Observer Election 2024: Dr. Ernest Mackins, School Dist. 5 At Large
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Dr. Ernest E. Mackins, a pastor and professional educator of more than 20 years, has an earned Master's of Divinity degree and is a certified Global Career Development. He is seeking the Anderson School Dist. 5 At-Large Seat.
He has an earned Doctor of Professional Leadership in Education from Converse University, a Master of Divinity: Christian Leadership and Church Ministries and Master of Arts, High School Administration and School Leadership from Furman University. Master of Arts, Science Teaching (MAT), 5th-9th Grade from Clemson University, a Bachelor of Science, Marketing, Business Administration from Clemson, and an Associate of Arts from North Greenville University.
Mackins said his community activities include: Church Pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church, VFW Post 6089 Member-Senior Vice Commander, “where we serve the community in many areas, especially when it comes to feeding and clothing the homeless in our community, serving on the Board of Trustees for Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries, membership at Pleasant View Baptist Church, and as a United State Army Veteran (Desert Storm).
Mackins said has and will continue to attend school board meetings.
He also said he has experience serving on PTO/PTA, as a booster, and as a volunteer in public schools. “I was a member of the PTO/PTA as an Administrator back when I served as Assistant Principal at Belton-Honea Path (B-HP) High School. I ran the whole program. Before I got into education over 20 years ago, I volunteered in the schools and subbed for three years in all different kinds of classes right here at our Anderson 5 schools. I am familiar with Booster because of athletic programs and because these types of organizations support us. I worked in one when I was a teacher for some time.”
Here are his answers to the Anderson Observer’s questions:
1. What is the most important responsibility of public schools? The responsibility of public schools is to educate all students who come to them. Our job is to build future leaders by helping them become critical thinkers who can make rational decisions based on knowledge that is well-researched information. Public schools help students become lifelong learners and contributing members of society.
2. What are the three most important duties of a public-school board member? One of the most important duties of a public-school board member is to represent the teachers, students, and the community on the board when it comes to passing important policies and expanding the school district. This duty includes ensuring the schools are safe places to learn and protecting the integrity of the schools. The second duty is to ensure that the teachers, administrators, and staff have the necessary training to address students’ learning needs in the classroom. Teachers should have all the supplies they need at the beginning of the year and not be forced to spend their money on these items. The third duty of a public-school board member is to listen to the community, teachers, and administrators and then try to address the issues that are brought to them.
3. How is your combination of education and experience relevant to serving the duties identified in question one? First and foremost, I have been a teacher and administrator in the local schools for over 20 years. I have worked with different communities, and I have worked across all boundaries that you can think of. And in doing this, I have gained the experience to be the leader this district needs. It’s about listening to people, understanding their concerns, and then passing policies to address them. I am also a local Pastor in the community, so I hear what the people tell me daily because I have lived here for over 34 years. I am highly educated and have a Doctor of Education in Professional Leadership. I am very familiar with the school board because I attend the meetings and listen to how the board is run. I am the most qualified candidate in this race, without a doubt.
4. Is there a particular issue that motivates you to run for a seat on the board of education?
I am running for the school board because I want to support the people. I want to work for the students and the teachers. The students are more than just test scores; they are human beings and people who are the future leaders in America and the world. As such, we must encourage them to become critical thinkers and lifelong learners, and teachers should do just that. I will help ensure our teachers get everything they need inside and outside the classroom to educate our students. I support the administrators, the staff, and our community.
5. Please explain your understanding of how school board millage works and what you see as the top priorities for using this money. The millage is what school boards use to raise funds for a district when a need arises within the community. 1 mill is equal to 1/1000th of a currency unit. As used in relation to property tax, 1 mill equals $1 in property tax, which is levied per $1,000 of a property’s determined taxable (Property tax calculation). This is how the money is raised from property taxes. The money raised should be used to aid our teachers in reducing class size, salary increases, and providing the teachers with the supplies, training, and items they will need to better educate the students in our community. Finally, we need to address the mental issues of students, teachers, and all staff because this is a serious problem in schools and our world now.
6. Given all the issues that arise, how can the board stay focused on student achievement? The board can continue working with the students, teachers, administrators, and other staff to let the community know that student achievement comes first and to understand the importance of a holistic view of a student. The students are more than just a test score; I do not believe teachers should be judged solely on a test score. We must look into other ways of assessing our students and apply these techniques in the classroom.
7. How does a school board balance the need to provide a quality education with the need to respond to the local taxpayer burden? First, millage should not be raised unless there is an absolute need. Secondly, the school sometimes needs money to provide a quality education. I have talked with people in the community, and many people are okay with this as long as the board is transparent about how the money is being spent. The community wants to know that the money is spent on educating our students, not on useless expenditures. We will always have to keep our schools updated and in tack if we are going to compete in a global market. To do this, schools must have money.
8. What are your thoughts on the current and the proposed budget for your school district? From what I have seen on the current budget, it seems things are in order. They have provided pay raises to teachers, teaching assistants, and bus drivers. They have also brought in good additional security. However, I do not see anything on mental health programs or possibly looking at ways to get metal detectors in all schools. It seems now that we are living in dangerous times. I am saddened to say this, but this is where we are in society. This is the only suggestion that I have at this point.
