Daryn Drum, a firefighter and incumbent board member, is running for re-election to the Area 4 seat on the Ramona Unified School District board of trustees. The San Diego Union-Tribune asked all the candidates running for school board in districts around San Diego County about their policies, plans and priorities. Here’s what Drum told us about his. Why are you running for school board? What makes you a good candidate? I have served two terms in the RUSD school board and have enjoyed my service. During my tenure on the board, we have solidified the budget, repaired the relationship with the teachers and classified staff and worked hard to involve families in the district. I have children who attend our school, and I am invested in making our schools the best that they can be. Courtesy Daryn Drum(Courtesy Daryn Drum) What is the most important issue currently facing your school district? The most important issue facing our district is budgetary discipline. Funds from the state are tight, and our district continues to suffer from enrollment decline. Moving forward we will be facing challenges that force us to make hard decisions. These decisions must be made through the lens of what is best for our children. They may be unpleasant but must be made to continue the district’s long-term solvency. What are the top three specific things you would seek to accomplish on the school board? The board and staff are working hard to improve test scores. This is vitally important that our children continue to improve in the most basic educational concepts. COVID is behind us, but we are striving to mitigate the learning loss our children experienced. For so long, the focus of the educational system has been to prepare our students for college. The reality is that college has become so expensive for many that it is no longer a reality for all students. Additionally, college is just not for everyone. The district needs to continue to focus on expanding and improving our award-winning career technical education (CTE) programs. Our construction, automotive and welding programs are incredibly successful along with our STEM, agricultural and culinary arts programs; we need to give them the facilities and equipment to be successful. Budget focus must always be a priority for California schools. What would your approach be to district budget planning and spending? What would you do if your district had a budget shortfall? As stated earlier, this is a question that should be on the mind of every school board member and every administrator constantly. Most districts in California will be facing tough decisions regarding budgets. If elected again, I will ensure that our district lives within its means and focuses on long term solvency. Sound fiscal management is one of the core responsibilities of a school board member. How should your school district raise student academic achievement, and what would you do as a school board member to accomplish that? Our district has focused on learning-loss mitigation due to COVID, and we have enjoyed successes in improving our performance in both reading and math. We need to continue to focus on the basics while providing a well-rounded education. We have seen vast improvements in reading performance and comprehension in elementary schools. This dedication must continue at all levels. Our high school implemented Saturday programs for students who have fallen behind. Our staff is dedicated to student success, and we will continue to think of innovative methods to reach all students. Do you think anything currently offered in school curricula or libraries should be removed? If yes, what, and why? If no, why not? School curricula are mostly dictated by the state of California. The current board has fiercely protected our students from politically biased education and textbooks and will continue to do so. Ramona Unified monitors our libraries closely and strives to ensure that the books available to our children are age-appropriate. As a father of children in this district, I believe that protecting our children is of the utmost importance. What do you think is driving student absenteeism in your district, and what would you as a school board member do to reduce it? Student absenteeism is largely driven by social-emotional struggles of children in 2024. Society is not the same as it was when I was growing up. Social media and peer pressure affects our children today. The district provides more support for our children than ever before. We have added social workers, school counselors and school psychologists to assist our children who are struggling with social pressures and peer issues. Many families became accustomed to Zoom learning, and the transition back to in person education has been slow. I believe that students thrive in a collaborative educational environment, and we will continue to fight absenteeism while remaining compassionate and understanding to the struggles of students in 2024. Do you think schools should notify parents if their child’s gender identity or presentation at school changes? Why or why not? I believe in parental rights! As a parent, I am frustrated with the state’s continued attempted involvement in how we raise our children. As a member of the school board, I will continue to ensure that we are following state law.