Key West attorney Darren Horan and local foster mother Gabrielle Brown are vying to represent District 1 on the Monroe County School Board.
There is no incumbent in the race, as board member Bobby Highsmith decided not to seek reelection.
School board races are nonpartisan, but Gov. Ron DeSantis drew significant attention recently, when he endorsed more than 20 county school board candidates who support his education agenda. Charlie Crist, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, followed suit shortly thereafter and endorsed less conservative candidates.
Horan received DeSantis’ endorsement.
The Keys Weekly asked both candidates to answer the following four questions in 100 words or fewer:
- Key West & Lower Keys families soon will have a choice of 4 high schools on the island — the traditional public high school, two charter high schools and a Catholic high school. What do you see as the pros and cons of four high schools competing for teachers, students and funding in a relatively small geographic region?
- What effect do you see the Parental Rights & Education bill having on the way students are taught?
- Are Monroe County schools providing enough security to its students and adequate communication to parents when issues arise? Why or why not?
- What proposal would you bring forth to better attract and retain teachers in the Keys?
DARREN HORAN
Age: 43
Occupation: Attorney
- Pros: School Choice. These schools will provide a diverse option for students, parents and teachers. For example, for those that would like a “faith-based” high school education, that will now be available to them. Cons: With limited workforce housing, I fear there won’t be enough teachers to go around. Students could be forced to move from school to school depending on which program offers them something for their field of study. For example, one school may have teachers that teach Advanced Placement (“AP”) courses, while others may not.
2. I don’t think you’re likely to see much of a change in Monroe County. The Parental Rights in Education bill is simply going to allow parents more input into what their kids are learning. The reality is, the Monroe County School District has been operating in a fashion like this for years.
3. I think the school district has done a great job in keeping our students and teachers safe from serious threats. Is there room for improvement?Certainly, but we need to continue to work with our local law enforcement agencies to make sure the district has provided our kids and teachers with the best protection we can give them. And, in the event of a threat or perceived threat, the district needs to keep the community updated as information comes in – whether through social media posts or emails to parents or significant others.
4. The Keys will always be attractive for educators, but there is one crucial thing that is going to help retain teachers in the Keys — housing. The ability to teach and live in the Keys — without having to take on a second or third job — is critical to retaining quality educators. Providing teachers and staff with workforce housing allows them to focus, primarily, on education.
GABRIELLE BROWN
Age: 50
Occupation: Foster mother
1. Monroe County School District is presented with an opportunity to create three district high schools that each cater to a unique educational track. The community’s input should be considered carefully. A few possibilities include a high school for college-bound students, one for skilled trade & labor, one for general education, one for liberal arts, one for STEM, etc. Other districts employing this strategy are able to attract and retain extremely dedicated teachers that are passionate about their specialty. Yes, this will require additional funds, but I believe the long term benefits to our community outweigh budget concerns.
2. As elected officials, the school board should represent the needs of its community. Parents have the right to be involved in the decision-making process regarding the education of their children. The Parental Rights in Education bill will create greater transparency and input for parents to be involved in the education of their children, including what should be a function of the education system, and what decisions should be the fundamental responsibility and right of parents.
3. While we are fortunate to live in a relatively safe region, there is room for security improvements to be made, and our superintendent is working with the sheriff to make those improvements. Parents have expressed their dissatisfaction with our district schools when it comes to timely communication about ongoing safety issues, and that needs improvement.
4. The state limits each Florida school district’s total budget. Being that Monroe has the highest cost of living in the state, we need to work with our state officials to increase our budget so we can pay our teachers enough to be able to live in the Keys, and enough to compete with other districts. Outside of our state-allocated budget, there are potential programs the district may be eligible for such as a teacher housing stipend grant. Also, MCSD should strive to work with our local governments to acquire, build and provide more affordable housing.
