Karelia Harding
Karelia Harding was a candidate for at-large representative on the North Clackamas School District school board in Oregon. Harding was defeated in the at-large general election on May 16, 2017.
This candidate participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 school board candidate survey. Click here to view her responses.
Biography
Harding's professional experience includes working as the Parent Engagement and Equity Manager at OCDC, the program director of Camp Fire Boys and Girls Metro Area, and a kindergarten teacher. She holds a degree in teaching and her master's in special education.[1]
Elections
2017
Three of the seven seats on the North Clackamas School District school board in Oregon were up for at-large general election on May 16, 2017. Position 4 incumbent Tory McVay filed for re-election and defeated challenger Jill Jackson. Two newcomers filed for the open Position 5 seat: Kathy Wai and Karelia Harding, with Wai winning the seat. Position 6 incumbent Mitzi Bauer ran unopposed and won another term.[2][3]
Results
| North Clackamas School District, Position 5 General Election, 4-year term, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Kathy Wai |
64.44% | 6,945 |
| Karelia Harding | 34.98% | 3,770 |
| Write-in votes | 0.58% | 63 |
| Total Votes | 10,778 | |
| Source: Clackamas County, "Special District Election," accessed June 12, 2017 | ||
Funding
The filing deadline in Oregon for a campaign transaction is typically no later than 30 calendar days. However, beginning on the 42nd day before an election day and through the date of the election, a transaction is due no later than seven calendar days after the date it occurred. The dates for the beginning and ending of the seven-day reporting period for the 2017 Oregon school board elections were:[4]
- April 4, 2017 (Seven day campaign finance reporting begins)
- May 16, 2017 (Seven day campaign finance reporting ends)
Campaign themes
2017
Ballotpedia survey responses
Karelia Harding participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of school board candidates.[5] In response to the question "What do you hope to achieve if elected to the school board?" the candidate stated on May 7, 2017:
| “ | Increased parental involvement, higher 4 year graduation rates, More equitable representation in the district. A better education opportunity for my children and those of my friends and neighbors in my community. I want the best education option to be my neighborhood school, not the private school. I want our public schools to be the top performing schools! For our schools to be the best option for our students! For our schools to be a source of pride in our community. To watch our schools tear down the walls that separate the have's and the have not's.[6][7] | ” |
Ranking the issues
The candidate was asked to rank the following issues based on how they should be prioritized by the school board, with 1 being the most important and 7 being the least important. Each ranking could only be used once.
| Education policy |
|---|
 |
Click here to learn more about education policy in Oregon. |
| Education on the ballot |
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| Improving post-secondary readiness | |
| Closing the achievement gap | |
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | |
| Improving education for special needs students | |
| Expanding arts education | |
| Improving relations with teachers | |
| Expanding school choice options | |
| “ | Making sure that our students are most prepared for life after high school should be a huge priority for us. That is the main principal of education in the first place.[7] | ” |
| —Karelia Harding (May 7, 2017) | ||
Positions on the issues
The candidate was asked to answer eight questions from Ballotpedia regarding significant issues in education and the school district. The questions are highlighted in blue and followed by the candidate's responses. Some questions provided multiple choices, which are noted after those questions. The candidate was also provided space to elaborate on their answers to the multiple choice questions.
