Hinton: ‘A successful future’

Published 9:19 pm Wednesday, October 29, 2014

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Suffolk News-Herald has invited candidates for all of the city’s contested offices to submit 400-word columns soliciting the votes of Suffolk citizens on Election Day. A different race has been highlighted on this page each day Since Oct. 24. All of the candidates were notified of the opportunity at the same time via email, and follow-up telephone calls were made to verify receipt of the emails. Today’s page features the School Board election in the Suffolk Borough, which pits incumbent Michael Debranski against challenger Thelma Hinton. Both candidates’ columns appear below. Subscribers to the News-Herald’s daily email will receive a special newsletter in their inboxes on Friday, and it will include links to all of the candidates’ columns, along with links to the candidate profiles newsroom staffers have written about the candidates. To have your name added to the daily email distribution, send an email to news@suffolknewsherald.com.

By Thelma Hinton

Leadership is a word spoken by many, but abandoned when tasks become difficult.

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My experience and leadership in local government is just a small portion of what I bring to the table. I served as vice chair of the Suffolk School Board in 2011-2012, but was realigned into the Suffolk Borough in the redistricting process, which is why I ask for your support once again.

I am a 1998 graduate of Norfolk State University with a bachelor’s in social work, which gives me a unique perspective on how to tackle the deeper social and psychological concerns our children face in the classroom today.

Let me be clear: I do not take this lightly, and I promise I will do more than sit at a desk and merely cast a vote. I will be proactive in finding real solutions to the problems our school system faces. Here are a few goals I have:

  • Quality pay for all staff,
  • Additional tutoring programs,
  • Provisional policy for homeschoolers, with sports program inclusion,
  • Alternative school/magnet school transformation,
  • Definitive goals for Suffolk schools’ administration,
  • Deeper accountability to parents and
  • Zero-tolerance policy enforcement

I will listen to your concerns, even if that means I am the only person speaking up for you. I am a Suffolk native, graduated from John F. Kennedy High School, and then furthered my career in nursing to care for my disabled son, before finding my calling in social work.

I have served as a board member and vice chair for Suffolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority, Virginia Legal Aid Board member, Hollywood/Jericho Civic League and a member of New Calvary Baptist Church.

Lately, many people talk about teacher and support staff needing raises, and I agree, but also know that Suffolk Public Schools can be more responsible to the taxpaying citizens, while still providing raises.

Money is not the reason our children are failing SOL tests, it is because we need more than a “one size fits all” educational policy. Every child learns in a different manner, and we must lift them up, instead of allowing test scores to define their success.

I kindly ask for your vote on Nov. 4, so I can set a standard of accountability so that mediocrity is not an option and fight to deliver a school system that will put our children on a path to a successful future.