Lauranett Lee for School Board
My name is Lauranett Lee.
I am running for Midlothian School Board on Nov. 7, 2023.
I've been an educator and historian for more than 25 years, but my story begins even earlier.
In 1965, during the desegregation of Chesterfield's Schools, I entered 4th grade at the previously all-white Midlothian High School. I felt like I didn't belong there. My teacher, Bettie Weaver, showed me that I did have a place in the classroom no matter how much I was bullied and ostracized outside of class.
As an educator and historian, I've been telling my students the same thing for 25 years. It's the same thing Mrs. Weaver taught me in 4th grade, and it's the same thing we need to tell children now more than ever: You do belong here. You do have a place in education.
My Platform
Teacher Recruitment and Retention
I will focus on teacher recruitment and retention by building on existing programs like Mirror Me. I will also explore other new and innovative approaches because good teachers make good classrooms.
Collaborative Parental Engagement
We will work together to increase collaborative parental engagement. Parents and teachers can (and should!) work together to help every student reach their full potential.
Equitable Use of Resources
I will support equitable distribution of resources. Your neighborhood shouldn't determine whether your child goes to school in a classroom or a trailer.
Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures
We need to review and potentially update student conduct and disciplinary policies. Students need to be in the classroom to learn, and around their peers to socialize. I believe that isolating and excluding students only reinforces negative behaviors.
"Memories and stories of ourselves may link the past to the present, but it is education that propels us forward into the boundless opportunity of the future."
- Lauranett Lee