Jackson-Madison Co. School Board candidates share opinions
JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson-Madison County District Three School Board candidates Wayne Arnold and Sam Turner say they love their county and want to be a part of the decisions being made.
“As I have seen how things have progressed over the past couple of years, it further cemented that idea in my head,” Arnold said. “Then the last six months I have firmly committed that now’s the time for me to be on the school board.”
It also hits a personal note with Turner.
“Not having books to come home with to do homework, doing well in school but yes, struggling with ACT scores, that was important to me, and I finally decided that if we didn’t do something, if average people didn’t step up to use their skills in their community, then we were going to have the same thing we had continued to have,” Turner said.
Arnold, a retired fireman, says his experience making quick but rational decisions will be helpful to the board.
“Decisions have been made just to be making decisions. Things have not been thought through adequately. I feel like with my background, I can help slow down, take a little more patient approach to things and do things right the first time instead of rushing in just to be doing something,” Arnold said.
Turner, a business consultant, says his background in business administration will aid him.
“I’m not an educator per se. I went to Jackson State and Union University. I received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in business administration. I am also an examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and I also work with the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence as a judge on their performance excellence program.”
Both candidates have strong opinions when it comes to the Vision 2020 plan.
“Vision 2020 was something that, I feel like, shoved down Madison County’s throat as a whole,” Arnold said. “Again, that’s one of those things where somebody felt something needed to be done so we just did something instead of taking that calm, rational approach at it.”
“I do strategic plans as a consultant, and when I attended the meeting I turned to my wife and said this isn’t a strategic plan — this is a capital allocation plan. And that’s what it was,” Turner said. “There was a lot of voice of the customer and a lot of opportunities, but there are not any evidence that the voice of the customer was heeded.”
One big task is helping to find the next superintendent, which is something both candidates are excited about.
“We’re losing that sustainability that really needs to occur within our community to be a successful organization,” Turner said. “I would love to see that be filled internally, somebody that understands our community and understands Jackson.”
“This next superintendent is either going to help straighten up or clean up or continue piloting the ship that’s laid in front of them,” Arnold said.
When asked what the candidates ultimately wanted the community to know about them, here’s how they answered.
“I want to make sure that everybody knows I will communicate with them and I will be as transparent as possible,” Turner said. “I want to hear the feedback from the community and make decisions that represent that community that they’ve entrusted me for.”
“If there is such a thing as a platform in a local race such as this, it would be that slow down, patient, rational approach to making the decisions that need to be made,” Arnold said.
