The Enquirer sent questions to all the candidates running for seats on the Northwest Local Schools’ Board of Education this November. There are four candidates running for three seats.
Current board members Christopher Heather and Nicole Taulbee are running for reelection alongside candidates Ciera Jones and Matt Tietsort. Jones did not complete The Enquirer’s questionnaire. The other three candidates did.
Their responses, which have been edited slightly for length, can be found below.
Christopher Heather
Age: 69
Hometown: Cincinnati
Years living in the district: 69
Education: 5. BA-UC and Doctorate, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland
Job: Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Do you have children? Do they attend public schools? No
Why are you running for a school board position? To put a common sense, taxpayer advocate on the Board.
What do you think is the district’s greatest strength? Greatest strength is our wonderful community and wonderful teachers and staff.
In what 2-3 areas would you like to see the district improve over the next 5 years? 1. Discipline. 2. Attendance. 3. Reading for our youngest students.
How would you work to improve communication and culture throughout the district and with parents and families? By offering a time, before each board meeting, for community members to meet individually with board members.
Should parents have the ability to prohibit their child from viewing content related to sexuality or gender identity at school? Yes.
What is your stance on parental notification in cases when a student requests to use a name or pronouns that don’t align with their sex assigned at birth? Parents should be notified.
What is your stance on requiring K-12 students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their sex assigned at birth? Students must use the bathroom of the gender that they were assigned at, at birth.
An Ohio law introduced this year bans diversity, equity and inclusion programs from the state’s colleges and universities. What is your stance on diversity, equity and inclusion programming in your district? We have had 50 years of DEI. Time to “put it to bed.”
What is your stance on the “Make America Healthy Again” movement and general pushback on vaccine mandates in K-12 schools? I like the “Make America Healthy” idea.
Do you support the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education? I am in favor of reducing the Department of Education, not completely eliminating it.
Would you be in favor of raising taxes to support the school district? Unsure about raising taxes until I see what new formulas the state comes up with. Definitely against an income tax to pay for schools.
Nicole Taulbee
Age: 46
Hometown: Cincinnati
Years living in the district: I have lived in the Northwest Local School District my entire life.
Education: I am a 1997 graduate of Colerain High School. I have an associates degree from Cincinnati State in Computer Science and my bachelor’s degree from Kaplan University.
Job: I have worked at Ameritas (formerly Union Central) for 25+ years. I am a Lead AI Product Owner in our Artificial Intelligence Office. I am also the Chairperson for our Community Involvement Council, partnering with Ameritas leadership and area charitable organizations on funding and volunteer opportunities.
Do you have children? Do they attend public schools? My husband, Tom (also a 1997 Colerain graduate), and I have three sons: Carson, a 2023 Colerain High School graduate and current junior at Mount St. Joseph University; Austin, a sophomore at Colerain High School; and Blake, a fifth grader at Colerain Elementary.
Why are you running for a school board position? I am proud to be running for a second term on the school board. As the only board member with school-aged children, I bring a perspective that keeps students and families at the center of every decision. Over the past four years, I have worked tirelessly to be a strong voice and liaison for both public and private school students, helping parents resolve concerns quickly and effectively. I am committed to continuing this work by championing transparency, accountability, and open communication to ensure our families and community remain informed and engaged.
What do you think is the district’s greatest strength? Our staff and families are the heart of our district and our greatest strengths. Each day, our dedicated staff go above and beyond to provide students with an excellent education and prepare them for bright futures. The pride our families and students have in our schools is evident – whether walking the halls, attending a music concert, or cheering at a sporting event. I also want to recognize our bus drivers, who play a vital role in our district by safely transporting more than 10,000 students to and from school each day, often while navigating challenging circumstances.
In what 2-3 areas would you like to see the district improve over the next 5 years? I would like to see our district continue to improve on our state report card, district transparency and trust within our community, and student behavior and discipline.
How would you work to improve communication and culture throughout the district and with parents and families? I will continue working to ensure transparency from our administrative team to the community – on everything from transportation to finances. I remain committed to collaborating with parents and district leaders to address concerns and find solutions. To strengthen communication, I introduced the Community–Board session, held 30 minutes before each board meeting, giving community members an opportunity to speak directly with a board member.
Should parents have the ability to prohibit their child from viewing content related to sexuality or gender identity at school? Yes, I believe parents should have the right to decide whether their child is exposed to content related to sexuality or gender ideology at school. Parents play the most important role in guiding their children on these sensitive topics, and schools should respect and support a family’s values by focusing on providing a strong academic foundation.
