Jeron Strickland is a candidate for Monroe City School Board, District 5. Louisiana Policy Review publishes guest opinions from candidates; views are the author's own.
Dear District 5,
Hey to all my Central City neighbors. The future of our community is sitting in our classrooms right now and we need to do a better job at improving their chances of success. We are talking about our future business owners, teachers, skilled workers, and elected leaders. And they are all sitting in our schools learning the type of human being they will be. Let's equip them to be the people who will multiply our city, serve its families, and make great decisions that positively impact all of us.
My core behind running has been.... how can we provide our children with the advantages it took us years to develop on our own? We live in a society where 14-year-old gamers are earning 5 figures a month from streaming. Our kids should have those opportunities.
Raising the standard begins with raising our thinking. We cannot keep accepting the same limitations and expect a different future. We have to believe our children can achieve more! I know they can! That's why it's important for us to build a school system that gives that belief a winning chance.
But I hear some of you saying, "But why should I care?" Well my friend, mediocre school districts have real economic consequences. National data show that higher educational attainment generally comes with higher earnings and lower unemployment. Strong schools can strengthen housing demand and property values. Research also shows that education can reduce criminal activity, including violent crime. These gains take sustained work, but they give us a powerful reason to invest in our classrooms and our community together.
This involves giving teachers their time back. Which means more attention for students. Paying staff to lead clubs creates more opportunities for young people to discover their gifts while giving our teachers and staff the ability to increase their paycheck. Stronger early learning, flexible classrooms, and lessons brought to life through augmented reality can help more children find understanding in the classroom.
A conversation I've been having with many of you is career discovery should begin early. In fifth grade, students should start seeing how their interests connect to possibilities in our city and beyond. Yes, we currently have CTE programs, but we need many more. We currently have the capability to build up 32 career and life pathways for our 8,000 students. All of which should include financial responsibility and entrepreneurship. Because raising the standard of what our kids can do must become a priority!
Imagine students earning money through supervised work-study while preparing for college. Imagine them learning to budget, price a service, serve a customer, and turn an idea into something useful. Imagine students tutoring younger children, helping local organizations, or applying technical skills to community projects before they graduate. All while earning an actual wage.
Too many families face financial hardship. My goal is to help more of them move toward lasting stability. With a newly elected board, I intend to push for measurable progress: more skills, more credentials, more paid opportunities, and more young people PREPARED to build wealth over time. Parents deserve accessible support. Taxpayers deserve to see spending school by school. Students and teachers deserve facilities plans with visible deadlines. Higher expectations must apply to the adults making decisions, too.
So to my parents, your hopes deserve a partner that understands your hopes as if their child was in the same class as yours. To our teachers, your dedication deserves support. The kind of support a loving husband gives his wife. To our students: your circumstances do not set the ceiling on your future. We believe you can do anything and we will do our best to make sure you can make it!
We want better. We deserve better. And a vote for Strickland says we are ready to work for better. Gone are the days of accepting the same old thing as the best we can do. Let me show you that this school district hasn't even scratched the surface yet! Let's tighten our belts, raise our expectations, and put real opportunity behind our words. One student at a time. One family at a time. A stronger Monroe, built through education!
Jeron C. Strickland
Candidate for Monroe City School Board
District 5 (Central City)
Photo: Neville High School, Monroe, La., by Timothy Holdiness, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
