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The following letter was written by Jennifer Lima, a North Kingstown School Committee member. Jennifer is seeking re-election and is endorsed by the NKDTC. Lima's letter may be read online and/or in the September 5 print edition of The Independent.
When I ran for office in 2020, I made it clear that I believe every student, no matter their learning level, should have equitable access to the opportunities and services that an NKSD education provides. I emphasized that our classrooms must be places where anti-racism is actively taught and is an expected part of the learning culture. Additionally, I opposed the district operating on a shoestring budget, because I know that schools providing a full, well-rounded education benefit the entire town.
I’m proud to say that I’ve stayed true to these principles during my time on the School Committee. If re-elected for another term in 2024, my goals include increasing student voice and involvement at all levels, closing academic gaps among student subgroups, improving our school buildings to make them more equitable, accessible, sustainable, and safe for learning, and expanding mental health and LGBTQ+ resources.
Some people have called me an activist or accused me of having an agenda. Both of those things are true. Being an activist means taking action for causes you care deeply about. An agenda is a list of things to be considered or done. Every candidate should have causes they care about and things they hope to accomplish. After all, why run for office if you’re not going to do anything once you’re there?
There are towns that have non-partisan elections for school committees but North Kingstown is not one of them. Until or unless that changes, I am proud to run as a Democrat. It’s important to note that even in non-partisan elections that political affiliations still exist — they are just omitted from the ballot.
* To view this full letter, pick up a copy of this week's Independent on newsstands now or purchase a subscription to our E-Edition by clicking here.
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