go out on a limb and say there will be more changes before it comes time for the doors of our schools to reopen. Without going into too much repetitive detail, currently, the recommendation is to wear masks when unable to socially distance. Per the CDC, it is also considered a close contact when an individual is within six feet of another individual for longer than 15 minutes. Do I believe the virus will hold off until that precise 15-minute mark? I can’t really say, but those are the recommendations provided to us by the experts in their field. As difficult as it is to accept, there is much I do not know about communicable diseases and will trust those in their field as I would hope others would trust me and the expertise of my coworkers to fight a house fire or cut someone from a mangled car.

Finally, I appreciate the action of Mr. Amos in providing the survey and I appreciate your participation in it. The results have greatly aided me in deciding if I would vote in favor of our current plan or not. For example, in situations where 85% of those taking the survey felt a certain way about a particular topic, it helped me in my justification for that aspect of the plan. Unfortunately, that means 15% of you may have felt differently about the very same topic. I want to apologize in advance. We are in a very polarizing situation where it is impossible to find a solution that is 100% agreeable—no matter how justified and passionate someone may be. Please know that the impossibility to appease everyone is not lost on me and that I have had some sleepless nights recapping your thoughts and feelings on different matters. I believe, whole-heartedly, that everyone involved is trying the best they can for the greatest number of people possible.

On one final note, because of my career as a firefighter/paramedic, I have been working on the frontlines of this pandemic from day one. There were many times—for lack of a better phrase—that we, as a department, were caught with our pants down in many early situations. As a result, our standard operating procedures and EMS protocols sometimes changed several times daily. We continue to figure out what works but we also continue to be slapped in the face with finding out what doesn’t work. I have the exact same fears that have been expressed to me regarding getting sick and/or bringing a sickness home to loved ones. It is also not lost on me that some of us will be sending our children into an unknown and potentially dangerous environment. This is the most difficult aspect of this entire situation for me. Bottom line—this all sucks. But we adjust on the fly as needed, and I have to again be honest in saying that parts of this plan will probably need adjusted along the way and our district will also need to adjust on the fly. Is that comforting? Absolutely not—but it is reality. What I hope is comforting is that there are some very intelligent and hardworking people involved who want nothing more than the safety of our district’s students, staff, and community while a return to in-person learning is mandated.

You are appreciated, you are respected, you are brave, and you are great at what you do. I cannot thank you enough for what you have done, what you do, and what you will continue to do for the numerous minds, hearts, and souls that learn in our district. Times are tough but we are tougher.

Thank you,

Jeramie