Candidate Q&A: Ernest A. Knight

What makes you the best candidate?

I feel that I am the best candidate because I am a recent graduate of the Portsmouth School System. I have earned an Advance Studies Diploma. I know the different changes that needs to take place. As well as, if elected to be a member of the school board, I would be a team player in order to help elevate the Portsmouth School System. It is time for a positive change. I would be a voice for students, teachers, and staff.

What should be the school district's top priority now, and how can it be achieved?

The mission of the Portsmouth School System is to prepare our students for an education as well as to prepare them for the work place. One way to address this issue is by starting a mentorship program with students. By encouraging a student, it can bring them a long way. Just to know that someone cares can mean a lot in a student’s life.

What do you think will be the school district's most pressing issue in 10 years, and how can the board prepare for it?

Currently overcrowded schools is an important issue. With an overcrowded school, it give students a harder time to learn. Also, with an overcrowded school comes a safety issue. The board can come up with options for a new school or to renovate a school that was previously closed.

How effective are Virginia's Standards of Learning and the national No Child Left Behind initiatives in raising student achievement?

The Virginia’s Standards of Learning are somewhat effective in raising student achievement. However, by having the SOL’S, it doesn’t give the students a full-valued education. Teachers have to prepare their students for the test, and they have a lot to cover in a little time. Then it comes down to trying to get students to pass a test, in order for the school to become accredited. We miss out on focusing to make sure that the student’s understand completely what they need to know in this cast changing society.

What would you do to ensure that accredited schools in the division remain accredited? What do you think should be done at schools that have not yet achieved accreditation?

I believe that we should invest in new up-to-date textbooks for students. There is material on state exams that is not in some of the older textbooks. Books are extremely important because they enable students to study at home. This is one way to ensure that accredited schools would remain accredited and that schools that are not accredited shall be able to achieve accreditation.

What should the division do to ensure school campuses are safe?

One way to ensure that our schools are safe is by doing random searches to ensure that no one is bringing anything dangerous into the schools. Another way is to ensure the use of metal detectors. By having medal detectors it ensures that no one is bringing any kind of weapons into the school. So, these are two different positive approaches to school safety.