Susan Lamkin

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Susan Lamkin

Nonpartisan

Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 7

Tenure

2022 - Present

Term ends

2026

Years in position

3

Predecessor

Suzanne Schreiber

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

April 5, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

Texas Christian University, 1996

Graduate

University of Texas at Arlington, 2002

Personal

Birthplace

Tulsa, Okla.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Homemaker, part-time office assistant and non-profit executive director

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

Susan Lamkin is a member of the Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 7 in Oklahoma. She assumed office on May 2, 2022. Her current term ends in 2026.

Lamkin ran for election to the Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 7 in Oklahoma. She won in the general election on April 5, 2022.

Lamkin completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Susan Lamkin was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She earned a bachelor's degree from Texas Christian University in 1996. She earned a master's of social work degree (MSSW) from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2002. Lamkin's career experience includes working as a homemaker, part-time office assistant, Salvation Army Family Center executive director, and as a case manager and behavior intervention specialist with Mental Health Services - MHMR of Tarrant County.

Elections

2022

See also: Tulsa Public Schools, Oklahoma, elections (2022)

General election

General election for Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 7

Susan Lamkin defeated Tim Harris in the general election for Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 7 on April 5, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Susan Lamkin (Nonpartisan)	53.9	2,638
		Tim Harris (Nonpartisan)	46.1	2,256

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,894
= 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.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 7

Susan Lamkin and Tim Harris defeated Ellen Fuller and Junegrid Baker in the primary for Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 7 on February 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Susan Lamkin (Nonpartisan)	48.7	1,844
✔		Tim Harris (Nonpartisan)	46.8	1,771
	Submit photo	Ellen Fuller (Nonpartisan)	3.2	120
	Submit photo	Junegrid Baker (Nonpartisan)	1.3	49

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,784
= 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.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Susan Lamkin completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lamkin'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 am running to represent District 7 on the TPS School Board. I’m running because I am a parent with kids in TPS, including one graduate, who have all benefited, along with myself and family members from our public education. I believe we’re at a critical juncture in school districts across the country. Districts have had to navigate really tough decisions these past two years. We’re seeing staff shortages and harmful budget cuts. On top of all this, partisan interests are now trying to politicize decisions and issues that should be about one thing and one thing only: what’s best for our students.

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?

• One of my priorities as a Tulsa Public School parent and District 7 resident is to build up our neighborhood schools. It is important for Board members to communicate with the voters of District 7 with regular updates about the great things happening at the schools in their neighborhoods, as well as, advocate for adequate resources for all schools so that each student in all of TPS has equal access to the same opportunities and high-quality services.
• move forward in a unified way as a community. The Strategic Plan will introduce vital new programs that will help our kids thrive in a safe, supportive environment. As a PTA member, President and Tulsa Council PTA Board Member, I have formed important relationships with TPS leadership and parents. I will continue to be an active listener and partner to District 7 parents and schools as I listen to concerns. Board members should continue to gather up-to-date input from the community as TPS moves forward and make informed decisions.
• Most importantly, the TPS School Board needs to be a support for teachers, now more than ever, by equipping them with the resources they need and the respect they deserve. We should strive for more funding and resources for teachers, and they should be respected as trained professionals. Teachers should have adequate supplies, support, and the freedom to teach without being censored by outside political interests. We should ensure our teachers are able to provide fact-based education to students, by keeping national politics and the media out of the classroom so we can help keep our schools open AND safe.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The TPS School Board should support teachers by equipping them with the resources they need and respect they deserve to keep our classrooms open and safe. Our School Board should continue to advocate for properly funded public schools. Through analyzing funding and budgets, we can do our best to be sure that quality teachers are being encouraged and supported in their teaching. Teachers should be respected as trained professionals and should have adequate supplies, support, and the freedom to teach. The disrespectful attitudes of some elected officials toward teachers, and the lack of understanding of what educators experience in the classroom are central to why teachers are leaving, so when teachers start to see policies that authentically support them I believe we’ll see better retention.

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

A School Board member should be someone who is part of the Tulsa Public Schools community. As with any board, my relationship with the families in my District 7 neighborhood along with the students, parents and teachers at the schools in District 7, make me the ideal candidate to represent the children of my community on the TPS School Board. I’m running because I believe the TPS School Board should make fact-based decisions centered on what’s best for students. National partisan interests are attempting to politicize decisions that should be based on what helps students thrive in a safe, supportive environment. I want to make sure the school board remains focused on supporting neighborhood public schools and evaluates each decision through the lens of what is truly best for the students instead of what’s best for political interests.

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

The Tulsa Public Schools budget is a daunting task and encompasses many expenses. I feel that TPS does have qualified professionals, checks and balances and regulations that ensure the funds are not being used in deceitful or irresponsible ways. I continue to support a budget that improves buildings and makes them safe and as healthy as possible for students and teachers. I support, especially in TPS at this moment, technology and training to make distance learning the best possible for our students and teachers. I also have heard concerns about some programs that have been implemented or proposed in schools and would like to understand those outcomes and expenses better. As a school board candidate, I am trying to learn as much as I can about budgets, but as a School Board Member for District 7, I would be sure to investigate and analyze any budgets before giving my final approval

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

Parents want their students to be safe and in the classroom and to be able to continue their routines and be part of the workforce. I think the TPS School Board primarily must consult with local health professionals on the safety of our children when faced with health concerns and outbreaks and follow current recommendations. By continuing to learn and adapt classrooms and buildings to practice the best safety measures and ensure cleanliness, the school boards are investing in the health of the students and teachers. Decision-making should focus entirely on making sure those in the classroom remain safe. We cannot allow school safety to be at risk. School districts cannot provide quality education in the classroom if teachers and students are absent due to avoidable illnesses, so we should do what it takes to make sure the spread of highly contagious, potentially fatal illnesses doesn’t happen.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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