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Commitment Based on Experience and Expertise

 Who’s the CANDIDATE behind the glasses? 

  • INCUMBENT STATE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
  • High school English teacher with administrative license
  • Former State Board of Education employee/attorney
  • Attorney in private practice specializing in education law since 2015
  • Mother of 3 grown children and 8 grandchildren
  • Lifetime public education advocate and volunteer.

Janet Cannon Supports Carol Lear

Board member and NASBE Chair Janet Cannon supports Carol Lear to represent District 6

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Core Beliefs I Support

1

Public education funding:

Yes, public education funding should be increased (Utah is 49-50th in public ed funding in US, depending on the day and 10th in the US in per/person funding for roads). And equally important, funds as distributed to school districts and charter schools should be as FLEXIBLE as possible. This would allow local boards (both traditional and charter) to choose to dedicate more funding to teacher salaries and less to chrome books. Or more to class size reduction and less to enhanced facilities.

2

Local control:

I support local control, especially at the local board level. I believe that locally elected board members (and I believe that charter schools should be required to have at least two parent-elected board members) should make most of the decisions for their districts and/or schools.

3

IDEA funding:

I support the idea that funding for students with disabilities (both state funds and federal funds) should be directly focused on students with disabilities who generate the funds. Of course an aide or a paraprofessional who is hired to support a student with a disability could also be helpful to and aware of other students’ questions and behavior. The focus should be dedicated to the student to whom the aide is assigned.

4

Schools as community centers:

I support the idea that schools are community centers. This may necessitate directing more state funding to districts with lower taxing capacity. Healthy and supported schools benefit all community members.

5

Public education money is sacred:

Public schools spend public money. Some accountability for student learning and some “red tape,” “strings” and informed auditing practices applied to schools evenly are necessary and justified.

6

The law:

Public schools should follow the law. This includes US and state Constitutional principles, federal and state law, laws made by court decisions and Utah State Board of Education administrative rules. These laws should not be evaluated by public votes or determined by “likes” on social media.

7

The whole child: 

As much as we might want it to be so, teachers cannot teach academics to children who are angry, hungry or desperately despondent. Schools have some responsibility for addressing these social problems.

I am committed

to work with public schools to build consensus with the State Board. I will encourage teachers, as professionals, to be involved in policy making at the local and State levels. We must have increased revenue for better teacher salaries and enhanced professional development.