Amy Lark

Candidate Name: Amy Lark Age: 42 

Candidate for [Elected Position]: Mason School Board Candidate 

Website: facebook.com/AmyLarkforMPSBoard 

Candidate Contact for Public: amymlark@gmail.com; 906-231-7221 

Are you registered with any party? If so, please share your party affiliation: Though not formally affiliated with the party, I vote Democrat, although this is a nonpartisan position. 

Please share all your social media accounts: facebook.com/AmyLarkforMPSBoard

1. What motivated you to run for the position you are seeking election to? 

I have had an intense interest in political goings on my entire adult life. However, until recently, I had committed to a career as an academic, and while I certainly felt that I had something to offer in the political realm, I did not have the time to participate in a truly meaningful way. That is, until my institution closed my division and I was faced with the decision of finding an academic position elsewhere… or not. I decided not. Instead, I struck out on my own as an entrepreneur and started my own farm business in Mason. This career shift has brought me closer to my community, and has opened doors for more meaningful and active community engagement. I first considered a run for the Mason School Board when a vacancy opened just prior to the 2021 school year. I was one of three candidates under serious consideration for the position, but ultimately was not chosen. I decided that now is a good time in my life to throw my hat in the ring and get really involved with local politics, and so here I am. Also, it just makes sense to me for someone with a background in education to serve on the school board! 

2. What is your vision for the public body you want to serve on?

My experiences and expertise have made me particularly well equipped to deal with certain

issues facing Mason schools. With that in mind, I have three main stances when it comes to

serving on the school board in Mason. These are teachers, diversity, and best practices. First, I

am here to support teachers, and by extension, their students. Prior to becoming a shepherdess

and organic farmer, I was an assistant professor at Michigan Tech, where I taught in the

department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences. There, I prepared prospective secondary

teachers for their careers, and provided professional development to practicing teachers to help

them enhance their craft. I understand what it means to be an educator, what it takes to become

a teacher in Michigan, and what is necessary for maintaining accreditation. Teachers are

professionals, and I believe they should be treated (and compensated!) as such. There is a

reason for the teacher shortage in this country, and I have some ideas about how we might

combat that issue locally. Second, I care about promoting diversity and equity throughout the

district. My work on both the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee and the Equity

Taskforce shapes my perspective and will bring a distinct diversity- and equity-flavored

approach to my contributions on the board. I believe in making Mason a safe place for all of our

children to thrive, and in providing resources for those who need them most. Third, as a former

scientist, I believe in the strength and pragmatism of research-based best practices, both with

regard to teaching and educational policy. My professional training has uniquely prepared me to

deal with important issues brought before the Mason School Board.

3. How does your vision differ from that of your opponents?

There are nine of us running for three spots on the Board. Some of these individuals I know,

many I do not. I have been able to read about some of the candidates from their social media

pages. The first thing that is apparent to me is that only one or two other candidates have

significant experience as an educator. While not disqualifying, I do find it disadvantageous to

folks who have not taught, and who may not understand the extent to which teaching is a true

profession. If the Board is going to be making decisions about teachers, it makes a lot of sense

for at least one Board member to be an expert on teaching. If we are going to make

pronouncements on curriculum and policy, it would be helpful for at least one of our number to

have had experience developing curriculum and assessments, and to have studied educational

policy in depth. I have these experiences and possess that knowledge.

A concerning trend I have noticed from a few other candidates is not only a lack of commitment

to DEI, but in at least one case an absolute opposition to it. Mason cannot afford to have

someone serving on the Board who does not support progress in the district, who does not

commit to the values and goals of the district, and who might potentially actively work to thwart

those values and goals. I strongly encourage all voters in the district to read up on each of the

candidates for school board in Mason, and to believe what they tell you.

4. Funding for schools has been a consistent concern for nearly three decades. Proposal 1,

passed in the 90s was supposed to level the playing field in funding assuring that

districts with distressed property values would receive comparable per pupil funding.

That has not been the case. If elected, how will you address the under funding of

schools?

The first thing for community members to understand is that no Board member operates as an

individual. It would be silly for me to say, “Vote for me, and I will...” I cannot make specific

promises, because I, as an individual, cannot deliver on such promises. A school board is a

team that works together to make decisions for the district. That said, as an individual I can

bring specific ideas and arguments to the board when we are discussing particular issues, with

the hope that I will be able to persuade my fellow board members. With regard to school

funding, I will certainly advocate for increased per pupil spending whenever possible.

5. Has school choice, which allows students and parents to apply for and attend a different school district than the one they live in, been a success? Why or why not? 

The answer to this question depends on how the person asking it defines “success.” Has school choice succeeded in providing more flexibility for Michigan families? Certainly - for some families, at least. Has it resulted in higher test scores or increased academic outcomes? It has not (source: nationsreportcard.gov). In some cases, school choice has been detrimental to public schooling - for example, the push for charter schools has decreased the impetus for communities to improve existing public schools, resulting in lower enrollment, decreased funding and, sometimes, their permanent closure. Ultimately, we cannot treat a public good like education as if it were a business. Increasing competition is not going to increase outcomes. Rather, what we have seen is an increase in class disparity. There is also the matter of certain - almost always affluent - districts choosing to opt out of choice in a bid to keep out the “wrong” students. In all, school choice has failed to produce the outcomes that it was intended to. 

