FACING THE VOTERS: Dr. Jenny White, School Board

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent

POLITICS / EDUCATION – Dr. Jenny White does not describe herself as a politician; that is one of the first things she wants voters to understand.

White, a retired teacher, coach and administrator with three decades of experience in North Carolina public education, is making her first run for elected office as a Democrat seeking a seat on the Cleveland County Board of Education.

For White, the decision to run comes less from a desire to enter politics than from a desire to bring the perspective of someone who has spent much of her professional life inside public schools.

“I am not running because I’m a politician,” White said. “I’m running because public education has been my life’s work.”

White said she believes that experience gives her a perspective that is different from simply being a parent, community member or outside observer of the school system.

“I want to be a voice for teachers and support staff who understand what it’s like being in a school beyond being a parent or teacher,” she said.

But she emphasized that her concern extends beyond educators.

She wants to be an advocate for students, including children whose circumstances can make it more difficult for them or their families to advocate for themselves.

White specifically pointed to students with special needs, children living in families struggling from paycheck to paycheck and children whose families may have other concerns competing with their education.

She also spoke about children from immigrant families who may be living with fears about immigration enforcement. Those students, White said, deserve a voice, too.

“And all children,” she said.

That philosophy is at the center of how White views the role of a school board member.

“At the end of the day, let’s spend more time focusing on children,” she said.

White said the board’s responsibility is to establish policy and provide direction for the school system while keeping students at the forefront of those decisions.

That does not necessarily mean every decision will be popular with everyone affected by it.

White gave the example of decisions involving school schedules, including when students eat lunch or have recess.

"The time that might be most convenient for a teacher is not necessarily the time that is best for students," she said.

But once a policy is established based upon what school officials believe is best for children, White said educators generally understand their responsibility to follow it, even when they might not personally agree with every detail.

That distinction between what is popular and what she believes is necessary also came up when White discussed North Carolina’s school calendar law.

“I don’t like the calendar law,” White said.

She recalled previously going to Raleigh to speak about the law and express her concern that she did not believe it was going to be good for children.

White noted there are practical educational reasons she believes students should complete their examinations before Christmas, but there is another consideration. “It is the law,” she explained.

White compared following an unpopular law to driving 65 miles per hour on the interstate at 3 a.m.

"You may not like the rule, but it remains the rule."

For White, that is part of the responsibility of serving on a school board: recognizing the difference between what an individual might personally prefer and what the law requires.

She brought that same perspective to a Cleveland County Board of Commissioners meeting in August, where she spoke about issues involving the school system and its funding.

White said she believes financial decisions involving public schools require looking beyond the immediate number on a budget document.

She pointed to reductions in school funding and the distinction between recurring and non-recurring expenses.

When enrollment falls, she said, there can be an argument for reducing certain expenses.

But some costs do not disappear simply because the number of students changes.

“The operational budget” still has to account for things such as electricity and water, she noted. It is one example of the kind of issue White believes benefits from having people at the table who understand how schools actually operate.

Her educational background is extensive. White earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences with a secondary education license from Appalachian State University. She later earned a master’s degree in school administration and a doctorate in education from Gardner-Webb University.

And if elected, there is one particular area where she would like to put that experience to work: Curriculum.

(White continued below...)

White described curriculum as one of her professional strengths and said she would like to be involved in the process of guiding curriculum decisions within Cleveland County Schools.

“That’s where the 30 years of being in school comes in,” she stated.

Her broader priorities are student achievement, educator support and community engagement. White has said she wants every student to have a strong academic foundation while also having opportunities that prepare them for whatever comes next — whether that means college, technical education, military service or entering the workforce.

She also believes the school system needs to identify students who are struggling while continuing to challenge students who are ready for more advanced opportunities.

She also believes communication and trust between the school system, parents, employees and the community are essential.

“Transparency is a must,” White said in discussing the school board.

White also stated she is willing to work with people regardless of political affiliation when the issue at hand is serving Cleveland County’s schools and students. That point is worth noting in a race in which the candidates have party affiliations on the ballot.

The Cleveland County Board of Education race includes four Republican candidates and two Democratic candidates, with four seats up for election Nov. 3. White and Coleman Hunt are the two Democratic candidates, but White’s own explanation for her candidacy goes back to something more basic than party politics: Experience.

She believes 30 years spent as a teacher, coach and administrator have given her firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing educators and students — and of how decisions made at the board level eventually make their way into classrooms.

“I bring 30 years of firsthand experience to North Carolina public education,” White said. “I understand the challenges educators face.”

And then she returned to the point she made at the beginning of the conversation.

“I’m not running because I’m a politician,” she said. “I’m running because public education has been my life’s work.”

Her goal, she said, is straightforward, noting, “I will put students at the center of every decision.”

Follow The Shelby Independent on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. To contact Chuck about a story idea, send an email or visit the contact page.

Chuck Thompson is a reporter and columnist for The Shelby Independent. 

THE SHELBY INDEPENDENT.