SOUTH WHIDBEY RECORD: School board incumbent supports equity, masks, vaccines
South Whidbey School Board member Andrea Downs is being challenged for her position by Dawn Tarantino. Downs wrote the school district’s equity policy in which she says that “causing students of all identities and in all life circumstances to feel seen, heard and validated is at the center of the policy.” She also stated that the “equity policy and the inclusive curriculum policy” she wrote has nothing to do with Critical Race Theory which “is not taught in the South Whidbey school district.”
Downs went on to say that “students are taught about implicit and explicit biases and inclusive history representative of multiple perspectives.” Downs also supports mask mandates and vaccine mandates for school employees and volunteers because if the mandates are not followed, the schools will lose state funding.
“Yes, I’m in support of science…but it comes down to logistics,” she said. “I do not know how we keep that school open, and I do not know how we pay our staff, and I most certainly do not know how we support the social, emotional, and academic needs of our students if we have no funding.”
Tarantino was not available for comment but is on the record stating she does not believe Critical Race Theory should be taught in schools. For the details, see the story by Karina Andrew.
On the Ballot on November 2 – 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
