Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
The Anderson Observer is interviewing school board members in contested races who were willing to discuss why they might be a good candidate.
This interview is with Dustin Williams, who is running for the Anderson School Dist. 4, Area 4 board.
1. Why are you running for the Anderson School Dist. 4 board?
The first reason that drove me to consider running for school board is my family. My wife is a teacher, and my children attend school in district 4. It’s very important to me that they receive all the support they need to succeed. I have strong values that I share with many members of the community. As a parent, I believe our classrooms must remain focused on what matters most. I believe that to be educational outcomes of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and history. Students deserve classrooms that minimize distractions and provide the foundation they need to succeed in college, pursue high paying careers, and become productive members of our community. I also believe parents must have a meaningful role in their children’s education. Parents are key in their children’s success, and parental rights must be respected and protected. There are important conversations that parents should have with their children. Schools should respect the role of parents and work alongside families not undermine their ability to guide their children.
2. What experience and or education make you a good candidate for the board?
I am a proud graduate of Pendleton High School (Class of 2004). I also graduated from Tri-County Tech and Southern Wesleyan. I am a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and still a member of the military with over two decades of service. I have held numerous leadership roles throughout my military career. I have managed budgets, undergone audits, written policies, and enforced policies. I understand the factors and laws that shape policies. I take a common sense approach to problems considering numerous solutions with an eye on the second and third order effects of the decision. I am thoughtful and I am passionate about the work I do. The people I most value in the world and the community I love are directly affected by the decisions made on the school board. This gives me a personal stake in ensuring the decisions I make were made carefully and responsibly.
3. What are the three most important responsibilities of a school board member?
I believe the three most important responsibilities are student achievement (educational outcomes), financial stewardship, and holding the superintendent accountable.
Student achievement is paramount to community success. Our goal should be for our students to achieve success at the highest levels. I want to ensure students have a strong foundation so they can step into the next stage of life ready for success. Whether that’s college, a high paying career, public safety, or military service. At the end of the day, our students will become productive members of society. This is done through reduced distractions in the classroom. Recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers. Lastly, appropriate investments that support the educational outcomes that we seek.
As taxpayers, we are always concerned with how our tax dollars are spent. This is where good financial stewardship comes into play. It is my belief that board members must be good stewards of the money entrusted to the district for school operations and capital projects. Expenses must be directly related to student achievement and developing that foundation I spoke about earlier. We must distinguish between the needs and wants of the district. As a taxpayer, I don’t want to see my taxes increase. Our mils went down this year. Several variables may have played into that such as growth in the area spreading the burden or the new high school project coming in under budget. I would like to see those decreases continue. We shouldn’t increase the budget just because we can.
Lastly, our superintendent is the lead representative of the school and the board members represent the people. The board provides oversight for the superintendent and the district. One of the main roles of the school board is to hire, evaluate, support, and ensure the superintendent is held accountable. I have managed many people throughout my career. I am not afraid to ask questions that penetrate the surface of an issue or challenge assumptions behind recommendations. I ask questions directly and intentionally to ensure I fully understand the information before making a decision. I am also not afraid to raise a red flag when I feel something is not practical, unethical, or inconsistent with our responsibilities to the students and community.
4. What are the three greatest challenges facing Anderson School Dist. 4?
One challenge is pushing beyond the plateau of student achievement. District 4 has continued to improve since COVID but I believe there is more we can accomplish. Graduation rates are high and I believe the high school had their largest graduating class last year. In athletics, you see great progress in the beginning but then you hit that plateau. It is very challenging to push through but it is possible!
Financial stewardship will always be at the forefront of the taxpayer’s mind. No one likes paying taxes. The challenge is finding the balance between the needs of the district to provide high quality education while ensuring that the taxpayer isn’t saddled with a greater burden than necessary.
Management of facilities and assets. With the completion of the new high school, the district now has a vacant middle school. Decisions must be made on how to go forward with the use of that property. Whatever the decision, it must be done with consideration of how it affects the taxpayer and the surrounding community. Additionally, along with stewardship of funds we must care and maintain all of our facilities to ensure they continue to serve our students safely and effectively. Good stewardship means looking beyond the initial costs of a project and considering its long term maintenance.
5. Will you work toward and support the extension of the capital sales tax for schools? Why or why not?
First and foremost, as a voter I am undecided. I would prefer to not see increases in my property tax (mils). I also prefer that debts be paid back. The “penny tax” helps shift some of the burden to visitors and other people who shop in Anderson County, not just solely Anderson County residents. The penny tax is an 80/20 split. 80% is used for capital improvements and 20% is used to pay debt service on bonds (loans). I believe we have been paying that tax for several years. I think everyone has seen improvements at our schools. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not the referendum is put on the ballot resides the elected officials on the Anderson County Board of Education. The County Board of Education is the body who distributes those funds to the districts based on enrollment. For that reason, I can’t blindly throw my support for or against a referendum that hasn’t been presented yet. I use the philosophy that you sometimes need to let the situation develop and examine the options so that you don’t make knee jerk decisions; however, like many voters, I will ensure that I am fully informed before I make a decision.
6. How would you meet the challenge of working with board members with whom you disagree?
I go on the idea that disagreement doesn’t mean disrespect. I can respectfully disagree with other members of the board while still maintaining a solid team environment. I have also learned there are many ways to achieve goals. Applying a little creative thinking to a problem may allow for resolution on both sides. Do I have areas and issues that I won’t compromise on? Absolutely! I will not support decisions that will compromise my integrity, morals, values, or ethics. Everyone has something to contribute to solutions. I will intentionally listen to the other members of the board with the belief that they too are acting in the best interest of the people they represent. My goal is to work through disagreements respectfully with a focus on what is best for the students, teachers, and the community.
7. Do you see the role of school board member as a proxy vote for those who elect you or are a public trust to do what’s best for the district no matter the political consequences?
I think to say you are a proxy vote for the people you represent is very difficult. Our community is diverse. Everyone values different things and everyone has a list of issues they set before others. I believe elected officials are entrusted with the responsibility that they will act in the best interest of the community. I think issues that are contentious are always going to result in political consequences. What I can guarantee is that I will listen, carefully consider the issues vote for what I believe are in the interest of the community and I will do it with the community at my heart.
8. There has been talk of making school board elections, which are currently non-partisan, into partisan elections. Do you support this change? Why or why not?
You are referring to the question that was on one of the previous ballots. I am undecided. The decision would affect me personally. Service members have many restrictions that may prevent them from running for partisan office. If they were to make the school board partisan, I would be unable to run in the future should I decide to run again. That being said, if the majority of people prefer partisan seats then I’m ok. I am just one person with a unique issue. I understand that by making it partisan it may give you clear view on the candidates’ stand on some issues. At the same time, I don’t know that it’s necessary either to make the school boards partisan. Because I can see both sides of the argument, I am undecided. I will continue to diligent in ensuring I am informed.
9. What else do voters need to know about you as a person?
I love my family more than anything else in the world. It is because of this I am completely invested in the future of our school district. I believe that integrity, values, ethics and service to one another are the foundation of a good person. I have lived a life of service. I volunteer at our local fire department. I volunteer to coach soccer with the YMCA. I serve my country with pride. I have an unwavering love for this community. I hope that people will put their trust in me and vote Dustin Williams for Anderson County School District 4 Area 4 Board of Trustees.
