We are seeing a rise in the prevalence of mental health issues among Kansas teens. Kansas is presently ranked last out of all the states in terms of access to mental health resources. As a member of the Board of Education, Jesse will prioritize the adoption and funding of contextual behavioral health programs that meet the specific needs of each family and student in USD259. Additionally, Jesse will emphasize the inclusion of classes that promote mental well-being and prevent the onset of serious mental illness.
Common forms of punishment like detention and suspension are outdated. While sometimes necessary, these types of punishment often do not prevent future misbehavior. Jesse will support the use of evidence-based policies aimed at changing our students’ negative behaviors and encouraging positive behaviors. Jesse will also advocate for the implementation of restorative practices and elimination of the use of School Resource Officers.
We are facing a teacher shortage in Kansas. In the 2022-2023 school year, there were 1400 open teaching positions. Teachers are overburdened with large class sizes, long hours, and instructional expenses for which they receive no reimbursement. Their stress and burnout have only been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jesse would support a significant increase in the base pay of all teachers and other staff in the district, as well as hiring more paraeducators and providing more financial support for classroom supplies. This would increase teacher retention rates in our schools.
Many parents are not aware of the rights that their children have as students in a public school. Jesse will support the implementation of an outreach effort by the school district to inform parents about their children’s rights as guaranteed by federal and state law.
Jesse will support efforts to make new and existing buildings in the school district more energy efficient by turning to renewable energy sources including solar, wind, and geothermal. By switching to renewable energy sources, Wichita Public Schools will dramatically decrease its energy expenses. Schools in other parts of the country have already saved millions of dollars by installing renewable energy grids. Neighboring school districts (Maize and Derby) have already installed or committed to installing solar grids at their schools. Furthermore, the installation and maintenance of these energy grids would be a valuable learning opportunity for the students of Wichita Public Schools.
Currently, Wichita Public Schools guarantees transportation to students who live at least 2.5 miles from their school. This lack of transportation for students can result in a multitude of negative outcomes. Just in January of this year, three children were kidnapped while walking between home and school. Guaranteeing transportation will ensure that children are able to safely travel between home and school, avoiding tragedies such as this. Guaranteed transportation will also increase student performance by helping to ensure students show up for class and receive adequate sleep.
Childhood and adolescence are key stages in the development of one’s identity, and the students of USD 259 deserve the ability to explore and express themselves without the threat of bigotry. Jesse’s aim is for Wichita Public Schools to be seen as a secure and welcoming environment regardless of race/color, ethnicity, religion, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, disability, etc.
Every election cycle, the United Teachers of Wichita sends a survey to all of the candidates for the Board of Education. This survey touches on many important topics that the Board must address. The document below includes Jesse's responses to the survey.
The Wichita Beacon regularly sends a survey to all of the candidates for the Board of Education. This survey consists of questions developed by everyday Wichitans. The document below includes Jesse's responses to the survey. Each response was limited to 150 words.
You can also view the article written by the Beacon's Trace Salzbrenner here:
https://wichitabeacon.org/stories/2023/07/12/wichita-school-board-candidates-2023/
The KMUW radio station sends out a survey to all of the candidates for the Board of Education. The document below includes Jesse's responses to the survey. Each response was limited to 100 words.
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The Wichita Eagle sends out a survey to all of the candidates for the Board of Education. The document below includes Jesse's responses to the survey. Each response was limited to 500 characters.
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Every election cycle, KSN creates a profile for all of the candidates for the Board of Education. This profile consists of interview questions and a short video created by the candidates. There is no limitation for length of response to the questions. You can find Jesse's KSN profile here:
You can also view Jesse's responses separately below, as well as the video.
Ballotpedia is a great resource to get information about candidates for any election. The link to Jesse's Ballotpedia page is below.
All rights reserved. Borosky for Board of Education.
Paid for by Jesse Borosky, candidate, and Kiel Corkran, treasurer.
© 2023