Dr. Laura Detre Running For West Chester Area School Board

Pennsylvania's Primary Election is May 18. Laura Detre is running for West Chester Area School District's Board of Directors in Region 3. Her years of teaching college have shown her much about preparing high school students, she said.

She explained why she is running for election.

Laura Detre

Age: 46

Position Sought: School Director for West Chester Area School District, Region 3

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Family: Joseph Moser, 46, Vroni, 15, who attends Bayard Rustin High School, and Walter, 11, who attends Stetson Middle School.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: No

Education: University of Maine, Master's Degree and Doctorate in History; Hiram College, Bachelor of Arts.

Occupation: Historian, 17 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: None

Why are you seeking elective office?: I think we need new voices on our board and my background in higher education gives me unique insights into student success after high school.

The single most pressing issue facing our school district is: ensuring that every member of our school community — students, families, teachers, and taxpayers — is heard and that we provide the best possible education to all. Schools should be the center of our community and need to be responsive to the needs of our diverse population.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?: I have experience as both a parent and an educator. I have taught college-level courses for more than 20 years and most of my classes have been designed for first-year students. As a result, I've had the opportunity to see the ways in which college freshmen are well prepared for higher education and the ways in which they struggle. As a board member, I would be well-positioned to help our district build a curriculum that teaches the skills, such as research and writing, that are most important for success in college.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the district?: My goal is to run a positive campaign and talk to voters about my strengths. The incumbent members of our board are well-intentioned but have moved slowly to make improvements to our schools and have been reluctant to ask hard questions of our administrators. If I were elected I would not be a rubber stamp for any particular agenda but would listen to our community and prioritize the interest of students above all.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform: These would be my three highest priorities as a board member: Foster diversity and inclusion; Create schools that are responsive to their communities; Build a modern curriculum that prepares students for the future.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?: I have been a passionate volunteer for many years. Within WCASD schools, I have volunteered with Art Goes to School, run the school store and mileage club as Westtown-Thornbury ES, and volunteered in the libraries both at WTE and at Stetson MS. I have also been a leader with my daughter's Girl Scout troop, den leader for my son's Cub Scout pack, and now a committee member for BSA Troop 149. Most recently, I have volunteered at COVID-19 vaccine clinics with the Chester County Medical Reserve Corps.

The best advice ever shared with me was: My dissertation advisor told me that the best thing a teacher could do when they didn't know the answer was to be honest about that and to work with the student to find the answer. Not knowing something isn't a failing, but being unwilling to admit to a gap in your knowledge and take the opportunity to grow is.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?: Above all, I want to be responsive to my community. I don't expect to agree with everyone but I do want to hear as many points of view as possible and I pledge that my decisions will always be made carefully and with students' needs at the center of the process.

Laura Detre's campaign website can be viewed here.