BLAIR, NEBRASKA (2024 October 25, Friday)
Don Harrold, Writer / Editor
blairtoday@mail.com – Facebook
As Blair schools grapple with recent controversies, including last week’s resignation of board member Tim Welch over bullying concerns, write-in school board candidate Sarah Byrne is proposing specific solutions while outlining a broader educational vision.
Addressing the bullying crisis that prompted Welch’s departure, Byrne acknowledges the complexity of the issue. “Bullying is a very important topic of discussion right now,” she says. “There are some specific things we can do to address this. One step is to teach emotional intelligence, such as Daniel Goleman’s EQ program. Another step is to acknowledge that every person has talents and abilities and find ways to connect students with ways to use and develop those talents and abilities.”
Her proposed solution includes implementing emotional intelligence training based on psychologist Daniel Goleman’s framework, which teaches five core skills: empathy, effective communication, self-awareness, self-regulation, and motivation.
On school safety and crisis response, Byrne brings law enforcement connections to the table. “I am honored to be endorsed by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office FOP Lodge 36. I also happen to be married to the Police Officer Association of Nebraska’s Police Officer of the Year for 2024, a Sergeant in the Blair Police Department,” she notes.
Amid ongoing debates about curriculum, including recent community concerns about the CKLA reading program, Byrne emphasizes her core philosophy: “I just want school to be school and leave the cultural, social, and political topics up to families to decide how and when their child is ready to learn about those things.”
She takes a strong stance on curriculum oversight: “It is time for our community and school district to decide for ourselves what materials we want in our school building, purchased with our tax dollars.”
Byrne points to declining trust as a key issue: ‘Kindergarten enrollment has consistently been lower over the past few years compared to ten years ago. I do not anticipate that changing until the school district takes steps to rebuild trust regarding boundaries and appropriate content.'”
Regarding library materials, Byrne clarifies her position: “I would like to be abundantly clear that I am not the ‘ban books’ lady. Our local library is a great resource for borrowing books on whatever topics are important to your family. I feel very strongly that during school hours, the focus needs to be on things that will help our students academically.” She adds, “My concern with this issue is that specific groups of books with questionable content are incentivized to kids and wrapped up into their independent reading grade. ‘Read these books so you can go to a party!’ The bigger issue is there is no rating system for books like there is for movies, television, and music. There is no fast, realistic, or practical way for parents to know what content their child is being exposed to through books.”
As both a veteran and parent, Byrne brings diverse experience to her candidacy. “I was Military Police for 6 years and did extensive training on how to gather information to make sound decisions that are not impulsive, especially in high stress situations where the stakes are high,” she explains.
Speaking about career preparation, Byrne supports expanding opportunities: ‘I have spoken to several recruiters and asked them what schools they go to that are successful with recruiting and what other schools could do differently to help the recruitment process at the high school level.'”
On educational models, she offers unique perspective: “I am a unique candidate in that I was a part of that homeschool community for several years and also did a year of private school before sending our kids to public school and can bring that experience and insight as a board member.”
Addressing modern challenges like smartphone use in schools, Byrne advocates for balance: “The use of smartphones in the classroom should be up to the teacher and building administrators. Smartphones are a useful tool and there is an opportunity to teach students how to use them as a tool and also guide them when to put it away.”
On artificial intelligence and academic integrity, she suggests evolving approaches: “Many educational institutions are moving to a ‘knowledge check’ model, where students are asked on the spot to share what they know about a specific topic instead of writing an essay,” and, Sarah emphasizes, “When essays are assigned, the topics often have to be very specific to combat AI.”
Byrne emphasizes the importance of parent-teacher communication: “I truly appreciate the teachers that work together with me as a parent to help my kids be successful in the classroom, especially when they have to take a little extra time to explain things.”
Emergency preparedness is another priority for Byrne: “I think back to the tornado on April 26, 2024 and applaud the district administration for an exemplary job making decisions about transportation and keeping students and staff safe all while keeping parents and the community informed.”
On gender-related policies, she maintains clear boundaries: “The primary objective of the school needs to be academics. Social issues are a factor that does have to be addressed at times. I firmly support sex-segregated sports and access to bathrooms and facilities.”
Making her case to voters, Byrne emphasizes her community involvement: “Currently, I am on the Parish Council at my church, I am a den leader, Certified Angler Instructor, and do chaplain/religious emblem work with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and I am a coach and board member for Blair Little League. I served in the military for six years and will continue to serve my community anyway I can.”
Byrne brings substantial leadership and operational experience to her candidacy. Beyond her six years as Military Police with the National Guard Bureau, she served as Director of Operations at Healthy Homes Family Services in Avoca, Iowa, where she oversaw programs providing mental health assessments, therapy services, and family education in rural communities. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Bellevue University.
The write-in election for Blair School Board will take place on November 5, 2024.
BlairToday officially endorses Sarah Byrne in her bid for a position on the Blair School Board. Her experience as Director of Operations at Healthy Homes Family Services, service in the Nebraska National Guard, and decade of policy writing experience make her uniquely qualified to address our district’s current challenges. As a mother of six and active community leader in Little League, Scouting, and church programs, she understands both the academic and practical needs of Blair families. Her commitment to academic excellence and clear boundaries between school and social issues aligns perfectly with our community’s values. Since Sarah is running as a write-in candidate for the Blair School Board, you must write her name in, physically, on the ballot, for her to receive your vote.
