Randy Cook Jr.

Why do you want to be on the FHSD school board?

I am running for the school board because I believe the community is ready for a change in direction. Curricula is the bedrock of a public school’s purpose, yet I do not feel it gets the school board attention it deserves. Similarly, I believe there needs to be more transparency around not only curricula development, but also district committees, lesson plans and classroom materials. This is easily achieved by making a Google Drive folder for each committee and class and making those folders open to the public. I do not agree with the district’s decision to move forward with construction of the new FHN high school using the construction manager at risk (CMAR) contracting method. Had we gone the traditional contracting route, we would have never found ourselves in the predicament of being under construction without knowing the final price. Finally, our staff have told us how to help them reduce their stress and put more focus back into academics—the school board should be asking what the administration is doing to implement these recommendations.

If elected to the board, what issue/topic will be your top priority?

Improving academics—all other matters should be evaluated through that lens, which is what I plan to do.

What are some specific changes you hope to enact while serving on the board?

I would like to bring the district back into compliance with its own policies. For the most part, the district has safeguards in place (policies, regulations, student code of conduct, etc.) that make sense—when they are followed. For instance, curriculum writing as of late has not followed existing policies. The district committees are not in compliance with the prescribed policies that govern committees—which is a source of many transparency concerns the community has. I will advocate for policy revisions that give parents more control over their child’s wellbeing.

I will advocate for transparency improvements within our Proposition S reporting. For instance, project budgets should be presented when bids come before the board for approval, so that the board knows whether it is approving a project that is over or under budget. I am not sure how else the board can claim to be fiscally responsible if it is approving bids for which they are unaware of what the budget was.

In recent years, controversy surrounding COVID-19, CRT, controversial literature, etc. has been a hot topic at school board meetings. What do you think the district’s role is when it comes to addressing issues such as these?

The district should be providing common sense leadership when so-called “hot topic” issues come before the school board. It is hard to know what the next so-called “hot topic” will be; therefore, it is incumbent on the community to elect school board members that share their values and can be relied on to listen to opposing views, look at facts, ask questions publicly, and make an informed decision.

What plans do you have for increasing support for FHSD staff members?

I plan to listen to staff and implement those changes we can. Financially, my support will include a deep dive into the budget to find money for staff raises to correct missed steps. Beyond pay, I will ask about those non-financial changes that staff have advocated for and I will hold the administration to their discipline policy to ensure staff are supported when they need to take disciplinary action.