6. Proposals in Michigan have long sought to use public dollars to pay for private school tuition and costs. Do you support vouchers for private schools? Why or why not? For the most part, no, I do not agree with the practice of school vouchers, for reasons similar to those I have stated above. Options such as these decrease motivation to invest in and improve existing public schools. After all, what is the point if you can just send your students somewhere else? But there is also an equity issue at the core of school choice solutions such as vouchers. Some families will always be in a better position to send their children to other schools or districts, while other families may not have that option, for whatever reason, and are forced to stay at the failing school. But ultimately my problem with programs like school vouchers is that it draws funding away from public schools. 7. If vouchers are approved, public schools may see a decline in enrollment. How would you close the funding gap by a reduction in per pupil funding? This is the very crux of the matter - school of choice programs, like vouchers, will reduce enrollment in area public schools. Without an increase in per pupil spending, the school will lose money. The only way to close the funding gap will be to begin cutting programs to save money for critical expenditures. The first programs to go would be the arts - band, choir, art classes - and sports. Schools may have to let ancillary staff go, such as paraprofessionals, librarians, coaches, counselors, or food service staff. Teachers may be required to take on additional course preps. Classrooms may become more crowded. This is why school choice is, at its core, an equity issue, because privileged families will be able to take advantage of vouchers and other choice programs, while already struggling families will see fewer and fewer programs and supports for their students who are forced to remain in these schools by virtue of their circumstances. It is important that voters understand the reality of this situation, and that choice is not the panacea they may have been led to believe that it is. 

8. Educators have been under scrutiny over LGBT youth support, LGBT history, the

American history of communities of color and more. In addition, school libraries are

pulling books off of shelves in public school libraries and public libraries.

1. Please share your perspective as you pertains to providing safe schools and

education for LGBT youth.

I am, and have always been, a vocal champion of social justice and an avid ally and supporter

of our LGBTQ friends and neighbors. It is incredibly important to me that gay, nonbinary, and

trans youth feel as safe and supported in our schools as do our straight and cis identifying

students. As a board member, I will do all that I can to make sure that the voices of our LGBTQ

community are represented and heard.

1. Please share your perspective about integrating the history of communities of

color into curriculums in the public schools.

A strong history is a history that tells the whole truth. History curricula in the US have often

defaulted to nationalism and American exceptionalism, celebrating what makes our country

great while sweeping our heinous past under the rug. I believe that all students need to know

how women, migrants, people of color, and other cultural minorities have been treated in this

country from its inception until the current day. It is important that all students see themselves

represented in our history books, and that we all as a people understand that humans are

fallible, but that we can own, learn from, and repair our mistakes.

1. Do you support the removal of books some find objectionable from public school

shelves and public libraries? Why or why not?

Absolutely not. First of all, many of the books that people find objectionable tell the stories of

marginalized groups. I understand that these stories can make some people uncomfortable, but

often discomfort is necessary for learning and change to occur. Second, decisions about what to

exclude from library collections are often incredibly subjective. I believe that books, such as

those appearing on the official Banned Books List, should be made freely available to the public,

and that people should have the freedom to choose to read these books or not. I do believe that

certain books may be inappropriate for young children and should probably not be located in

elementary and middle school libraries, but I have not heard any convincing arguments as to

why such materials should be withheld from high school or public libraries. My take is that if you,

as a parent, are concerned about the books that your student is reading, then you, as a parent,

should be having tough conversations with your student about the material and issues represented in those books. Indeed, I find it appalling that the people who are most vocal about “freedom” are often the most eager to ban “offensive” books from public spaces. 

1. If you support such removals, at what point does the purge of objectionable books stop? When it is the Quran? When it is the Torah? The Nag Hamadi? The Bible? What policies will you put in place to monitor and assess removal of books? 

I will never support the banning of any books from public spaces, even those that I, personally, find objectionable. e. If you do not support the removal of objectionable books, what policies will you support to stop the removal of books from public school libraries? Exactly this, I will support policies that stop the removal of books from public school libraries. I will also encourage policies that support bringing in books that represent diverse experiences and cultures. Of course, most public school libraries are not equipped to house every book, so some selectivism is necessary. In that case, I will tend to trust the choices of our librarians, who are professionals, but may also insist that the board has some advisory capacity so as to ensure that the collection is responsive to the needs of our student body while simultaneously representing a diverse set of cultures and interests. 

9. There has been a split on how COVID was responded to by schools, and other government bodies. Please answer the following questions: a. Did you support the shut down of schools during the COVID-19 crisis? Why or why not? 

Yes, I did. COVID was an unknown quantity, and it was important that we did everything we could to limit community transmission while we learned more about the virus, and to allow time for vaccines to be developed. Shutting down schools and businesses was the responsible thing to do. 