What is your stance on parental notification in cases when a student requests to use a name or pronouns that don’t align with their sex assigned at birth? I believe parents must be notified if their child requests to be identified as a gender different from their biological sex. Parents have the fundamental right to be involved in significant decisions affecting their child’s well-being, and schools should partner with families by ensuring open communication and transparency.
What is your stance on requiring K-12 students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their sex assigned at birth? I believe K–12 students should be required to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their biological sex. This policy protects student safety, privacy, and fairness, while also maintaining a clear and consistent standard across our schools. At the same time, schools can provide appropriate accommodations when needed, ensuring all students are treated with respect without compromising the rights and comfort of others.
An Ohio law introduced this year bans diversity, equity and inclusion programs from the state’s colleges and universities. What is your stance on diversity, equity and inclusion programming in your district? I believe our focus should be on providing every student with a high-quality education built on academics, responsibility, and respect. While higher education has moved away from mandated programs, I believe our schools should prioritize strong instruction in core subjects, transparency with families, and policies that treat all students fairly and equally. Our responsibility is to prepare students for success in life.
What is your stance on the “Make America Healthy Again” movement and general pushback on vaccine mandates in K-12 schools? “Make America Healthy Again” could help ensure that our students are healthier, more focused, and better prepared to learn. Improvements in nutrition, mental health, and preventive care directly support stronger attendance, higher achievement, and fewer classroom disruptions.
Do you support the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education? I recognize that there are both potential benefits and challenges in this proposal. Reducing federal oversight could streamline administrative processes, decrease paperwork, and provide schools with greater flexibility on testing and compliance. It could also allow education decisions to be made more effectively at the state and local level, closer to the students and communities they serve. At the same time, we must ensure that essential programs remain strong. I am also mindful that this shift could place additional responsibilities on our state government and potentially increase reliance on local levies to maintain critical services.
Would you be in favor of raising taxes to support the school district? As a public school district in Ohio, we rely significantly on our local community to support our schools. It is essential that we demonstrate fiscal responsibility and ensure that every dollar is spent wisely. This includes right-sizing our district and maximizing the use of our current facilities. While there may be times when additional funding is needed to support operational costs, any request to our community must be accompanied by careful budgeting and a clear plan for how resources are being used to benefit our students.
Matt Tietsort
Age: 54
Hometown: Colerain Township (Groesbeck)
Years living in the district: 53
Education: Northwest HS
Job: Retired
Do you have children? Yes Do they attend public schools? My wife and I have 4 boys whom graduated Colerain HS.
Why are you running for a school board position? I feel a call to serve and want to support the community. I want to see NWLSD thrive.
What do you think is the district’s greatest strength? Its staff and students.
In what 2-3 areas would you like to see the district improve over the next 5 years? I want to see NWLSD continue to improve its state test scores. I’d also like to see the district improve its transportation department.
How would you work to improve communication and culture throughout the district and with parents and families? I’d embrace the newest technology and APPs to keep the parents and families more easily informed. As I did on my previous term on the Board of Education, I would continue to attend school events and other community events to talk to the community.
Should parents have the ability to prohibit their child from viewing content related to sexuality or gender identity at school? I believe in age appropriate information being available which is different for k-8 and 9-12. Parents have the ability to opt out of programs.
What is your stance on parental notification in cases when a student requests to use a name or pronouns that don’t align with their sex assigned at birth? I support parental notification.
What is your stance on requiring K-12 students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their sex assigned at birth? NWLSD will follow the guidelines from the state.
An Ohio law introduced this year bans diversity, equity and inclusion programs from the state’s colleges and universities. What is your stance on diversity, equity and inclusion programming in your district? NWLSD will follow the guidelines from the state that apply to the district.
What is your stance on the “Make America Healthy Again” movement and general pushback on vaccine mandates in K-12 schools? NWLSD will follow the federal and state guidelines on vaccines.
Do you support the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education? I just want to see federal funding for federal programs continue whether it’s from the U.S. Department of Education or another department.
Would you be in favor of raising taxes to support the school district? Everyone hates raising taxes. NWLSD has a few renewals in the upcoming years. I’d open a discussion with the board to consider the possibility of a school residential income tax to shift some of the burden from strictly property taxes.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Northwest Local school board candidates’ stances on DEI, vaccines, more
Reporting by Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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