Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dr. Sandhya Celestin-Brown, and I am running to become the next board of education member for the Appoquinimink School District.
As a first-generation American, while I faced challenges with finding a sense of belonging in the school system, I learned later in life that pursuing education should never come at the cost of who you are. Education and our schools should be a place of growth, not where identity is erased. Today, as government policies attempt to dictate what can be read in the classrooms, where students should go to use the restrooms and who gets access to education, it is more important than ever to focus on what truly matters: our children.
Politics should not distract from the core mission of education.
I never imagined stepping into this role, but I am here because I know we must do more. As an experienced college professor, I want to be a part of conversations and policymaking regarding how we are preparing our students for higher education and the workforce. As a practicing clinical therapist, I want to take part in conversations and be a change agent for students who may struggle with mental health or learning and developmental disabilities. I also wish to be a voice and place a strong emphasis on emotional and mental wellness and trauma-informed practices in the classroom.
I want to be an advocate for our educators, who bear the responsibility of teaching our students, among and often against the wide variety of other layers that may come with classroom management. Our educators should have salaries that match their tasks and expectations that they have to measure up to by our families and communities on a day-to-day basis.
As your next board member for the Appoquinimink School District, I will be a firewall to prevent financial mismanagement and disparate treatment for students and teachers alike. I would like to help build a school district that is financially solvent and academically progressive for our students, without burdening your wallets and pocketbooks. With your vote, we collectively can raise the standards of education in the Appoquinimink School District and ensure the productivity of our students.
Remember, vote May 13 for Dr. Sandhya Celestin-Brown.
Dr. Sandhya Celestin-Brown
Middletown
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
