Alexander Thomas Wells III, a real estate agent, is running for the Area 5 seat on the MiraCosta Community College District board of trustees. The San Diego Union-Tribune asked all the candidates running in community college districts around San Diego County about their policies, plans and priorities. Here’s what Wells told us about his. Alexander Thomas Wells III (Courtesy Alexander Wells III) Why are you running for school board? What makes you a good candidate? I am running for the Mira Costa School Board because I believe that the future of our country and the preservation of our liberty depends on the minds we educate today. The next generation holds the responsibility to safeguard our freedoms, which are always just one generation away from extinction. What is the most important issue currently facing your community college district? Unfortunately, in recent years, our public schools have shifted their priorities away from education. Instead of fostering critical thinking, there’s been an increased emphasis on teaching students to become political activists. What are the top three specific things you would seek to accomplish on the school board? If elected to the Mira Costa School Board, I pledge to refocus our schools on core educational fundamentals: reading, writing, arithmetic, history, civics, and the hard sciences. Additionally I will ensure our students are taught the essential American virtues and values, such as liberty, the rule of law and the dignity of hard work. What would your approach be to budget planning and spending? What would you do if your district had a budget shortfall? I would want to see a line item of the budget and prioritize allocations. What would you do to make community college more affordable and accessible? I would fight for more federal financial aid, which includes grants scholarships, work-study and federal student loans. Some aid should be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. How should your community college district raise student academic achievement, and what would you do as a school board member to accomplish that? I would focus on the STEM classes and also vocational training, because right now these would be the priorities to help them become successful and self reliant in the career paths they choose. Why do you think more students are not transferring to four-year colleges or completing a degree/program? What, if anything, do you think should be done to address that issue? Kids have become disillusioned of the value of a college degree. A lot of it has to do with economics, because once they get their degree where are they going to find jobs? Do you think anything currently offered in community college district curricula, libraries or programming should be removed? If yes, what, and why? If no, why not? I believe arts and libraries are always positive, but I would need a thorough review into the curricula they are teaching before recommending any possible changes.