CANDIDATE PLATFORM

Hi. My name is Linda Owens and I am running for Place 7 on the Hurst Euless Bedford ISD School Board.

I have lived in Bedford for almost 50 years and my son attended HEBISD schools. I graduated from Texas Women’s University with a BA in Elementary Education. Additionally, I am a Registered Nurse and a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, specializing in Ob/GYN.

Though working as a nurse most of my life, I also have 3 years of experience as an elementary classroom teacher. For the last 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of doing sonograms at a pregnancy help center, showing mothers with unplanned pregnancies their babies in the womb.

Raising a family and experiencing the joys of grandchildren have been a great source of fulfillment and purpose in my life. I believe every person is valuable, every person counts, and every person is worthy of respect. (continued)

I have decided to run for the school board to make a difference in the lives of children. Parents have God-given authority over their children and their voices should be heard and valued. As a school board member, I will listen to the concerns of parents and do my best to address those concerns, knowing that parents love their children and only want what is best for them.

Listening to the concerns of teachers and advocating for policies that support their concerns is also a priority. I understand first-hand how overwhelming it can be to manage a classroom, teach content, reach academic standards, and juggle the demands that come from administration, parents, and many other sources.

Developing the critical thinking skills of students is a major priority for me. Group Think is far too common and easy. We must teach students to question things, study, evaluate, and then reach conclusions. Exposure to differing opinions and viewpoints is essential in the classroom. As a board member, I will encourage critical thinking in the classroom and influence the learning materials and processes that encourage the development of critical thinking for our students. (continued)

A holistic approach to History includes both the good and the bad from America’s past. Integrating more Critical Thinking in our approach to history will expose students to the good and bad in everything, allowing us, as a community, to learn from past mistakes while embracing the vision for freedom and inclusion our nation was founded upon.

This concept is the same for each people group. Prejudice judges entire groups of people as being all bad or all good, but we know the potential for both good and bad within each individual.

Critical Thinking is also essential in the study of science. Through the scientific method, we learn to question, form hypotheses, and then prove or disprove the hypothesis through experimentation and data analysis to reach conclusions. Science is so much more than just accepting and memorizing facts; it is a chance to explore, learn, and discover.

We must prioritize the development of critical thinking skills in our schools because these precious children will one day make decisions on their own that will significantly impact their personal lives, our community, and this country. (continued)

Children tend to go along with the crowd, to fit in, to group think. My vision is to encourage children to question, learn, evaluate, and base their opinions on facts rather than emotions. We want our kids to be able to think, to have common sense, and not just go along with the group.

We live in an unusually polarized time with division and conflict at every turn. Let’s come together and listen to each other. We have one thing in common: love for our children and grandchildren. There are so many conflicting reports about the education of our children. Parents want and deserve a voice in our school system and transparency regarding curriculum and content. This will support the responsibility every parent has to love and protect their children while welcoming an ever-increasing partnership between parents and teachers. Without transparency, we invite fear instead of engagement and partnership. Fear shuts down the ability to learn. Blame or anger rooted in fear is not the answer.

If you agree with my vision for parental authority, increased transparency, and the importance of learning materials that teach academic basics with an emphasis on critical thinking, then I am the candidate for you to support. I respect your opinion, value your input, and would be glad to listen to your concerns. I am available by appointment, in person, in groups, or on the phone.

Contact Me

email: lindaowens3946@gmail.com

phone: 817-313-9522

Facebook: Facebook.com/LindaOwensforHEBISD