Jesse Borosky

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Jesse Borosky

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 1, 2023

Education

Bachelor's

Marywood University, 2015

Personal

Birthplace

Scranton, Pa.

Religion

Unitarian Universalist

Profession

Psychologist

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Jesse Borosky ran for election for an at-large seat of the Wichita Public Schools Board of Education in Kansas. Borosky lost in the primary on August 1, 2023.

Borosky completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Jesse Borosky was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Borosky earned a bachelor's degree from Marywood University in 2015. His career experience includes working as a psychologist. As of 2023, Borosky was affiliated with the following organizations:

• Wichita chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America
• Intersectional Leftist Association at Wichita State University
• Green Group at Wichita State University
• First Unitarian Universalist Church of Wichita

Elections

2023

See also: Wichita Public Schools, Kansas, elections (2023)

General election

General election for Wichita Public Schools, At-large

Melody McCray-Miller defeated Brent Davis in the general election for Wichita Public Schools, At-large on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Melody McCray-Miller (Nonpartisan)	53.4	23,806
		Brent Davis (Nonpartisan)	46.2	20,580
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	174

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 44,560
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Wichita Public Schools, At-large

Melody McCray-Miller and Brent Davis defeated Jesse Borosky, Harlan Bascombe, and Jacob Bakk in the primary for Wichita Public Schools, At-large on August 1, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Melody McCray-Miller (Nonpartisan)	54.3	14,914
✔		Brent Davis (Nonpartisan)	23.4	6,433
		Jesse Borosky (Nonpartisan)	8.0	2,184
	Submit photo	Harlan Bascombe (Nonpartisan)	7.5	2,046
	Submit photo	Jacob Bakk (Nonpartisan)	6.8	1,871

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 27,448
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Borosky received the following endorsements.

• Green Party
• Green Party of Kansas
• Wichita Democratic Socialists

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jesse Borosky completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Borosky's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and raised in the small town of Scott Township. Prior to moving from Pennsylvania, I completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology at Marywood University. During this time, I worked on adolescent inpatient psychiatric units as well as working maintenance at my local church. I worked as a mobile therapist and later as a mental health professional based in Scranton High School, before eventually being accepted to WSU’s doctoral program.

I am currently a student in Wichita State University’s Clinical-Community Psychology PhD program. My interests include modern treatments for children and adolescents with mental health disorders and applying these treatments in settings such as schools and hospitals. As a student at WSU, I have continued to gain experience working with the children and families of Sedgwick county. I was recently a practicum student at KU School of Medicine’s Wichita office, working with children and their parents.

My academic and clinical work has given me a strong understanding of children’s and teen’s emotional and psychological development. My training has taught me the importance of evidence-based approaches to working with pediatric populations, making me a strong, well-informed candidate for the Wichita Public Schools’ Board of Education.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Many people look at the violence in our schools and the mental health problems our youth face, and don’t recognize that these matters are inextricably linked. Aggression, drug use, depression, anxiety, etc. are all learned behaviors that are conditioned by the factors surrounding us. Similarly to how our children learn math, reading, history, etc., they must also learn how to regulate their emotions and socially interact with one another. If we want to manage these problems that our students experience, we need to do so in a holistic manner that looks at the overall context of the community. Additionally, we must make these decisions based on programs with empirical support, using scientifically sound ways of managing these problems.
• Demographic factors also impact the behaviors and well-being of our students. For example, race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability/disability status, etc. play a role in how we perceive ourselves and others. Our attitudes toward each of these are formed by our society and are passed down socially; they are merely social structures and are not innate in society. We need to view these factors and our norms and institutions critically. We often find that these institutions are used to keep some groups in power and others out of power. Teaching our students how to think critically is key to personal development, as well as to the development of great aspects of our society, such as art, philosophy, and science.
• While students are often the major focus in discussions of education, it is important to remember that district personnel such as teachers, paraeducators, bus drivers, custodial staff, etc. all play integral roles in the well-being of our schools. Without these groups, our educational communities cannot function. Despite this, these groups are often targeted by parents, school administrators, etc. as scapegoats when problems arise. They are heavily overburdened with responsibilities while receiving little support and often not being compensated fairly. Our workers and laborers should be celebrated for their efforts, and my goal is to work closely with our personnel and their union representatives to see that their needs are met.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My view of public policy is informed by empirically supported theories of behavior. While many view policy as a means of creating rules such that punishment is implemented or retribution is exacted when those rules are broken, I view policy as a way of reinforcing prosocial behaviors. Instead of using policy to restrict individuals and then punish those who do not comply, policy should be used as a means of problem-solving, repairing social relationships, and motivating others for growth. Examples of this kind of policy are already being implemented in schools, such as restorative practices, token economy systems, etc.

