What is your experience with K-12 public schools, personally and/or with your children or family?
Public education has shaped both my life and my career. I am a graduate of Jackson Public Schools and Callaway High School, Class of 2007. I later returned to JPS and served students as a graduation coach, teacher, and football coach. I have also continued my career in higher education and am currently pursuing an Executive Ph.D. in Urban Higher Education at Jackson State University. These experiences have allowed me to see public education as a student, educator, coach, administrator, and public servant. I understand that strong schools require quality educators, adequate resources, family engagement, accountability, and consistent support from state government.

Do you agree that the Mississippi Student Funding Formula (MSFF) should be fully funded every year? If yes, what actions will you take to ensure full funding? If no, explain why. 
Yes. If Mississippi establishes a formula for what it takes to educate our students, the Legislature should make funding that formula a priority. I will support budgets that fully fund the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, protect the funding intended for public schools, and ensure that the formula accounts for the additional needs of students who require greater support. I will also closely review proposed changes to the formula to make sure districts are not placed at a disadvantage through unfunded mandates or shifting state responsibilities to local taxpayers.

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?
Mississippi must maintain a responsible and sustainable revenue system that allows us to meet our obligations without wasting taxpayer dollars. I will support responsible budgeting, economic development that expands our tax base, regular review of tax incentives and exemptions to ensure taxpayers are receiving a return on those investments, and prioritization of core responsibilities such as education, infrastructure, public safety, healthcare, and retirement security. We should not promise services without identifying the recurring revenue needed to sustain them.

Will you oppose vouchers that send taxpayer dollars to private schools, religious schools, home schools, or virtual schools? Why or why not?
Yes. I oppose using public education dollars to pay private or religious school tuition or to subsidize home-school expenses. Public dollars should strengthen public schools. Clinton should not be penalized for maintaining a strong public school district, and Jackson should not be deprived of resources while working to improve outcomes for its students. I also believe any publicly funded virtual education program must be a public program subject to the same transparency and accountability expected of other public schools. Parents have choices, but those choices should not come at the expense of the public school systems responsible for educating every child who walks through their doors.

Do you agree that all K-12 schools that receive taxpayer dollars, including private voucher schools, should be open to the public and held accountable to taxpayers for the quality of education they provide, using the same accountability measures as public schools?
Yes. Public dollars should come with public accountability. If an institution receives taxpayer funding to educate children, taxpayers should be able to know how those dollars are spent and whether students are receiving a quality education. Schools receiving public funding should be subject to meaningful academic, financial, transparency, and accountability standards comparable to those required of public schools.

Public schools serve the vast majority of Mississippi students with Do you agree that special education services in public schools should be fully funded every year? If yes, how will you accomplish full funding? If no, explain why.
Yes. Students with disabilities are entitled to the services and support necessary for them to succeed, and school districts should not have to choose between meeting those obligations and funding other essential classroom needs. I will support adequate funding for the special-education weights within the state funding formula, appropriate staffing, related services, and resources for districts serving students with disabilities. I will also support regular review of whether the funding provided actually reflects the cost of delivering those required services.

Do you agree that Mississippi should provide high-quality early childhood education statewide?
Yes. High-quality early childhood education gives children a stronger foundation before they enter kindergarten and can help address learning gaps before they become larger challenges. I support expanding access to quality early-learning opportunities through accountable programs, strong standards, qualified educators, and partnerships that allow communities to meet the needs of their families.

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 challenges. What steps do you believe legislators should take to alleviate these obstacles for Mississippi children?
Schools cannot solve every challenge facing a child by themselves. Legislators should support school counselors, mental-health services, graduation and a3endance interventions, nutritious meals, special-education resources, and partnerships between schools and community organizations. My experience as a graduation coach taught me that students sometimes need an adult who can identify what is happening outside the classroom and connect the family with the right support. State policy should help schools remove barriers to learning while keeping teachers focused on teaching.

Do you support continued pay increases for public school teachers to ensure that Mississippi’s teacher salaries keep pace with inflation and salaries in our neighboring states?
Yes. Mississippi must remain competitive in recruiting and retaining quality educators. I support sustainable teacher pay increases that reflect inflation, experience, responsibilities, and competition from surrounding states. Compensation should be part of a broader strategy that also improves working conditions, classroom resources, professional support, and retention. We should also recognize the essential role of counselors, assistants, bus drivers, cafeteria employees, and other school personnel.

Do you agree that retired educators (and other retired state employees) should be able to draw their retirement while serving in the Legislature?
Yes. Retirement benefits are earned through years of public service and should not be taken away simply because a retiree chooses to continue serving the state in elected office. At the same time, the law should be structured responsibly so that drawing an earned retirement benefit does not result in duplicate retirement credit for the same period of legislative service.

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?
Absolutely. Education policy should not be written in isolation from the people who work in and depend on our schools every day. I will seek input from teachers, principals, superintendents, school-board members, counselors, special-education professionals, parents, students, and other education stakeholders throughout District 70. I want voices from both the Jackson Public School District and Clinton Public School District represented in those conversations. My own experience in K-12 and higher education will help me ask informed questions, but I will continue listening to those currently doing the work.

In the past, legislators have received tremendous pressure from the leaders of their chamber (House or Senate), state and party leaders, and corporate lobbyists to vote in ways that could contradict the will of their constituents and harm their communities. How would you respond to such pressure?
My responsibility is to the people of District 70. I will read the legislation, understand its financial and practical consequences, consult the people who will be affected, and make decisions based on what best serves my constituents. I welcome input from anyone, but no party leader, lobbyist, organization, or political pressure should substitute for my responsibility to the people I was elected to represent. When outside pressure and the interests of District 70 conflict, District 70 comes first.