SOUTH WHIDBEY RECORD: Incumbents discuss school district at candidate forum

Three incumbent South Whidbey School Directors appears at a candidate forum hosted by the Whidbey Island League of Women Voters on Oct. 7. Their opponents were hosting a community meet-and greet that ran at the same time.

At the League of Women Voters forum, Marnie Jackson, Ann Johnson, and Andrea Downs provided their views concerning several issues including equity, the sex education curriculum and facility maintenance issues.

Speaking to equity, Jackson said “I believe that a public education should be equitably accessible to every student regardless of that student’s background circumstances, or perhaps experiences of systemic oppression.”

All three incumbents expressed support for the new ethnic studies class, mandatory for all South Whidbey High School freshmen, and for the district’s comprehensive sex education curriculum. Andrea Downs said that “schools must begin providing comprehensive sex education at least twice in grades six through eight and twice in grades nine through 12.” She added that “instruction must include age appropriate information about affirmative consent and bystander training, and instruction must include language and strategies that recognize all members of protected classes.”

For more information about each of the incumbents positions, see the story by Karina Andrew.

On the Ballot on November 2, 2021 – South Whidbey School Board:

• Position 2 – Incumbent Andrea Downs vs Dawn Tarantino
• Position 4 – Incumbent Marnie Jackson vs Farrah Manning Davis
• Position 5 – Incumbent Ann Johnson vs Bree Kramer-Nelson