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Name:
Brandon Elion
What office are you seeking?
DeKalb CUSD 428 Board of Education - School Board
What is your political party?
Independent
What is your current age?
37
Occupation and employer:
Sr Transportation Specialist at Nestle USA
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
Citizens Community Enhancement Commission - City of DeKalb
City:
DeKalb
Campaign Website:
Education:
Bachelor of Arts Sociology with an emphasis in Criminology
Community Involvement:
Ezra Hill Jr Memorial Foundation - Co-Founder
Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donation Ambassador
Barb City Steam Leadership - Presenter
DeKalb CUSD 428 Board of Education Naming Committee
Marital status/Immediate family:
Married to my wife for 2.5 years 4 children
Questions:
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
Leverage and analyze the data along with creating clear goals and objectives for students with lower scores, reduction of class sizes for more learning effectiveness, and ensuring curriculum is up to date for optimal student/teacher engagement.
DeKalb County public schools asked voters in November to support an up to 1% sales tax which officials said would have gone to help pay for needed things such as infrastructure work. The referendum was voted down. What ideas do you have to address aging buildings and infrastructure needs for your school district while not overburdening taxpayers?
I believe it starts with developing plans that align with the school districts educational and financial goals in a way that does not create more undue stress on taxpayers. I believe the school district must do a thorough assessment of all older buildings to look at the infrastructure needs and prioritize based on urgency and impact. Critical issues (mechanical, electrical etc.) that impact safety and learning should be addressed first.
Fiscal responsibility is an important part of elected roles, and a priority for voters. Do you believe the school district budget needs trimming? Why or why not? If you were to cut, where would you do it?
While I’m not fully aware of what the current budget is and how finances are allocated, I wouldn’t necessarily say the budget needs trimming, but I do believe we need to look at how the budget assess priorities and needs. I believe the key to ensuring an optimal and balanced budget is ensuring the student’s needs are put first, and the teachers, staff and administrators are set up for success immediately after. If we can keep the budget as is or increase it without undue stress on taxpayers and residents, I am more inclined to agree with solutions based on those cases.
Illinois, like many districts across the nation, is facing significant teacher shortages. What is your idea to recruit and retain educators, including special education, dual-language teachers, etc.
Partner with accredited and certified institutions for student teachers to be offered employment at the school where they student teach. Review state mandated licensing protocols. People that go to a university and receive a degree should not have to be dependent on paying the state to take a test and receive a license to be a teacher unless it is a focus area. Search for grants that could provide signing bonuses for teachers new to the district.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
All of my children have attended public school largely since kindergarten in the DeKalb School District.
What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?
The district should ensure materials are up to date, in like new or new condition, and digital as well as hard copy editions are available and applicable to all.
Most of local residents' property taxes go to their school districts. Are taxes paid to your school district too high? What would you do to protect the interests of taxpayers?
I firmly believe that fiscal responsibility should protect the interests of the students first. I think it is just as important to assess future needs as it is to protect current needs and the interest of taxpayers. We shouldn’t gamble on our student’s education at the expense of money. As residents, we should be ensuring that the taxes we are paying go towards the benefit our students for their education and extra curricular programs.
Most of the COVID relief money from the federal government is coming to an end. What spending adjustments does your school district need to make to address that?
Examining the budget and ensuring the resources are allocated in such a way that when COVID relief money comes to an end, the programs benefited are sustained. We should also look for other grants and initiatives to supplement the COVID relief fund.
Should Title IX cover sexual orientation or gender identity? What are your views on the use of locker rooms and bathrooms by transgender students and their participating in sports?
I feel as though every student has a right to feel comfortable in the setting they are in.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
I don’t believe ICE should be allowed on school grounds at all. The only policies I would support are those that prohibit their ability to perform actions related to removing children from school.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
In my opinion:
- New school boundaries related to Mitchell elementary school opening for the 25-26 school year
- Fiscal understanding
- Teacher shortage
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
Students should only be allowed to use cell phones for emergencies and approved breaks by teachers and staff.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
Emergencies approved by teachers/staff should be the only exception. any specific educational purposes should be only limited to the district issued chromebooks and libraries.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
I would work with our restorative deans and guidance counselors to create/enhance action plans that highlight the issues and dangers around cyberbullying and inappropriate content access. I would also utilize our VPNs and other means of cyber security to block language or content that flow into these categories.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
AI should be used as an assisted resource, not a main one. Students should still be required to cite sources for fact checking. While AI could be a good tool to use, it should not be used to circumvent the learning process of a student.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
AI and co-pilot tools integrated within the district’s website could make already transparent reports easier to understand and digest to district residents. I believe residents want to see simplified breakdowns and what it means for them in relation to how they impact the data in these reports.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
Continuing to use the open forum for school board meetings, community conversations, and our election cycles for the district residents to speak up and let their voices be heard.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
Books in the classroom should be teacher approved and relegated to the curriculum for that subject. Books in the school libraries should recent editions and of the district approved materials list.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
Addressing district boundaries is critical in determining this. We could also examine flexible staffing models by analyzing the trends and data of current class sizes in each school in the district. We need to recruit more teachers. As the student population grows, our staff has to grow with it.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
I’d like to learn and understand what resources are allocated and the effectiveness before deciding if any changes need to be made.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
Email, direct messages on social media (Facebook), Open forums within the school district. also I have a campaign website at ElionforDeKalb.org.