| Should new charter schools be approved in your district? (Not all school boards are empowered to approve charter schools. In those cases, the candidate was directed to answer the question as if the school board were able to do so.) |
|---|
| No. At this point I'm not sure that we have a need. We have several charter options already in our district and of those we can see some less positive results than what the neighborhood schools are achieving, in certain regards. That is not to say that, perhaps those models are what certain families want for their child and in that I am happy to support the current charters that are in existence as long as they can continue to meet standards. |
| Which statement best describes the ideal relationship between the state government and the school board? The state should always defer to school board decisions, defer to school board decisions in most cases, be involved in the district routinely or only intervene in severe cases of misconduct or mismanagement. |
| The state should only intervene in severe cases of misconduct or mismanagement. |
| Are standardized tests an accurate metric of student achievement? |
| No. This is actually a mixed bag question. While logically a test would be a nice way to measure a students progress, how many take it seriously? What are the added negatives to the process? There is conflicting research that shows more testing equals poorer results. Also we need to consider the different comprehension patterns our students have, this will impact the results. We are not producing the same student over and over! Standards should give us a base for teaching but we must take into account the different learning styles and personalities of the student, we need to support the child as a whole, not a test score. |
| How should the district handle underperforming teachers? Terminate their contract before any damage is done to students, offer additional training options, put them on a probationary period while they seek to improve or set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district? |
| Offer additional training options. Offer additional training options. Put them on a probationary period while they seek to improve. Set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district. |
| Should teachers receive merit pay? |
| No. This is kind of a mix bag answer as well. In the production/business world we can quantify the value that a certain employee brings to the company by monitoring their #'s and quality. There are too many factors that impact the results that students achieve, family environment, hunger, duress/anxiety. Penalizing a teacher for a students lack of performance is difficult and perhaps not fair. We need more investment in teacher training's and support school administration in better policies to help weed out bad employees. |
| Should the state give money to private schools through a voucher system or scholarship program? |
| No. While my short answer is no their is always more to the story. Tax $ that is earmarked for public schools needs to stay with public schools. If I were to assume that $ is all mine and I should be able to take it where ever I want would be a bit naive and presumptuous. That $ is not all mine, yes a portion of that comes from me but a portion of that also comes from all the other tax payers as well. With the upcoming proposed changes regarding this subject, i think the treat alone should send a message to the public school system, "Get it together, or be prepared to lose your $". I hope that public schools will take this as a threat to their sustainability and make the proper corrections needed to improve their school offerings. It will be better for our local economy to have better schools, residents will benefit, businesses will benefit, students will benefit, and there is a whole circular continuum as a result. Strong schools= strong communities= strong businesses=strong income/tax base=strong economy=strong school funding=strong schools=etc. etc. etc. |
| How should expulsion be used in the district? |
| When one student threatens the safety of others than it makes the most sense to remove them for the safety of others. Nothing is black and white and the decisions must be made by the most immediate authority as to what the proper line of action is, and in that we should provide adequate support to the staff and administration. |
| What's the most important factor for success in the classroom: student-teacher ratio, the curriculum, teachers, parent involvement or school administration? |
| Parent involvement I would have to say that parental involvement is hands down the most important factor in a child's overall success, as a broad generalization. But what that looks like may not be what you think that it does. This begins and ends at home, i.e homework parents need to help or encourage students to get help & asking the right questions. If a parent shows interest in their child's success than the child is more likely too as well. Second behind the parents is a well trained teacher, one that knows how to reach and engage their students. You know what I am talking about, we have all had that teacher that just made it all make sense. You've also had that teacher that made things worse than better, whom obviously missed their calling in something else. |
Campaign website statement
Harding posted the following statement on her campaign website:[8]
| “ | As a working mother, an advocator for families, and a professional with a wide range of policy experience I am the right choice for this position. My children have all been enrolled in the district; I know what a difference it can make when families and the district have a collaborative relationship. I serve on nonprofit governing boards, state-level task forces, and committees related to educational access and equity. I train parents about the importance of being involved in every aspect of their children's education, which ranges from advocating for their families and engaging with the educational process. I will listen and represent the perspectives of you and your families, as well as the staff and the rest of the community we serve in the district. I believe every child has a right to a quality education and with your support we can enhance our children’s education. We need to ensure that every child has an opportunity to succeed in school. Thank you and remember to vote![7] | ” |
| —Karelia Harding (2017)[8] | ||
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Elect Karelia Harding for North Clackamas School District Board -Pos. 5, "About Me," accessed May 4, 2017
- ↑ Clackamas County, "Special District Election," accessed May 17, 2017
- ↑ Clackamas County, "May 16, 2017 Special District Election," accessed March 24, 2017
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Oregon Elections Calendar," accessed April 17, 2017
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2017, "Karelia Harding's responses," May 7, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Elect Karelia Harding for North Clackamas School District Board -Pos. 5, "Home," accessed May 4, 2017
| North Clackamas School District elections in 2017 | |
| Clackamas County, Oregon | |
| Election date: | May 16, 2017 |
| Candidates: | Position 4: Incumbent, Tory McVay • Jill Jackson Position 5: Kathy Wai • Karelia Harding |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
