Thank you to Nikki Snyder for providing a written response to our questionnaire to help parents and citizens vett the candidates for State Board of Education (SBE). The responses of other candidates will be published as they become available. PLEASE NOTE: Stop Common Core in Michigan does NOT endorse candidates.
Nikki Snyder State Board of Education Candidate Questionnaire Answers
1. Many parents complain that the members of the State Board of Education are not accessible to them. How do you propose to remain accessible to parents and citizens if elected?
Upon election, I will remain accessible through social media and by phone and email. I plan to respond promptly and will develop a routine to respond accordingly.
2. Have you been endorsed or received funding from special interests or lobby groups such as GLEP?
I have not been endorsed or received any funding from any special interest group.
3. Governor Snyder articulated a vision for Michigan education that is no longer K12 but from P-20 from “Prenatal to life-long learning.” Do you support a P20 vision for education in Michigan?
P-20 is of particular concern.
As a parent, I feel that I know what is best for my children. I listen, learn and research the recommendations and options that are available to my child, but ultimately, I am my child’s first educator and I am also his/her primary source of love. It is in the first years that my children have learned that this home is a place of refuge and of support. Through this first relationship, my child understands the world in an endearing way. Without it, I am simply the chosen adult to provide food and shelter. This relationship, connection and support that I provide is far more important than any educational goal available, although I am providing education necessary of basic growth and development as well. I have personally appreciated and cherished these years with my children.
Every child is an individual that grows/develops/learns at a different pace and in a different passion. This means that children need space and time to do so. It also means that young adults need not know exactly what they are “meant to do” right away or that they must go to college if you will. If the goal of education is to truly embrace differences, foster individuality in learning and achievement and encourage success and innovation, then we would understand that the collection of such data must not be a priority or hinder this process.
4. Do you support adoption of the LGBTQ guidelines as provided by the MDE?
I do not support the LGBTQ Guidelines as presented by the MDE. I have a number of posts, public comments and participation at SBOE meetings that support my opposition to these guidelines. While I lead and live with love, I am not afraid to speak up. All children matter. Safety for all.
5. In December of 2015, the State Board of Education adopted a set of seven goals for Michigan “Making Michigan A Top Ten State in Ten Years.” According to State Superintendent Brian Whiston, these goals are the motivation for the LGBTQ guidelines and many other controversial reforms related to workforce development/competency-based education. Do you support the goals articulated in their initiative, “Making Michigan a Top Ten State in Ten Years?” (https://stopcommoncoreinmichigan.com/2016/05/goal-political-agenda-michigan-
top- 10-10-years/)
I am frustrated with the Top 10 in 10 goals. Much of my website highlights what I think educational goals in Michigan should look like and relate them to the focus I believe these goals should have. Considering the fact that Top 10 in 10 has been used instead to support the LGBTQ Guidance Proposal, which does not define safety for all at risk populations, and it has been used for workforce development/competency-based education reforms that do not promote or encourage individual success or achievement, I would be prepared to address how 10 in 10 needs to reflect realistic goals for Michigan students, like reading literacy, community-based programs that support local control, budget transparency and tracking special education dollars.
6. Do you support Governor Snyder’s creation of the 21st Century Education Commission?
I see where the 21st Century Education Commission seeks to meet the goals of student achievement as compared with current data that illustrates a serious lack thereof, yet there is a theme that I continue to see in education today and that is the focus on the global economy. This is concerning to me and I do not support the notion that we are educating our children to compete in a global economy. I feel that we need to focus on the health and vitality of our communities and state and get this economy right. As we continue to focus on global economic initiative, we take on more and more problems that are not our own. Not that we cannot serve others, if you will, but we cannot intentionally tie ourselves to them for economic gain only. After reading the document below and considering how short the lifespan of this Commission has been, I cannot claim much of the Commission’s goals, other than to be at the ready to question the process and outcome of how they intend to increase student achievement through the Commission’s efforts. At the last SBOE meeting, the Commission appeared to be a force that would remain functional through the various legislation that comes and goes in education, i.e.: NCLB, ESSA. Reading literacy is a current goal of the Commission and I intend to follow the progress.
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/snyder/EO_2016-6_518573_7.pdf
7. The Michigan State Board of Education is considering the adoption of new social studies standards. Do you support the C3 Framework for Social Studies or any set of “Michigan standards” using the C3 Framework as the foundation?
The current team overseeing the Social Studies standards include Sen. Pat Colbeck, someone I trust in standing for what is best for our kids. If the end result is not something I agree with, I won’t have a problem initiating a motion to submit change or vote against the adoption of the standards.
I have researched the Social Studies Standards based on C3 Framework and I have serious reservations that would cause me to take charge against the proposed standards based on this exact framework.
My central disagreement with C3 Framework can be contrasted with this quote from the C3 Framework Document:
“Young people need strong tools for, and methods of, clear and disciplined thinking in order to traverse successfully the worlds of college, career and civic life.”
I look at it an entirely different way. Young people have tools for, and need to be challenged to learn their strengths and weaknesses, to develop discipline and critical thinking in order to individually succeed in relationships, family, community and civic life.
My definition of the education goals in social studies focus on the value of individual potential playing a purposeful role in the collective efforts of relationships, family and community and the responsibility of civic life. This is a stark contrast from politicians invested in globalizing education altogether for economic purposes.
Take a look at one outcome according to C3 Framework:
D2.Eco.15.9-12
By the end of Grade 12, students will: “Explain how current globalization trends and policies affect economic growth, labor markets, rights of citizens, the environment, and resource and income distribution in different nations.”