1. There has been a marked loss of educational gain as a result of the shut down. How will you address this problem? 

With regard to the pandemic, some students may have fallen behind academically, and it would make sense to prioritize spending on remediation and special education to help those students get back to a level commensurate with their grade. This support could take many forms - remedial classrooms, additional support staff (counselors, paraprofessionals), targeted formative assessment, development of IEPs and 504s for students most strongly affected, etc. Additionally, many teachers began using distanced learning resources and technologies during Covid (e.g., Google Classroom, FlipGrid, Kahoot!, and others), and may decide to continue using these tools in person. They should be provided with all of the resources and professional development training necessary for them to do so successfully. Finally, as the pandemic continues, schools need to maintain procedures and protocols for keeping schools safe and students and staff healthy. 

1. Did you support face masks? Why or why not? 

Of course! Masks decrease community transmission of the virus. There is a substantial body of research supporting this fact. Masks work. 

1. Do you support the COVID-19 vaccine? Why or why not? 

Yes! I trust science. Vaccines work. I just got my fourth shot last week. 

1. Do you support vaccination for all students in public schools? Why or why not? 

Yes! I support policies that keep our students safe and healthy. 

1. There has been a growing mental health crisis among our youth. It was present before the pandemic, but experts warn it has gotten worse since the pandemic. If elected, how will you address the mental health needs of our students? 

I will argue in favor of policies that support the mental health of our students and staff. 

10. There have been a number of school shootings, with deeply tragic consequences for students, teachers and administrators alike – as well as communities. If elected, what will you do to address the school violence crisis, including school shootings? 

I will argue in favor of policies that support the safety of our students and staff. It is hard for me to predict what those could look like. Ultimately, I feel that gun violence is less a *school* problem and more a *national* issue, but I will be sure to do all that I can to keep our schools safe. 

11. Elections have become a serious concern for some voters. Please answer the following questions: 

1. If you lose your election, will you accept the results? Why or why not? 

Of course. I believe in democracy and respect the will of voters. 

1. If your election is close and you chose to pay for a recount, will you accept the result of a recount? Why or why not? It is unlikely that I would have the funds to pay for a recount! But I will absolutely accept the outcome. 

1. Much has been made about the 2020 election. Do you believe Donald Trump won the election? Why or why not? 

No, I do not. I believe that our elections are fair, and that democracy works. Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, both according to the electoral college and popular vote. Joe Biden won the election. 

1. Do you believe there was widespread election fraud? Why or why not? 

No, I do not. In fact, the very few examples of voter fraud that I have seen were perpetrated in favor of Donald Trump. 

1. Do you believe leaders in Washington are involved in a secret pedophilia ring? Why or why not? 

Oh my. You’re not pulling any punches, City Pulse! Well done. No, I do not believe this at all, because it is a ridiculous conspiracy theory. I tend to traffic in reality. 

1. Do you believe the Jan. 6 Capitol incident was appropriate in light of the election? Why or why not? 

Absolutely not. The incident on January 6, 2022 was a full on insurrection put into motion by the former president as an attempt to disrupt the peaceful transition of power. 

12. Are you a member, or have you ever been a member or donated to any of the following organizations: 
13. Socialist party - No 
14. Rock the Vote - No 
15. The Democratic Party - No 
16. Any Democratic Candidate for Office - Yes 
17. The Republican Party - No 
18. Any Republican Candidate for Office - No 
19. The American Taxpayers Party - No 
20. Any American Taxpayer Party Candidate for Office - No 
21. The Heritage Foundation - No 
22. People for the American Way - No 
23. III Percenters - No 
24. Proud Boys - No 13. 

Please share with readers and voters your qualifications for the position you seek.

 Although I recently struck out on my own as an entrepreneur and started my own farm business in Mason, I am professionally trained as an academic in the fields of science and education. I earned my BSc in Biology from Oakland University, and attended graduate school at Michigan State (MSc - Zoology; PhD - Curriculum, Teaching, and Educational Policy). During my doctoral program and as an Assistant Professor of Education at Michigan Technological University, I taught education classes that prepared undergraduate students to embark on careers as secondary teachers. I also designed and taught professional development courses for in-service secondary teachers. I have spent countless hours in Michigan schools and classrooms and am knowledgeable about educational policy and laws. My career as a teacher educator has given me insight into the lives and classrooms of teachers and their students, and the research that I conducted has helped me to understand and solve problems that teachers are faced with each day. I myself have twenty years of teaching experience, and possess expertise in curriculum and assessment development. I have served as a consultant to the Michigan Department of Education on standards and accountability. I am a published researcher, have experience in collaborating with diverse groups, and have successfully secured grant funding. I also am knowledgeable and skilled in public outreach, community engaged learning, and informal science education. My experiences and expertise have shaped my perspective on schools and schooling, and will be useful resources should I be elected to serve on the board of education for Mason Public Schools. My own child attends Mason schools, and I want to be a part of making decisions that will benefit all of our district’s students and teachers.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This documents was originally submitted in a PDF, and required City Pulse to copy and reformat. Nothing was changed in text or content.