New Sartell St. Stephen School Board Member Explains Why She Decided to Run

(KNSI) — One of three newly elected school board members outspoken about critical race theory and other non-education-related issues creeping into the Sartell-St. Stephen School curriculum says she and the other two on the slate ran on a platform of taking politics out of the classroom.

Jen Smith says she became motivated to get involved and ultimately run after trying to get help for her son’s dyslexia and learning the district had spent $80,000 on an equity audit that has divided the community. She says she believes the three were elected to end the divisiveness. “There was just enough people that said this isn’t what we want. We want our kids to go back to school and learn to read and write and do math. I mean our scores are slipping and that’s not going to improve if we keep politicizing the educational environment.”

Smith says the community needs to keep the kids as their primary focus. “We all have one common goal, I would imagine, and that should be our kids. Let’s give them an environment where tolerance is there and you can have a differing opinion and still be respectful and like somebody.”

Smith, Emily Larson and Scott Wenshau beat six other candidates for the three spots on the school board.

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