Furthermore, I think policy should be used to ascertain that the needs of every individual are met. Research has demonstrated that programs that supply an individual with their needs are more likely to promote behavioral change than systems that aim to punish negative behaviors. When our students and staff feel unsupported and cannot attend to their most basic needs like nutrition, safety, and security, we can hardly expect them to focus on academic work.

I also view policy in a way that should minimize hierarchy. Typically, our social systems operate in such a way that arbitrary hierarchies are created (often based on matters relating to social class and income), and those at the top wield the most authority. However, I believe the best way to implement policy is to consider the dignity of each individual and reduce hierarchy as much as possible.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

I've addressed this a bit above, so I will give an abbreviated answer here.

I believe the primary job of a school board member is to create policies that supply the needs of each individual in the district (not only students, but also parents, faculty, and all other staff) and aim to promote positive behavioral change.

My view is that the school board should reach out to the community and inquire about what needs they have that are not being met, as well as in which ways the district is excelling. This feedback should then be used to inform the board when making decisions about adopting new rules or managing the budget.

Who are your constituents?

My constituents are all of the individuals living within the boundaries of the school district. Many times, only the parents of students are considered. While parents are key players in feedback to the board, all citizens should be considered, even those without children or whose children no longer attend our schools. I know that many citizens work with out students in various ways, even if they do not have children in the district. Thus, it is important to consider their input as well.

Additionally, the students themselves should be considered when creating policy. This group is not always considered to be "constituents" because they cannot vote and are often very young. However, our policies affect them more than anyone else, and thus their voices should be heard. The superintendent's Super Student Advisory Council is a great resource of info from the students of WPS.

Furthermore, individuals who work in the schools, should be key players in determining how to operate. This may even include folks who live outside of the school district and therefore do not get to vote. Again, I believe that it is key to support our staff and faculty, as these are two more groups that will be more affected by our policies than any other group.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

As discussed above, I aim to determine my constituents' needs by consistently receiving feedback from the various groups. This requires a consistent presence in these communities. It cannot be assumed that our citizens will come to us with their concerns, as our citizens often feel powerless in effecting change (or at the very least, they do not believe they can do so by working with public officials). I've already directly reached out to numerous communities, including our Spanish-speaking community, LGBT community, BIPOC community, etc., and I continue to reach out to these communities and more throughout the course of my campaign and time in office.
There are specific needs that I am aware of being overlooked, such as our students' needs for safe transportation to school, nutritional breakfasts and lunches, and behavioral and cognitive assessments. My intention is to create and strengthen our relationships with various organizations in our city to help see that these needs are met. Additionally, awareness campaigns that are addressed in multiple languages are necessary. Many families simply do not know of the services available to them or the process of how to receive these surveys. It is crucial to raise awareness about such services, while meeting our communities members where they are instead of demanding they come to us.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

There is a countless number of organizations to become involved with, many of which have meetings or hold social events. Attending these meetings/events will be extremely helpful in hearing from the community what needs are/aren't being met. Here is a non-exhaustive list of organizations to work with:

Progeny (non-profit focusing on ending the school to prison pipeline)
Wichita LGBT+ Health Coalition (a coalition working in conjunction with KU School of Medicine to provide the medical needs of LGBT+ folks)
Spanish Ad Hoc Translations LLC (A group that provides interpreting of multiple different languages commonly spoken in Sedgwick County)
Safe Streets Wichita (Organization that practices harm reduction practices, such as providing Naloxone and fentanyl test strips to individuals)
Positive Directions, Inc. (Provides testing of HIV and infections diseases to both pediatric and adult populations)
International Rescue Committee Kansas (Provides support to immigrants and refugees)
Alce Su Voz (advocacy group focusing on the needs of Spanish-speakers)
Equality Kansas and the Center of Wichita (EQKS and the Center are partnered to provide a drop-in shelter for LGBT+ youth)
Kansas Prevention Collaborative (An organization created by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services aimed at preventing and reducing mental health disparities and suicide risk)
Inspyre Research Lab and Behavioral Community Research and Action Team (Research labs in the Wichita State University Psychology Department that focus on treatment and research in pediatric populations)
Equity Initiative (Youth development organization based in the community)
Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (Non-profit organization that aims to educate regarding the needs of LGBT+ folks and create safe schools)
Sierra Club (organization aiming to protect our environment)
Kansas National Education Association (Organization aimed at supporting K-12 education)

+ Many more I can't fit here.

