Candidate Q&A: House District 66
Election 2023
Our public education questionnaire is offered to candidates in statewide and legislative elections. Search for candidates’ questionnaire responses below.
Election dates: Primary – August 8, 2023, Primary Runoff – August 29, 2023, General – November 7, 2023
General Election Candidate:
Fabian Nelson
Gregg Divinity (defeated in primary)
NO RESPONSE
Roshunda Harris-Allen (defeated in primary runoff)
1. What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family?
Reading to students during Read Across America Week. Back to School Fun Day and School Supply/Hygiene Supply Drive. Provided Breakfast for Hinds County Teachers and greeted students as they entered the building. Through Junior Auxiliary of Byram/Terry, Awarded Scholarships to Seniors entering college. Provided school uniforms to students in need when asked. Restorative Justice/Peace Circles throughout the state to students, faculty, and staff. Under the Mississippi Association of Educators umbrella, providing training and professional development for faculty and staff in cognitive and affective development, praxis, and social justice. Mississippi Association of Educators student advisor at Tougaloo College. Wrote a proposal for standing approval to provide training to childcare staff to prepare students for public schools. I am a graduate of public schools and all of my children attended public schools.
2. Do you agree that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) should be fully funded every year? If yes, what actions will you take to ensure full funding? If no, explain why.
The Mississippi Adequate Education Program should be fully funded every year. I will work with those that are involved in the advocacy efforts and put forth all efforts to make sure all voting parties understand the importance of fully funding MAEP.
3. What will you do to ensure state revenue that is sufficient to provide all of the services Mississippi’s citizens need to lead productive lives?
I will do the appropriate research on revenue and stay engaged on all services needed for citizens to live productive lives.
4. Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not?
PreK-12 public school education should be funded 100 percent.
5. Do you agree that all K-12 schools that receive taxpayer dollars, including private voucher schools, should be accountable to taxpayers for the quality of education they provide, using the same accountability measures as public schools?
Yes.
6. Public schools serve the vast majority of Mississippi students with disabilities. Do you agree that special education services in public schools should be fully funded every year? (Special education has been underfunded by the state every year since 2008.) If yes, how will you accomplish full funding? If no, explain why.
Yes, I agree that special education services in public schools should be fully funded every year. I will work with everyone that is involved and put forth all efforts to make sure all voting parties understand the importance of fully funding special education yearly.
7. Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high quality early childhood education statewide?
Yes.
8. The nation’s top teachers say that the greatest barriers to school success for K-12 students are family stress, poverty, and learning and psychological problems. What steps do you believe legislators should take to alleviate these obstacles for Mississippi children?
Access to essential resources, financial literacy, and mental health is a growing concern for students and families. I will work with school districts and parents of public school children to find out the most effective ways to reach this growing population. Then I will bring the concerns and possible solutions to the House and advocate for the needs of my constituents.
9. In the 2022 Legislative Session, a significant teacher pay raise was passed. Do you support continued pay increases to ensure that Mississippi’s teacher salaries keep pace with inflation and salaries in our neighboring states?
Yes.
10. Do you agree that retired educators (and other retired state employees) should be able to draw their retirement while serving in the Legislature?
Yes.
11. Legislators have little or no staff to help them understand the many bills they must consider. Before introducing or supporting a bill that could affect public education, will you commit to seeking input from teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents of public school students in your district? Who will be advising you on education policies?
I will commit to seeking input from teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents of public school students in the district. I am an associate professor of education at Tougaloo College. I will seek advice from those in education leadership positions who are also experts in the field, the Mississippi Association of Educators, and the Parents Campaign.
My constituents are my primary concern. I vote in favor of my constituents.
Fabian Nelson (winner of primary runoff)
1. What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family?
I am a proud graduate of public schools, and my children attend public schools. I am a proud member of Gary Road Intermediate, Gary Road Elementary, Byram Middle, and Terry High School Parent Teacher Organizations.
2. Do you agree that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) should be fully funded every year? If yes, what actions will you take to ensure full funding? If no, explain why.
MAEP should be fully funded every year. It is a disgrace that MAEP has not been fully funded in 15 years (only fully funded two times since its inception). Due to a lack of funding MAEP for the past 15 years, we have lost 3.3 billion dollars in school funding.
3. What will you do to ensure state revenue that is sufficient to provide all of the services Mississippi’s citizens need to lead productive lives?
