Whitlock, Annie - Lowell Area Schools
Are you an incumbent?
No
Brief Intro of Candidate
I’m Annie McMahon Whitlock, an Associate Professor of History/Social Studies Education at Grand Valley State University. I have over 20 years of experience in a variety of education roles. I taught 6th-8th grade social studies, worked as a social studies curriculum director, and earned my Ph.D. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education from Michigan State University in 2013. I was an education professor at the University of Michigan-Flint during the water crisis, preparing future teachers to address the needs of the community during that traumatic event. I moved back to my hometown of Lowell, MI to work at GVSU teaching social studies methods to future elementary teachers. I am very active in research, having published several articles and books on social studies education. I am currently the President of the Michigan Council for the Social Studies, and I have served on the board of the National Council for the Social Studies as well. I am a mom of two daughters in the Lowell Area Schools’ district and have extensive experience working with their teachers, principals, and support staff in partnership to ensure they have the best education possible. My oldest daughter is autistic and requires extensive support in school. I am a graduate of the district I am running in, and a proud supporter of public education.
Endorsements
I have not yet received any endorsements, but I am seeking endorsements from the MEA, Lowell Education Association, Support LAS PAC
Top financials Contributors
Website and social media links
Small donations from supporters
Website- annie4lasboard.com; Facebook- Annie McMahon Whitlock for Lowell Area Schools' Board of Education
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?
All these perspectives are unique, important, and can even be in conflict at times. My approach to understanding perspectives is to give people the opportunity to be heard and truly listened to. As a board member, I would hold regular interviews or focus groups to hear from those who may not be able to attend a board meeting or don’t feel comfortable doing so. I will make myself available for informal conversations, such as setting up in a local coffee shop, visiting parent groups, and listening to student representatives.
What are your thoughts on school discipline and the way it is exercised in your school district? What are your thoughts on restorative practices?
Schools should not be run like prisons. I don’t believe carceral discipline such as zero-tolerance policies, clip charts, and an abundance of school resource officers have a place in spaces of learning. These practices are often applied inconsistently to students of color and students with disabilities. I know these practices are done in my school district, because I have interrogated some of them and questioned their necessity. On the other hand, I have seen approaches to discipline (particularly at my daughters’ school) where the focus is to educate students, prevent conflict with a positive school culture, and have social workers present to de-escalate. So I know it can be done and is being done. Restorative practices are effective if done correctly, and can have a hand in breaking the school-to-prison pipeline. These practices require an immense amount of training and supporting district-wide, not just from the schools but from families and the community as well. I would like to see this implemented in my district, but this is not a quick fix or a buzzword. It’s a massive culture shift.
What are your thoughts on how to improve student mental health
Students need to feel safe to be able to learn. Making school a place where students want to come to will do wonders for improving students’ mental health. This can be done by promoting a district culture of inclusion, kindness, and commitment to equity and justice. However, students have more to their lives than school. It’s important for a district to acknowledge, understand, and attempt to address systemic issues in the community that impact mental health, such as poverty, homelessness, etc. On a smaller scale, districts can make social-emotional learning (integrated with all school subjects) a priority, as well as ensure that there are social workers and counselors in every building who are affirming of racial and gender identities.
What are your thoughts on ways to improve Black student achievement in your district and in Michigan schools overall?
In my district, Black students perform as well as white students as measured by standardized test scores. I have no doubt my district, as all districts in Michigan, need to measure student success as more than test scores. Culturally relevant pedagogy is research-proven to improve academic success for Black students. Initially research by Gloria Ladson-Billings, culturally relevant pedagogy acknowledges students’ culture and contexts to pair academic learning with real-life application.
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?
A school district that is inclusive of everyone can only benefit the district and the community. Attention to inclusion could mean that the district is adopting and supporting curriculum that honors multiple identities without stereotyping or judgment. The district should make it a regular practice to review district policies to ensure they are being implemented equitably and reflect what the community needs. And the most important practice to ensuring inclusion is to get to know the community and the district families, to show that the schools are engaged and value the diversity in the community.
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?
In general, to attract high quality teachers, districts need to be committed to the professionalism of the teaching profession. Teachers are incredibly important to a community and need to be paid as such--teacher salaries need to be higher, with competitive benefits, to be in line with the amount of training and preparation teachers need to be certified. But almost as important as salaries and benefits, teachers need to be supported and trusted to do their jobs. Districts need to stand up to unnecessary book bans and curricular censorship and trust the professional judgment of their staff. Addressing inclusivity in the ways that I mentioned above will ensure that our district has a reputation for being a welcoming place for all students, families, which can attract teachers of color. Since teachers of color are often unfairly criticized and subject to having their professionalism questioned more so than white teachers, districts need to “walk the walk” with their support for their staff.