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

There are many elements linked to being what I'd consider a good teacher, many of them related to the topics addressed in the question related to an ideal education setting. Generally, a good teacher should be willing to work with students on an individual level. Considering the overburden our teachers face, this is much to ask of them. However, a few minutes with a student can convey to the student that their needs are important. I think that may be one of the key facets a good teacher should have: a sense of caring for the student, even if all of the difficulties that student experiences cannot be addressed immediately.

Other aspects of a good teacher relate to what we consider to be necessary facets of strong relationships in psychotherapy. These include genuineness (which I have addressed elsewhere), empathy, and unconditional positive regard. These are not simply personality traits a person has. Rather, they change with the context of the relationship. Many therapists have clients that they do not feel positively about; however, there are ways we can manage our own behaviors and regulate our own emotions to prevent our feelings from dictating the way we interact with others. Similarly, teachers can respond to students in a genuine, empathetic, and positive manner, even if they can recognize the struggles they have with that student.
Good teaching should also be based on methods that are empirically supported. This is a key aspect of teaching as otherwise our students may be learning inaccurate information or may have difficulty learning due to the inefficient style.
Similar to being in the community, being present is a key method of measuring this. Observation and interaction with the teachers (in a non-critical way) can be very informative. Also, measuring improvements in students' grades will be a useful objective method.

Finally, I believe continued education should be paid for by WPS to ensure our teachers are educated on contemporary teaching methods.

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

I would like to expand our curriculum to include mental health classes, just like how our schools often have standard health classes. As I've addressed elsewhere, mental health plays a crucial role in the behaviors of our children, and teaching all students about appropriate ways to manage behaviors and regulate emotions is a useful tool in preventing these problems from continuing. Such mental health classes not only help students manage mental health difficulties they're already facing, it also helps prevent mental health difficulties from arising. There are already such curricula that have strong evidence of working Midwest schools. Most notably, the AIM Curriculum is based on contemporary behavioral theories and has evidence of not only improving mental and behavioral health, but also improving state test scores in multiple domains.

I would also like to see curricula that help students explore their identities and think critically about themselves and their institutions. Self-exploration and critical thinking skills are important in not only a multitude of careers, they are generally useful traits that benefit our lives and communities. Fostering these behaviors in our students will help them both in the present, and as they progress to become the future generation of leaders.

In terms of advanced technical training, etc., I believe our schools are beginning to implement very impressive programs along these lines. For example, the Future Ready Center that the district has opened over the past few years is a great opportunity for our students to get advanced technical degrees and certifications. The current Future Ready Center pertains to engineering and machining skills, but more Future Ready Centers will be opening that will include subjects such as healthcare.

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

My intention is to support initiatives that encourage our state legislators to provide adequate funding to our schools. Publics schools have been woefully underfunded by our state legislature. Additionally, it is important to fight necessary legal battles in regard to our state legislators' illegal underfunding of the special education departments throughout our state. Furthermore, working with watchdog groups to ensure that we do receive proper funding would be beneficial.
Additionally, I think it may be useful for our schools to seek funding via grants. While I don't think it should be necessary to have to do this, this still can be beneficial, especially if the school implements new strategies that are being research empirically.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

My policies are based on research pertaining to human behavior and public policy. Discussions of safety often circulate around student violence and aggression. However, violence and aggression often stem from behavioral and social difficulties faced by the student, which in turn are related to mental health difficulties faced by the student (this is often a cyclical pattern). Helping to manage our students' mental health difficulties, will in turn help manage the violent or aggressive behaviors they engage in at school.