It is important to make sure that all of the funds in our budget are appropriated accordingly. Going into the 2024 Legislative Session, Mississippi has an over $4 Billion surplus, these funds must be properly appropriated. My top priority is fully funding MAEP, and working to update the antiquated MAEP formula.
4. Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not?
Yes, I will oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, and virtual schools. *I would not restrict taxpayer dollars for public schools participating in a virtual platform.* Every parent has the choice of what education method works best for their children. Fully funding public education will place our scholars in a situation where they receive the best education possible. Once public schools are fully funded and thriving, I would consider the possibility of expanding vouchers for private schools, religious schools, etc.
5. Do you agree that all K-12 schools that receive taxpayer dollars, including private voucher schools, should be accountable to taxpayers for the quality of education they provide, using the same accountability measures as public schools?
Absolutely, any entity that is receiving taxpayers’ money must be held accountable to the taxpayers. As stewards of the taxpayers’ money, we cannot give money away unthinkingly and without accountability. Although my stance is firm on only funding public schools, the reality is that we are funding other schools currently, so there must be an oversight on any entity receiving state funding.
6. Public schools serve the vast majority of Mississippi students with disabilities. Do you agree that special education services in public schools should be fully funded every year? (Special education has been underfunded by the state every year since 2008.) If yes, how will you accomplish full funding? If no, explain why.
Absolutely! When I was a student, we had minimal special education services for students that needed them. This resulted in many students not getting the proper education they needed and ultimately unprepared for the workforce. As the father of a child with special needs, I have seen firsthand how individualized services due to his IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) have helped him receive a quality education. My son is on the path to graduation and following his dream of becoming a truck driver due to the nurturing and specialized services that he has received from Hinds County School District. We have to make this a reality for ALL of our school districts.
7. Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high quality early childhood education statewide?
Yes! Early childhood education is pivotal to a child’s development. Studies have shown that children that receive these services are more successful. Studies have also shown that early childhood education programs help our children develop the social and emotional skills needed to succeed and graduate high school. With Pre-K relying on the Early Learning Collaboratives (ELCs) for funding, I will work to expand this initiative and increase funding to these vital programs. Currently, 25% of 4-year-olds are served, and 24 million dollars has been invested since 2022.
8. The nation’s top teachers say that the greatest barriers to school success for K-12 students are family stress, poverty, and learning and psychological problems. What steps do you believe legislators should take to alleviate these obstacles for Mississippi children?
Our schools should be safe spaces for our children. We have several families that are living in poverty. Our children spend ⅓ of their days at school; our schools MUST be fully funded to ensure an environment conducive to learning. If our children are not seeing better situations at school than at home they will not thrive. Secondly, mental health care is underfunded and neglected in Mississippi. We must raise awareness of our need for mental health services and funding. Once we can meet the Mississippians’ basic needs, we can move on to other issues.
9. In the 2022 Legislative Session, a significant teacher pay raise was passed. Do you support continued pay increases to ensure that Mississippi’s teacher salaries keep pace with inflation and salaries in our neighboring states?
We can NEVER pay teachers what they are worth. Even with the pay raise, our teachers are still the lowest paid in the nation. I commend our Legislature for giving our teachers a raise, but there is still more to be done to at least get our teachers to the national level. Currently, our teachers are not being paid a living wage.
10. Do you agree that retired educators (and other retired state employees) should be able to draw their retirement while serving in the Legislature?
Absolutely, our retired state employees have a lot of insight into the broken systems and policies that need revamping. I would also like for retired educators to have the opportunity to return to the classroom without their retirement benefits being affected.
11. Legislators have little or no staff to help them understand the many bills they must consider. Before introducing or supporting a bill that could affect public education, will you commit to seeking input from teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents of public school students in your district? Who will be advising you on education policies?
I will only vote on a bill if I fully understand it. Practices such as this are how we got to where we are now. Community stakeholders are vital in the legislative process. I have established relationships with the Principals, Teachers, and Administrators of each school in my district to assess better and understand their needs. I have also been working to build relationships with the Jackson Association of Educators and the Mississippi Association of Educators. I regularly consult with retired educators, current educators, and the Parents’ Campaign. I was actively involved in advocating for the full funding of MAEP, and the removal of Section 4 of HB 1671, which removed tax credits for private school funding and redirected benefits to foster care.
As a Representative, it is my job to serve my constituents and advocate on their behalf. Once the great people of District 66 decide to hire me, I will always do what is in the best interest of my constituents. Being actively involved in my community keeps me grounded and motivates me to fight hard and advocate for our children.