9. As a board member, where would you look to make budget cuts? If cuts had to be made, I would start with the big salaries in the district office. I would combine some positions and find better ways to monitor the personnel. I would ensure that the hired people already had degrees and experience in their expertise. I would genuinely be transparent about the process. I would never cut anything that would help the teachers or other staff members in the classroom. I would indeed have a student and a teacher-centered budget.
10. Are there any areas you would not consider cutting? I would never cut anything that would help the teachers or other staff members in the classroom. I would never cut anything that deals with the mental health of the teacher, students, or any other staff members. Security would never be cut. I would indeed have a student and a teacher-centered budget.
11. How would you determine your budget priorities? Budget priorities would be based on the needs of students, teachers, and staff, along with the district’s. I would ask myself on every line item, “Is this something needed, and how will it impact the classroom?” I would also talk to administrators, teachers, other staff members, and the community to determine what should be included in the budget. Ultimately, this is about building a collaborative community that will benefit everyone involved.
12. What changes should be made on the state and local level regarding public education?
First, I think there should be better communication and more transparency regarding how public education works at the state and local levels. I believe public education dollars must stay in public schools and not go to private schools. We need to look into funding schools better than just using property taxes. Public schools need good funding sources no matter the communities in which they are located. Zip code should not determine what kind of education you can get. We need the Department of Education, or we risk losing control of schools because there would be no accountability, and our schools need accountability from the public, especially now with the things going on in society.
13. Do you favor renewing the penny sales tax for schools when the current law expires? I only favor the penny sales tax for schools if the money goes to public schools and only if there is transparency in how the money is being spent. The funds must benefit our public schools, the teachers, the administration, and the community.
14. How important are athletics and extracurricular activities and should the school board support such endeavors for students? Athletics and extracurricular activities are the key to keeping students in school and helping them develop into well-rounded individuals. It also allows students to build social skills and relationships that they will need to survive and thrive in this world. Athletics can also bring in extra money that the school may need to provide a better public education, especially if the community can not afford to pay for the schools. So, yes, I believe that the school board should support such endeavors for students, and these board members need to attend games occasionally.
15. What is your understanding of separation of church and state when it comes to public schools in Anderson County? Students can pray and even form religious organizations. However, faculty and staff are held to a different standard based on the US Constitution, where church and state are separated. We can talk about religion, especially in the curriculum, but it must be done in a way that shows respect for all faiths. It is not our job to influence or persuade our students of anything. Our job is to provide the information and teach them how to be critical thinkers. The parents should talk to the students about church. As such, we support the parents and the community we live in.
16. Are you familiar with Moms for Liberty and/or Stop Moms for Liberty groups and how do you view their activities (positively/negatively and why)? I view this activity as being negative because Moms for Liberty was supposed to be nonpartisan, but they are not. They are partisan as they come, and they do not have students in the district for the most part. They have an agenda, but it’s not to give our students the best public education possible. I have not heard of Stop Moms for Liberty groups, so I do not have a comment about them. One last thing: banning books is not the answer. Parents can opt out of books they do not want their children to read. We must unite as a community and ensure our students are exposed to age-appropriate material. Parents need to be more involved in their children’s lives to help us ensure that we are all on the same page. We don’t need to stop people from reading. If anything, we need to be encouraging our students to read more.
17. How would you work to find common ground with other school board members and the superintendent on issues of disagreement? Finding common ground means listening to each other and hearing each other. If we are there for the students, teachers, and other staff members who work in the district, then we will find common ground because the hope would be that we want the best for the district. Common ground would be doing what is right and best for the district. We want to provide the best possible education to all the students in the district.
18. Could you support a board decision you did not vote in favor of? Why or why not? I could do so as long as it benefits the students, teachers, and other staff members working within the district. We don’t have to agree on everything, but everything we do should reflect the fact that we want the district to be successful and, in turn, students to be successful along with our community.
19. What is your opinion of current teachers in the district and what would you do as a board member to support them? Teachers need all the help and training they can get. I know because I have been a teacher/administrator for over 20 years. I would talk with them and listen to them. Then, I would act to get the supplies and materials they need to educate our students better. I would look for ways to provide funding for additional training and development that they would need. Most of all, I would look into programs that they may need for their mental health. We must show that we care about our teachers and want them healthy mentally, physically, and emotionally. We need them to be healthy to educate our students better.
20. How can a school board know if its goals are being accomplished and its policies are being implemented? The school board can check in with the administrators assigned to goals and implement the policies. Then, walk around and talk to a few teachers in the buildings; I am sure a picture will take shape in your mind. In other words, personal observation can tell you what is or is not happening. Then, look at the data that has been collected along with the results. It may take three to five years, but you will begin to see if goals are being accomplished and policies are truly being implemented. In other words, hold people accountable and, as school board members, be responsible to the community. In other words, as a school board member, you must be involved with the parents and the community in your schools.