Ringgold, school board candidate, seeks common ground in Midland community
MIDLAND, Mich. — Jennifer Ringgold, director of educational ministries at the United Church of Christ in Midland, is running for a seat on the Midland Public Schools Board of Education.
In an interview with the City Paper, Ms. Ringgold said she first considered running for the school board in 2018, but felt she needed to take more time for her family, and to learn more about the “parts and pieces” that go into the board.
“In 2020, mid-pandemic, there were also several candidates that were committed to key values that I supported, so I was happy to engage in supporting their campaigns,” Ms. Ringgold said.
Ms. Ringgold had also attended board meetings as early as 2018, advocating for issues such as early childhood education, adding curriculum representing a wide variety of perspectives, and making the district more equitable toward different identities (race, ethnicity, gender, religion, economic class).
“I 100 percent support that preschool is an important avenue for student success, and M.P.S. has worked really diligently to provide early childhood education, but at that time – and still currently – I struggle with how we have two separate preschool programs housed at Carpenter,” Ms. Ringgold said. “…What I advocated for at the time was that, regardless of which program students were enrolled in, that they would have the same opportunities, that they would have the same curriculum, that they would have the same access.”
Four years later, Ms. Ringgold felt the timing was better to start a campaign focused on supporting students & teachers, and bringing the community together.
“So much has changed in the last several years, even since, when I first considered running in 2018. I feel that by running now, that I can be a voice at the table that’s helpful to our district and community as we move forward,” Ms. Ringgold said.
Ms. Ringgold told the City Paper that her campaign’s top issue revolves around her slogan: “Building Futures,” putting an emphasis on supporting students and teachers.
“That can go in so many directions, but … for me, personally, I really want to dig deep in how we equip all students for all possible futures,” Ms. Ringgold said. “We’ve got lots and lots of ways that we can continue to explore to build futures for our students.”
Ms. Ringgold touted the district’s “exceptional” college prep routes and career technical education opportunities. She suggested that M.P.S. can further improve on these areas.
“We also need to help support students in finding their own way,” Ms. Ringgold said. “We have students who love languages. We have students who want to study the humanities, and computer science, and arts, and music. That’s a really big job, to try and figure out how to have all those opportunities for students to find their passion, and sense of self, and place in the world.”
Ms. Ringgold is an admin of the Facebook group “Mask Up MPS” and had advocated for a universal mask mandate earlier in the school year. However, she told the City Paper that masking is not a priority for her campaign.
“By keeping science at the forefront, following the experts … I personally don’t even expect [masks] to be an issue throughout the campaign at all,” Ms. Ringgold said. “Midland Public Schools has shown that they can be nimble and flexible, and do what they think needs to be done to keep students safe and learning face-to-face.”
COVID cases have been on the decline in Midland County throughout the month of February. The C.D.C. relaxed protocols for public transport, making masks optional on school buses. Superintendent Michael Sharrow previously told the City Paper that M.P.S. no longer has any COVID restrictions in place, aside from contact tracing protocols.
Aside from the mask debate, different issues such as “furries” and introducing LGBTQ issues to students have also sparked outrage among parents.
M.P.S. made national headlines in January after community member Lisa Hansen spoke at the Dec. 20, 2021 board meeting, claiming that at least one school was providing litterboxes for students who identify as ‘furries.’ Mr. Sharrow flatly denied this claim in a Jan. 20 communique.
“I think it is unfortunate that the approach for having challenging conversations about topics like this, related to the identity of fellow community members, hasn’t been focused in building relationships and building community,” Ms. Ringgold said. “I truly wish that our school district wasn’t making national, international news in the way that it is. I wish that we were making it in a positive way that was building people up instead of tearing them down.”
Ms. Ringgold told the City Paper that she does not want to start with the mentality of ‘sides.’ Ultimately, she wants to find a common ground with everyone in the community.
“I think we all want what’s best for our own students, as parents, for our students and our community. We are, obviously, going to have disagreements in how best to achieve that, but I think that finding that common ground on how we listen and how we speak to each other, how we share various perspectives, is really important … The only perspective that I won’t consider is one that dehumanizes or degrades people,” Ms. Ringgold said.
Ms. Ringgold told the City Paper that she had a half-hour phone conversation with a member of the conservative Facebook group “Rise Up Midland” last week, where the two asked each other a lot of questions and “found a lot of common ground.”
“In order to start having any of this conversation in a way that moves us forward, that board members, administrators, teachers, school staff, parents, caregivers, and students – everyone deserves that respect to be in conversation,” Ms. Ringgold said. “And I think that a lot of it stems from example in the board that, if the board sees, hears, and validates concerns, then that trickles down to every level.”
Tracing back to her advocacy at previous board meetings, Ms. Ringgold said that she wants better accountability and transparency from the board of education.
“I’ve been dismissed by the board. I’ve been not answered by the board. I have experienced that frustration of feeling like things are hidden, and so that is a huge thing for me about running and being a candidate who is transparent and authentic, and willing to communicate with people on all kinds of issues,” Ms. Ringgold said.
Ms. Ringgold is one of the most recent community members to announce a run for M.P.S. school board in 2022. Three incumbent board members – Patrick Frazee, Jon Lauderbach and Phillip Rausch – have terms which expire on Dec. 31. Lauderbach has told the City Paper that he will seek re-election.
Michael Piwowarski covers education, including higher ed and Midland Public Schools, for the City Paper.