District 1: Candidate Questionnaire Verland Coker

Name: Verland Coker

District: 1

Age: 30

Education: GED

Occupation: Substitute teacher since April in APS

Family: Mother and little brother

What’s the biggest issue APS faces? How would you address it?

Pedagogical stagnation. We have a system that isn't designed for the 21st century and fixing this would require a cascading reinvestment in teachers, community schools, technology, and students. Largely, a system for the hiring, retention, and creation of 21st century ready teachers is the immediate goal.

Albuquerque saw more guns on school campuses last year than any other year in recent memory. As a board member, how would you shape policy to address this issue, and to increase school communities’ feelings of safety while on campus?

Most instances could have been prevented with robust restorative justice practices and more open community schools. We often criminalize students rather than see the root cause of violence in our communities. Policy should be shaped for the best interest of all students, including those that need help.

As APS continues with its districtwide effort to right-size, what would your priorities be when faced with tough decisions about reimagining or repurposing schools?

(Ensuring) that we keep as many schools open as possible. Large depopulations are a result of the unattractive nature of APS schools rather than (any) demographic shifts. This being said, I would focus on the long term investment in student success when it comes to repurposing a campus.

APS students this school year will be in school longer and have different bell schedules than last year. How will you support students, educators and other staff through this transition?

By holding APS transportation accountable and reworking how before and after school care is done. Currently we do not provide open campus or enough before and after school activities and transportation, offloading this burden onto families. This along with a shorter school day is the goal.

The current school board has laid out several goals for APS for the next five years. To what extent do they align with your goals as a board member, do you think they’re appropriate, and do you think they’re feasible?

I think they are well beyond feasible to the point where it's personally insulting how low our expectations are. Additionally, none of these goals and guardrails guide us to a 21st century district and ignore pedagogical stagnation. They are designed to protect the board from criticism.

How much input should parents have in the curriculum and instructional materials used in their children's classrooms?

Ideally, the only influence would be (ensuring) that our instructional materials are culturally and linguistically responsive and responsible. I myself have had to read racist, anti-indigenous books and materials when I went to APS. Not much has changed since then. Curriculum should reflect the life experience of our students.

It’s been five years since the landmark decision in the consolidated Yazzie-Martinez lawsuit. As a board member in the state’s largest district, how do you plan to help Albuquerque’s most underserved students?

Pedagogical stagnation harms our underserved students the most as our educational practices were designed on a century-old understanding of a student's purpose in society, racial biases included. It's a system that propagates these racial biases and as such, poor and non-white students are forced into underperformance.

The school board is currently in the process of looking for a new superintendent. What do you want out of that person?

I would defer to the community input that was thrown out in favor of the nepotistic hiring of Scott Elder. In addition, I need a superintendent who can be honest about our shortcomings and one who can ingratiate themselves into our schools and classrooms and get a complete picture.

What experience do you have overseeing a budget?

No candidate should have experience in a now multi-billion dollar budget, such experience would necessarily be in business and such tactics are profit driven and have no place in education. This being said, I have personally been to many capital outlay meetings and seen poor investments in various bids.

In your opinion, what is the primary role of a school board member?

Legislate policy and oversee the superintendent. This includes course correcting policy such as disciplinary practices for teachers and administration. While I cannot personally fire anyone other than the superintendent, I can determine the criteria for doing so. It is our responsibility to bring APS toward student success.

What role should board members have in district negotiations with unions over issues facing school staff?

A cooperative role that asserts the worth and expectations of teachers. Union support and cooperation is essential to ensure the hiring, retention, and creation of 21st century teachers.

How would you evaluate the current school board’s performance?

Very poor. They are often blind to district shortcomings or hand wave them away as things outside of their control. This school board will be completely new since I last ran in 2019 but nothing has changed and our students are the ones who suffer because of it.

Have you or your business, if you are a business owner, ever been the subject of any state or federal tax liens?

No.

Have you ever been involved in a personal or business bankruptcy proceeding?

No.

Have you ever been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of drunken driving, or any misdemeanor or felony?

No.