Candidate Profile: Susan Padgett-Harrison For Cherokee School Board D6

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — Three candidates are running for Cherokee County School Board District 6 in the May 24 General Primary Election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as the primary draws near.

Susan Padgett-Harrison is running for Cherokee County School Board District 6.

<b>Name</b>

Susan K Padgett-Harrison

<b>Campaign website</b>

https://VoteSusanPH.com

<b>City or town of residence</b>

Canton

<b>Office sought</b>

School Board, Post 6

<b>Party affiliation</b>

Republican

<b>Education</b>

EDD Educational Leadership, UGA; EDS Educational Leadership, UGA, MED, Educational Leadership, Georgia State, BS Social Studies Education, Kennesaw State University

<b>Occupation</b>

Adjunct Professor, Piedmont University

<b>Family</b>

Widow of David Harrison, with 3 children and 8 grandchildren

<b>Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?</b>

One daughter teachers elementary in the district and one son teaches high school

<b>Age</b>

68

<b>Previous public office, appointive or elective</b>

Chairman, Board of Recreation 1984-88, Canton Zoning Commission 2017-2018, Canton Public Safety Committee, 2020-2022

<b>Why are you seeking this office?</b>

I was an employee of the Cherokee County School District for 29 years and myself, my children and my grandchildren have all attended Cherokee County Schools. While no organization has a perfect track record on decision-making, I believe my experience and education around the state with other districts that this is one of the very best in terms of content and services delivered to students. As someone who did and taught data analysis for 15 years, my opinion is based on facts and not just emotion, national news of what other districts may be doing in other areas.

<b>Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.</b>

Understanding the power parents have to question our curriculum, our teaching and all elements of running a multimillion dollar organization. Most parents are not aware of their access to information and their ability to request alternate assignments or books if they do not agree with the teacher or principal on an assignment. The district needs to communicate more effectively with parents. The information from curriculum to finances is on the website, but most parents are not aware of this, so we need to find new ways to ensure information is shared.

<b>What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?</b>

I know how to fix the areas that need to be improved because I have been a parapro, a teacher, an assistant principal at a high school, a principal at a high school, and a cabinet member Director at the District Office. I know the law, the terminology, and the channels to make change. Other candidates are proposing to do things that are illegal under Georgia Law. The Board works as a collaborative unit to write the most effective policy, not micromanage the daily running of schools. That is an accreditation violation that could be very costly to parents, students, and property owners.

<b>If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?</b>

Not applicable

<b>What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?</b>

Civility - teaching our children how to enact change and question institutions without destroying them. For example, a few public safety individuals gave the job a bad name, which led to a massive misunderstanding of the majority of public safety works and a defunding of public safety. I do not want to see that happen to public education with these disruptive, angry, disrespectful displays that have already caused 400,000 teachers nationwide to leave the profession. The foundations of teaching democracy is through public education, and I do not want that endangered through a national disinformation campaign. While that may be happening in some places, it is not happening here and the state of Georgia and local policy is banning some of the concepts such as Critical Race Theory that do not belong in public schools. Democracy gives parents the right to homeschool, private school or have their children attend public school. The majority of citizens choose public school, and we must work to maintain the highest levels of academic rigor and transparency. And this district does that.

<b>What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?</b>

Almost 40 years in the business in a variety of positions such as teacher and principal, but teaching Educational Leadership for the last 10 years has made me uniquely qualified in HR, finance, curriculum, climate and law to ensure this great system continues to soar even higher.

<b>What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?</b>

You can't change an institution from the outside, you have to be on the inside to know how it works. Jack Welch the famous CEO of GE said that "when the rate of change outside an organization is greater on the outside than the inside, it is a dying organization. I know the changes we need to make and those include improved communication and an equally balanced opportunity for students who are college bound as those who choose career tracks, as well as offer services to our special needs students to maximize their potential.

<b>Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?</b>

I have been an active volunteer in five organizations in this community for over 30 years. My faith and church membership have taught me the best leaders are servant leaders. I will continue investing my time and skills in education to benefit our students and my community.