Three candidates are competing for two open spots on DCS’s Board of Education.

As the November election approaches, three candidates are vying for two available seats on the Dexter Community School District Board of Education. To help voters understand their positions on key issues such as curriculum and budget priorities, Sun Times News sent five questions to each candidate. Below are the candidate’s responses to two of the five questions. Additional questions will be covered in next week’s issue. Candidate Amy Reiser did not respond.  

Q: School safety is a significant concern nationwide with yet another school shooting in Georgia. How do you plan to strengthen or revise Dexter’s safety protocols to ensure a secure learning environment for students and staff?

Michael Cipolla
School safety is something I see as paramount in public education. Parents and students must feel secure when attending school. Keeping our students safe is the most important task we trust our teachers and staff with each year. Dexter Schools has continually updated its security protocols to follow national trends,` including investing in advanced technologies from cameras and automated lockdown capabilities to renovating the layout of school buildings entirely to make points of entry more secure.

We should support systems that enable members of the school community to share concerns about student and school safety and student wellness. Reporting mechanisms can vary, from encouraging individuals to report information to a trusted adult at school to more formal systems with anonymous reporting capabilities, such as tip lines.

The Washtenaw County School Liaison Program, in which Dexter is involved, is also very helpful. Corporal Gerrod Visel, a Dexter graduate, serves as our School Resource Officer. His primary assignment is at the high school, but he also works in all the buildings. His presence is part of a cooperative effort between education, law enforcement, and the community. This promotes positive and effective communication between youth, teachers, and law enforcement.

Dawn Gilbert
We have a police officer on duty at the school already the doors should be locked in students’ and teachers’ protection. The only door that should be open should be by the office. In other schools, they use metal detectors to make sure their students are safe. I am glad we do not have a problem like that. But is it not in consideration? Well, it should be. We like to think those who come to the schools have good intentions, but the scary part is we do not know. So now we need to train on school lockdowns and make sure if the need arises, we are ready. Practice police response time to each school to make sure as a community we are ready.

Q. With ongoing debates over censorship and curriculum content, including race, gender, and history education, how will you ensure that Dexter’s curriculum is inclusive and representative of all students’ backgrounds?

Dawn Gilbert
As one member I could do nothing but bring concerns up to the school board. At that point, the concern would be looked at and hopefully action would be taken. To say any candidate can change or do anything without the school board’s approval would be just wrong. But if I brought it up and it was approved, I would be on the team to make sure it would go through. Students should learn about our history, both good and bad. If we leave too much of it out, we will be doomed to repeat it. As a parent, I do not want my children to learn a partial history, but to know the truth and what happened, good or bad.

Michael Cipolla
We’ve all seen the news about tensions at some school board meetings. You might have even been to one. Like others, I care a lot about my children’s education. Parents should always be able to communicate openly with the individuals they have elected to oversee their schools, but doing so with respect and consideration.

Even in times of disagreement, it is essential to prioritize the well-being of all students when making decisions. It’s my opinion that school board members should carefully consider the broader impact of their choices on the entire school community, rather than just their children.

In a free and open society where everyone has the right to express themselves, it’s important to be open to viewpoints that may challenge and even discomfort us at times.

Embracing diverse perspectives is essential for growth and mutual understanding. I have always looked at things from a building perspective, just from my upbringing, I guess. To use a construction metaphor, I am always willing to construct bridges instead of walls. 

When having a conversation with someone who disagrees with me, I begin by listening to understand, rather than responding right away, so that I can fully grasp their perspective. In return, I strive to explain without aiming to change their opinion, often fostering an “agree-to-disagree” moment and mutual respect. Both sides learn and grow in understanding the other’s perspective.

I am committed to empowering Dexter to champion and implement significant and enduring initiatives that nurture an inclusive environment of learning and working. These initiatives should honor and embrace diverse thoughts, backgrounds, and experiences. As our students embark on their next chapter, we should equip them to embrace the challenges and opportunities of our current society as a whole, not just our small part of it.