This outcome struggles greatly to demonstrate the value of relationships, family and community. If we think income distribution is a problem in our own country, imagine the problems that will arise when we confuse our children with the values of income distribution that will exist when the financially elite have a global playground of labor and product. As I question these standards, I question the direction our political leadership is going with education and economy altogether. I believe Hilary Clinton will quickly flip on the TPP upon election in the spirit of global economy. I want my kids, and your kids, to lead our economy based on education that values our communities first with giving hearts that are not responsible or accountable to other governments or countries education/economies.
8. Do you support a parents right to opt-out of an assignment, survey, assessment, or data collection which the parents deem inappropriate or a violation of their privacy?
I support parents rights! I will always support parental rights. A parent has every right to opt their child out of assignment, survey, assessment, or data collection based on their decision. Period.
9. In April, a bill to repeal and replace Common Core, science, social studies, and aligned assessments was introduced into the Michigan House (HB 5444) and Senate (SB 826). Do you support HB 5444/SB 826 as introduced and passed out of the Senate Education Committee.
I support SB 826 and hope to see it pass. Here are my comments on SB 826, previously sent to another constituent interested in my comments regarding SB 826 early in my campaign:
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be properly vetted as a Candidate for State Board of Education. You’ve asked me to comment on SB 826, which is currently being amended and I understand there is a great deal of contention around this. Here is my general opinion of the exact verbiage of the bill before amendments that have been made are available. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2015-2016/billintroduced/Senate/pdf/2016-SIB-0826.pdf
- TO FURTHER PROTECT STATE AND LOCAL CONTROL OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, THE STATE BOARD AND THE DEPARTMENT ARE PROHIBITED FROM ADOPTING, ALIGNING TO, OR IMPLEMENTING ANY OTHER NATIONAL OR MULTISTATE CONSORTIUM STANDARDS FROM ANY SOURCE OR REQUIRING THE USE OF ANY ASSESSMENTS ALIGNED WITH ANY OTHER NATIONAL OR MULTISTATE CONSORTIUM STANDARDS FROM ANY SOURCE I absolutely support state and local control of public education.
- RESPECT AND SUPPORT THE ULTIMATE RIGHT OF A PARENT TO OPT HIS OR HER CHILD OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOL, AND OUT OF ANY PUBLIC SCHOOL ACTIVITY, PRACTICE, OR TESTING THAT THE PARENT FINDS UNACCEPTABLE, WITH NO NEGATIVE REPERCUSSIONS TO, OR FINANCIAL IMPACT ON, THE CHILD, PARENT, OR SCHOOL AND WITH NO INTERFERENCE FROM THIS STATE. I wholeheartedly support a parent’s right to opt out of public school. It is very possible my husband and I will exercise this right in the future for courses that carry social consequence. I also support parent’s rights to opt their child out of high-stakes testing without negative repercussions. As it currently stands, some districts have communicated that their child could be removed from the school district the following year if they opt out. This bill would correct that.
- SHALL TAKE ALL STEPS NECESSARY TO TERMINATE AREAS OF FEDERAL CONTROL OF THE MICHIGAN EDUCATIONAL PROCESS. The Federal Government should not control the Michigan Educational Process. If I were to make any amendments, I would be quite specific about what steps Michigan needs to take to remove this control. Remove reliance on Federal Funds to start and begin the process of working with Congress to defund the DOE.
- NOT EARLIER THAN 5 YEARS AFTER THE ADOPTION OF THE STANDARDS UNDER SUBDIVISION (B), ADOPT NEW STATEWIDE ACADEMIC CONTENT STANDARDS This is an important part that most skip over. After the fight over Common Core is over, it is key that whatever we adopt, we practice consistency. If we really do care about academic achievement and teacher preparation and how our local school districts and states fare overall in education, we will give them something to work with, learn, make mistakes and grow. The MA Standards were proven. Let’s put these standards to work and stop pulling the rug out from underneath our kids and teachers.
I also appreciate the focus on assessments not being tied to standards, however, we should look at MA further even now. They have adopted Common Core Standards and they didn’t adopt the testing that MI did. They chose to stick with their testing. So, we are all pretty in the dark even in our greatest opposition of Common Core Standards. Ultimately, I appreciate not being tied to a National assessment that is tied to Federal Funds – and we are back to my amendment of being specific in how we plan to go about terminating Federal control. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/04/30/a-revealing-new-twist-in-the-common-core-state-standards-controversy/
Finally, I appreciate that it gives local control to curriculum, that the curriculum cannot be construed to promote religious or nonreligious doctrine, and that no data can be collected on a child that will follow them in any way.
Additional Comments from Nikki Snyder which were not a part of the questionnaire.
10.I have been asked many times what my stance is on vaccines in schools. While I have a personal stance on vaccines, I go back to who I am in my efforts to fight for parental rights. I believe that every parent knows what is best for their child and they need to be given the rights to exercise those decisions that reflect that right. Personally, I have chosen to vaccinate my children with the primary childhood vaccinations on an alternative schedule. However, I do not vaccinate my children yearly for the flu because of the lack of evidence of the benefit of asking an immune system response yearly and long term and the effectiveness of those vaccines year-to-year. There is a reason we do not vaccinate the immunocompromised. Further, I will not vaccinate my children with the hpv vaccine based on data and risk. I believe in anecdotal data and I believe that parents should make the choices that are best for them. Risk is ours, as parents, to weigh. I have fought this fight so much that I was required to wear a mask when I refused the flu shot as a nurse at the University of Michigan during the flu season. This did not deter me from making the decision that was best for me and based on my own previous immune response. I have stood up to my own profession and employer and fought for these rights before and I am not afraid to stand up for your rights too.
11.There are many themes that will remain consistent and define what kind of educational leader I am. Local Control. Parental Rights. Resisting Federal Dollars. Tracking ISD/Local Funds. Tracking Special Education Dollars. Safety for All. All Kids Matter. Community-Based Success. Teacher Preparedness. Student Achievement.