Abel, Jason - Bloomfield Hills
Are you an incumbent?
No
Brief Intro of Candidate
My parents moved our family to Bloomfield specifically for the schools, and I loved my experiences at Lone Pine Elementary School, West Hills Middle School, and Andover High School (Class of 1994). My experience with BHSD is what brought us back to Bloomfield when my wife and I started our family, and we are proud parents of two BHSD graduates, and one son currently at BHHS. As both a graduate of, and a parent of students in, our schools, I have seen a variety of changes over the years, and have a unique perspective on the many positive experiences and opportunities, as well as some of the issues, within our district.
From a professional perspective, as a graduate of Columbia Law School and a practicing attorney for 23 years, I am trained to listen, ask questions, negotiate, and seek positive resolutions of complex matters. Likewise, as an owner and operator of several businesses, I have extensive experience setting vision, establishing and executing on strategic plans, and managing and mediating between stakeholders with diverse interests.
Finally, I have been a volunteer for various community events and programs (including coaching youth soccer and First Robotics, volunteering as a Cub Scout pack leader, serving on various district policy working groups, and representing the oft-ignored Antarctica during annual multicultural festivals). I’ve attended more events and tours than I could count. And I have the privilege of hearing regularly about the amazing opportunities that our schools provide to our community of learners from my wife, Leah (a substitute teacher and, more recently a Bloomfield Hills Schools Family Ambassador). Through these experiences, I have seen the passion and professionalism of our school personnel, as well as the incredible talents and diversity of our students, and I will be a voice of support for them all as a member of the Board.
Endorsements
Birmingham-Bloomfield Democratic Club; West Bloomfield - Lakes Area Dems; Bloomfield Hills Education Association
Top financials Contributors
Website and social media links
Currently self-financed.
How would you engage and include parents, caregivers, community members and students in decision-making in your district around things like curriculum, budgeting and district policy?
Parents, caregivers, and community members certainly should have an opportunity to voice their concerns regarding curriculum decisions to the Board. And the Board should take those concerns seriously, especially if there is evidence undermining the efficacy of our established curricular programs. However, curriculum decisions, which impact our entire school district’s learning community, must ultimately be made with an understanding of the needs and resources of our entire community. Those decisions are best made by our trained educators and staff, who should be supported and encouraged to keep abreast of, and share, proven educational best-practices, so that our curriculum can evolve as necessary.
What are your thoughts on school discipline and the way it is exercised in your school district? What are your thoughts on restorative practices?
Restorative practices are a valuable element of effective school discipline. Involving both the harmed and the person who caused harm in a dialogue, restorative practices can help identify and address the root causes of a dispute, creating the opportunity for positive change. This provides a substantial benefit over purely punitive systems, which can obscure or distract from more global issues and concerns by assuming that they are limited to simply one person-to-person interaction. Finding the appropriate balance between restorative and punitive practices is a difficult one, as school and community culture, commitment, and expectations vary significantly. However, communication and efforts to strike this balance are critical to ensure that our systems do not prematurely or unfairly exclude any of our learners without attempting to understand and address the source of their troubles.
What are your thoughts on how to improve student mental health
Although our schools already provide several support systems that help students with their academic and mental health needs (after-school tutoring, guidance counselors, psychologists, social workers, resource officers, Bloomfield Youth Assistance, etc.), more certainly can be done. Specifically, the mental health crisis of our youth needs to be explicitly addressed, as there have been many recent publications and studies pointing to the extreme rise in mental health needs among our youth. We should consider adopting age-appropriate mental health awareness campaigns, tied to in-class activities, to educate our students about mental health issues and reduce the stigma. Similarly, we should encourage staff professional development specifically devoted to training on identifying and helping to address emergent student mental health issues. Ultimately, we must adopt policies that encourage a culture where seeking help for mental health issues is normalized and supported.
What are your thoughts on ways to improve Black student achievement in your district and in Michigan schools overall?
Improving Black student achievement in our school district and across Michigan requires that we commit to a multifaceted approach that addresses systemic barriers, fosters inclusion, and promotes academic success. As a start, we need to collect and analyze student performance data to identify areas where our curriculum and learning environment is falling short or is creating or failing to eliminate achievement gaps. From there, we need to take responsibility for any gaps, and work with our stakeholders to find real, tested, effective ways to close them.
What are your thoughts on how to ensure that all students and their families, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, disability, religion, income status, etc., feel safe and included in your district?
Curriculums should integrate students’ cultural backgrounds and experience so as to make them feel valued and connected to their learning experience. We should focus on hiring teachers and staff that are not just highly talented, but also reflective of our diverse community of learners, so that everyone feels included. And we should provide implicit bias and cultural competency training to all teachers and staff, since bias (whether intentional or unconscious) and ignorance can unintentionally result in students feeling targeted, misunderstood, or unsafe.
What are your thoughts on how to recruit and retain staff, particularly staff of color, in your district with regard to pay, benefits, and working conditions?
Bloomfield Hills must commit to hiring and maintaining a diverse community of staff and teachers that mirrors our community of learners. Beyond merely seeking to attract diverse candidates for open positions, we need to make sure that all our staff feels secure and supported in their work environment regardless of race, ethnicity, or orientation. To do this, the board must take responsibility for policy flaws and make the necessary effort to build cultural competency and address systemic problems proactively rather than after they garner negative press for the district.