Chris Niles - Candidate for Bennington Board of Education

05/10/2022

Good evening! Tomorrow is primary day! Elections are one way we effect change, and changes are needed! I would be honored if you vote for me! Thank you!

05/06/2022

Thank you to the Nebraska Freedom Coalition for your support!

If you live in the Bennington School District, I would greatly appreciate your vote on May 10.

As a member of the Board of Education, I will work hard to ensure a bright future for our children!

We need a renewed focus on education. No more agendas dictated by the direction of the political winds. No more subtle indoctrination. Age appropriate s*x education, with the parents’ consent. Let the educators do the job they are hired to do.

We need transparency and accountability at all levels. As a board member, I will do my best to be as transparent as possible and will look at ways to increase transparency. This includes something as simple as providing a detailed meeting agenda, not the generic outline of topics that are covered at every meeting. While this outline may comply with the open meetings law, it is wholly insufficient to know what is occurring at the meetings or in our schools.

Job satisfaction and employee retention are extremely important. Employees should not be bullied or shamed for using their paid time off or sick time.

Spending must be done responsibly, and with restraint. Taxpayers are not piggy banks. Aesthetically pleasing buildings are less important to me than paying competitive wages to have top tier employees.

I encourage you to send a message to me if you have any questions! Many individuals have done so, and I try to respond as quickly as possible!

Please vote for Chris Niles on May 10!

05/03/2022

05/03/2022

This is what education is supposed to be like. No politics. No slanted agendas. Education based on core curriculum (science, English, history, reading, mathematics, language lab, and writing) while being true to core values of truth, liberty/responsibility, beauty, and merit.

Sadly, this article also discusses the significant resistance to returning to basics and leaving behind the politically driven narratives and initiatives. I encourage you to read this article.

Merit Academy’s vision: students prepared for success in a free society, civic responsibility, and contributing to a flourishing republic.

04/29/2022

The Voter Information Project asked the following question and provided the following replies:

1st AMENDMENT – Freedom of student speech: What level of guidance do you believe High School administrators should have over student writings school publications? (Indicate as many of the following as apply and add comments as desired.) ---A. Student rights supersede the school’s concern for potential offence ---B. The school’s interest in managing the educational environment supersedes a student’s right to publication. ---C. Academic freedom means the student should not be limited.

04/28/2022

Yes, The Voter Information Project wanted candidates to weigh in on this topic and asked the following question, providing the following replies:

ABORTION STANCE: What is your stance on abortion? (Indicate as many of the following as apply and add comments as desired.) ---A. OK in case of r**e or in**st ---B. Life begins at conception. ---C. OK in the first trimester - up to 12 weeks. ---D. I support Roe v Wade without limits. ---E. OK to preserve the life of the mother ---F. Not OK past viability - 24 weeks ---G. Not OK after heartbeat is detected - 6 weeks

04/28/2022

What’s it going to take to get Bennington Public to #1? Bold leadership. Excellent educators. Amazing employees. Standardized testing shouldn’t be the only metric of a top school. Not everyone needs to go to college. Children need to be taught how to think critically, not indoctrinated.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/nebraska?fbclid=IwAR1JRsAoBScGhECkC0d1sp50_zStCDNgMLrCBf-LVOMp378tg4b7x1AT-_s

How does your school rank?

04/28/2022

The Voter Information Project asked the following question:

CHARTER SCHOOLS: Under what conditions would you support the idea of charter schools?

I support the idea of examining different ways to educate our children. Not all children are the same and to exclude charter schools from consideration does not seem to be correct.

04/28/2022

The Voter Information Project asked the following question and provided the following replies (See the comments for my answer):

LGBTQ+ rights – Schools: On the topic of LGBTQ+ rights, a variety of opinions exist. (Check as many as apply and/or add comments to clarify as needed.) ---A. Transgender youth should be able to use school restrooms consistent with their gender identity. ---B. All students, including LGBTQ+ students should only be able to participate in school sports programs associated with their gender at birth. ---C. Transgender youth should be allowed to participate in the school sports programs associated with their gender identity. ---D. Children of any age should be allowed to investigate their gender at school without parental interference. ---E. LGBTQ+ people experience discrimination in the educational environment and the school should take whatever action is needed to prevent that. ---F. All students, including LGBTQ+ students should use bathrooms/locker rooms according to their gender at birth.

04/27/2022

The Voter Information Project asked the following question and provided the following replies (See the comments for my answer):

SCHOOL REVENUE: Property taxes are a much talked about issue. What action, if any, would you support for property tax concerns in the district? (Indicate as many of the following as apply and add comments as desired.) ---A. As a community grows, the increase in property tax income supports school growth, so no change is necessary. ---B. Some expenses may need to be adjusted as tax levels fluctuate. ---C. The State should provide a greater percentage of school funding to reduce the amount of property taxes the schools need to operate.

04/27/2022

The Voter Information Project asked the following question and provided the following replies (See the comments for my answer):

NSEA: The Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA) takes an active part in education boards and issues. (Indicate as many of the following as apply and add comments as desired.) ---A. The NSEA provides too much political influence. ---B. The NSEA is a valuable resource and it’s critical that schools abide by their recommendations. ---C. The NSEA should have very little input for educational standards.