As I seek reelection to continue serving our community on the Akron Board of Education, I remain committed to focusing on facts, fairness and families.
Unfortunately, an Oct. 19 guest column in the Akron Beacon Journal distorts my record and distracts voters from what really matters: how we serve Akron’s students.
It is untrue that I’ve promoted hate or spoken against the LGBTQIA+ community. What Kody Cross left out is that after the Akron Beacon Journal’s original article, I had respectful, meaningful conversations with members of the transgender community.
One of the most impactful came from a transgender father in our district, who publicly stated that he did not believe I was the person he originally thought, which is that of a hateful bigot. We listened, we learned, and we found some common ground.
Facts over fallacy: The truth about vouchers
Let’s move beyond distractions and talk about what really matters — educational equity, funding and fairness. There’s a persistent myth that vouchers “steal” from public schools. But here’s what the data shows:
That’s why I support the Fair School Funding Plan and believe it must be fully funded and protected — not stripped away or delayed.
Conflict of interest
Some critics claim that because I work at a school that accepts vouchers, I have a conflict of interest. That’s not only wrong — it’s insulting. My beliefs do not change based on where I work. I will always support and fight for:
Serving families is not a conflict — it’s the whole point of this work. This election is about the 19,000+ students in Akron Public Schools, and the thousands more who need fair access to a quality education — wherever that may be. Again, I will always advocate for:
I will continue to listen — especially to those who disagree with me. I will continue to grow, and I will continue to stand on principle even when it is not politically convenient. Let’s focus on facts. Let’s center students. And let’s rise above distraction to build an education system that all families desire to be a part of.
Carla Jackson, president of the Akron Board of Education, is serving her first term. She is the middle school principal and director of entrepreneurship at Emmanuel Christian Academy in Akron.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron school board member Carla Jackson defends job, support for vouchers | Opinion
Reporting by Carla Jackson / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
