BLAIR, NEBRASKA (2024 September 24, Tuesday)
Don Harrold, Writer / Editor
blairtoday@mail.com – Facebook
As the election for Nebraska’s State Board of Education approaches, District 3 candidate Lisa Schonhoff presents herself as a conservative advocate for traditional educational values. With over 20 years of teaching experience, Schonhoff aims to bring her classroom expertise to the state level, focusing on core academic skills and addressing what she sees as critical issues in Nebraska’s education system.
Lisa sat down for an interview. Here is what we learned.
Proficiency Rates and Curriculum Focus
Central to Schonhoff’s campaign is her concern about student proficiency rates in core subjects. She states, “We have 50% of our kids approximately not reading and doing math at proficient levels. No matter how you try to spin that data, that data still sets. It says we’re failing.” This statistic forms the foundation of her call for a return to basics in education.
Schonhoff advocates for a curriculum centered on fundamental skills: “Reading and math and writing and science and civics should be the focus of our public schools.” She believes that addressing these core competencies should take precedence over other educational initiatives.
State Standards and Local Control
Regarding curriculum development, Schonhoff emphasizes the importance of state standards: “The curriculum for our state is the state standards. Everything else should be supplemental to the state standards.” She argues that these standards should be the primary guide for teachers, rather than district-purchased materials.
Schonhoff also supports the use of state standards beyond public schools: “The state standards are an excellent resource for homeschoolers.” This stance reflects her belief in the standards’ universal applicability across different educational settings.
Teacher Support and Retention
Addressing the ongoing teacher shortage, Schonhoff says, “Teachers are leaving the field because they know stuff that’s being told to them is not actually what’s best for kids.” She advocates for better support for teachers, particularly in handling disciplinary issues: “Let’s have administrators be administrators again and parents be parents again.”
While supporting higher teacher pay, Schonhoff also believes in maintaining high standards: “We are keeping a lot of really poor teachers in the classrooms. And part of that is because we are in a teacher shortage.”
Technology in Education
Schonhoff takes a conservative stance on technology use in schools. Regarding smartphones, she states, “They are distracting, they are getting kids, kids go out of the classroom to go to the bathroom, to be on phones.” She supports banning cell phones in classrooms until proficiency rates improve.
To combat cheating through AI technologies, Schonhoff proposes a return to traditional methods: “Let’s get back to paper and pencil for testing. I know it’s going to be awful for the English teachers, and they’re going to need an extra period to be able to grade. However, the only way to keep our kids from cheating is to go back to paper and pencil.”
Controversial Issues in Education
On topics such as critical race theory and gender identity in schools, Schonhoff takes a clear stance: “Social activism does not belong in our schools. We need to stop focusing on things that are divisive.” She views these issues as distractions from core educational goals.
I am anti-book banning. I am pro making sure that we have age-appropriate materials in our classrooms.
Lisa Schonhoff, Candidate for Nebraska State Board of Education, District 3
Regarding pronoun use and gender identity affirmation, Schonhoff states, “Affirming what a kid wants to be is a lie.” She opposes compelled speech policies for teachers in this regard.
Union Stance and Campaign Position
Despite her pro-teacher stance, Schonhoff distinguishes herself from teachers’ unions: “I am not backed by the teachers’ union. And the reason why is because the teachers’ union pushes ideology, not math and literacy.” This position aligns with her focus on core academic subjects over social issues.
Other Issues
- On Educational Flexibility: “All kids are different. All families are different. And it’s really not for the State Board of Education to be promoting one over the other. We have to make sure that we’re making policies for all families. All. Education.”
- On English Language Learners: “English as a second language. Why do you call it a second language? It’s actually been adapted over time to English language learner to English learner. And it’s all it is is teaching kids how to read, write, speak, and listen in English who have another language spoken in their home.”
- On State Board’s Role in Funding: “There are things that we do on the State Board that will impact funding. But we don’t have any direct say over funding. That’s legislative and local.”
- On School Discipline: “If we have a vice or assistant principal, they should be in that classroom getting that kid out, getting the parents. And if the parents don’t come, then they then they get the police officer called. We have got to get our administrators back. So. Supporting our teachers.”
- On Personal Educational Choices: “I have one child that goes to Marion, so she is in private school full-time. My son goes to Bennington South Middle School, so he’s in public school full-time. And then I pull out my two little girls for literacy because I don’t feel their needs are being met.”
- On Faith as Motivation: “I had nobody ask me to run except God. And I I’m doing it just because I see the problem and I want to help solve the problem.”
- On the Unpaid Position: “I am actually leaving the profession. I’m leaving a paycheck behind to do this non-paid job because I see the problem and I want to be part of the solution.”
Schonhoff expresses confidence in her campaign, stating, “I will win. Because people can see that we need somebody that’s not backed by the teachers’ union.” She presents herself as an alternative to what she perceives as ideologically driven educational policies.
Lisa Schonhoff’s campaign for the Nebraska State Board of Education, District 3, centers on improving core academic proficiency, supporting teachers while maintaining high standards, and focusing on traditional educational values. Her stance on controversial issues and technology in schools reflects a conservative approach to education policy. As voters consider their options, Schonhoff’s platform offers a clear perspective on the future direction of Nebraska’s education system.