Aside from student violence, many other factors impact students' safety, such as the unsafe routes they take to school. Most students have to travel to school or find rides, as the district only offers transportation to students that are >2.5 miles away. In our city, there have been numerous cases of pedestrians and cyclists hit and killed by cars this year alone, as well as multiple instances of kidnappings. In order to mitigate this risk, chaperones to school, changes in bike and walking paths to school, and increased availability of bussing are necessary.

Further safety matters include nutritional and environmental risks. Our students should be offered lunches that are considerate of all dietary restrictions, be they related to allergies or personal/religious beliefs. Many students cannot afford healthy meals outside of school, thus they should be offered at little or no expense in our schools. There is also concern related to contaminated groundwater in various locations of the city. There is evidence that individuals living in these locations have increased risk of major health problems, including cancer. Making sure that this contamination is addressed immediately is absolutely necessary to make sure our students do not face preventable health problems the rest of their lives.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

I think there are several directions to take in regard supporting the mental health needs of our students, staff, and faculty. First, I think hiring more in-house personnel that have specialty in this area (i.e., social workers, school and clinical psychologists, medication providers, etc.) would be beneficial. Additionally, it may be worthwhile for the district to have a crisis team reserved for students and families in the district, similar to how the county has crisis services available for citizens.

Next, I think expanding our relationships with organizations in the area, as well as creating new relationships, would be beneficial. For example, the WPS already has a relationship with Comcare as a means of providing services to students. It would also be beneficial to create relationships with local universities that have departments specializing in these areas. For example, Friends University, Wichita State University, and the KU School of Medicine all have staff and students that need practicum and internship hours. I imagine setting up a working relationship with these entities would increase the available mental health support needed in our schools.
We also should adopt policies and programs that would help manage mental health. Mental health and psychopathology are contextual in nature, meaning that they are largely dependent on the world around us. Making policies that manage the social difficulties faced by our students and staff/faculty would be hugely important. Acknowledging institutions that negatively impact women, LGBT+ folks, BIPOC, and individuals with disabilities and addressing these issues will help reduce the impact of mental health difficulties.

Finally, we need contemporary approaches psychopathology. My focus is on third wave cognitive-behavioral therapies, which implement aspects of mindfulness and living according to our values. There is strong evidence that shows these programs help both students and teachers/employees in school.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Kansas Green Party, Wichita chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, Samuel Paunetto of the International Rescue Committee Kansas

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

An ideal learning environment for students would be based on our contemporary understanding of behavior and learning. All of the lessons should be based on empirically supported curricula. Basic operant conditioning principles should be considered throughout the education of our students.

An ideal learning environment will also not be treated as one-size-fits-all. Many students with various cognitive, social, emotional, or behavioral delays or differences cannot learn in the same manner as others, or at the very least it is not as effective for them to do so. Instead, making sure the needs of each individual student is met would be beneficial. In an ideal world, nearly every student would have what would amount to an individualized education plan, and they would receive the services that suit each aspect of their way they learn. This of course cannot be implemented in reality, but recognizing the importance of idiographic approaches to learning and behavior is useful when guiding policy.

When children attend school, they are not only learning about the basic subjects (math, reading, history, science), they are also learning how to interact with each other. I believe that the best way to teach children (and adults for that matter) is to reinforce and prosocial behaviors. Consistent reinforcement of positive interactions with peers is useful in promoting continued personal growth. This can be done via token economy systems; however, some of the best ways to motivate is through intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic motivation. Presently, students are usually encouraged to do well in school so that way the may be successful later in life. Instead, I think it's important for students to connect to what they value in their lives, and determine how they can best live with these values through their education. This places a focus on the here and now, as opposed to some unknown period in the future, resulting in increased effort and appreciation of education.

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

I've addressed this elsewhere, but I'll repeat it as it is worth emphasizing: being present is key. Attending school and community events, introducing myself to parents and citizens, actively asking questions about what they need from the district, are all important aspects of being a board member. In order to reduce hierarchy as much as possible, I cannot just act on behalf of the community; I must be an active member of the community.
This is not a process that is simple and immediate. Consistent interaction with folks is necessary to build strong, honest relationships with others. This honesty is necessary, as not all parents/citizens feel comfortable expressing their needs immediately. Relationships built on genuineness (similar to the relationships we adopt in therapy) are necessary to have a positive relationship with our constituents and attend to their needs appropriately.

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