CitizenMcCord.com began life as my campaign website when I ran for the Charlottesville City School Board in the summer of 2007. I did not win that election, but what I learned about the local electoral process I hope to transfer to this new site. For the historical record, I have preserved the original front page of this site below.
My name is Sean McCord. I have lived in Charlottesville since 1991. My wife is a music teacher. We have three children. On June 5 2007, I officially declared my candidacy for the Charlottesville City School Board.The state of education today stands at a pivotal point. Our changing world is putting new demands on students and teachers. Leading our schools will require a new vision. I have three children of my own in city schools — Johnson, Walker, and Buford — and I enter this race with these proposals to help shape the future of all our students.
I stand for new approaches to disciplinary issues. We need to offer strong alternatives for schools to deal with disruptive behavior, and at the same time, get students involved in their own disciplinary process. I propose that we launch a student judiciary board at Charlottesville High School, a panel made up of students nominated by teachers and elected by their peers. Students would act as counselors and jury, learning important lessons about advocacy and personal responsibility. When students are involved in their own discipline, they feel included in and respected by their school system.
I stand for a renewed outreach to our own community. This city is home to some of the most respected names in math, science, art, and history. I propose a program to reach out and invite these great scholars into our schools. Let us say, “Come teach these eager young minds the things you’ve learned in your distinguished career. Come share your passions and your skills.” By improving our relationship with the University of Virginia and the academic community, we open the door to making this great wealth of knowledge available to our children.
I stand for finding creative solutions to help fund our schools. Tax revenue is volatile; I grew up in California in the 1970s, and I saw first-hand how schools suffer when property taxes change. That’s why I propose we form a capital campaign to supplement our school funding, a sustained program to bring in private donations, business contributions, endowments and scholarships to support our schools through good times and bad.
Finally, I stand for completely open government. The School Board is truly a citizen board, and as a member, it’s important to hear your ideas and your concerns. As a School Board member, I will continue to use this webspace as a forum for discussions with you about issues and initiatives within the school system and our community.
