I have always believed in public service, and I have dedicated much of my life to it—primarily through my service in the National Guard. If I am given the opportunity to represent District 7 on the School Board, it would be a continuation of that lifelong commitment to serving my community.

My first involvement with the St. Tammany Parish School Board came years ago, when attendance boundaries were being redrawn as Lakeshore High School prepared to open. The original proposal would have placed many local children on buses for well over an hour each day. Like many other parents, I was concerned, so I got involved. I attended the hearings, spoke up, and worked alongside other parents and community members until the Board ultimately adjusted the attendance boundaries.

The final result was not perfect, but the experience taught me something important: when people show up, speak up, and work together, they can make a difference — not only for their own families, but for their friends, neighbors, and community.

More recently, I again spoke before the School Board when it moved to cancel its employees’ collective bargaining agreement. That issue crossed political and ideological lines and brought people from throughout the community together around a shared concern: ensuring that the employees entrusted with educating and supporting our children are treated fairly and have the opportunity to maintain a reasonable quality of work life.

Those experiences helped shape what I would bring to this seat: someone who shows up, listens, asks questions, and makes decisions openly and transparently.

I am not running to fight culture wars or turn our School Board into another battleground between red and blue. We are Americans, Louisianans, and St. Tammany neighbors first. Most of the work a school board actually does is not partisan — it is about educating children, supporting employees, managing taxpayer dollars responsibly, maintaining safe schools, and making decisions that affect families throughout our community.

I hope to bring a fresh, independent perspective as a parent, veteran, taxpayer, and longtime advocate for working people, while keeping the focus where it belongs: on our students, teachers, staff, families, and community.

Standing Up for District 7 Schools

District 7 includes Bayou Lacombe Middle, Chahta-Ima Elementary, Lakeshore High School, and Monteleone Junior High. Those schools are part of the broader Lakeshore Learning Community, which also includes Woodlake Elementary and Mandeville Middle.

Our community is approaching an important crossroads. The School Board's 2024 demographic study projects the Lakeshore Learning Community to experience the largest percentage enrollment decline of any of the school system's eight learning communities over the ten-year forecast period—approximately 15.7%. That matters.

Declining enrollment can eventually lead to difficult conversations about school consolidation, closures, attendance boundaries, staffing, and the re-allocation of resources. I understand how consequential those decisions can be because an attendance-boundary fight is what first brought me before this School Board many years ago.

I believe education is one of the foundations of individual opportunity and a strong community. I want to bring new ideas, a different perspective, and a willingness to challenge assumptions when necessary so that our schools — and our community — are prepared to give the next generation every opportunity to succeed.

But representing District 7 also means listening.

I do not presume to know your concerns better than you do. I want to hear from parents, teachers, employees, students, taxpayers, and residents throughout our district. If I have the opportunity to serve you on the School Board, I will listen before I vote, explain the reasoning behind my decisions, and make every decision with the interests and input of the people I represent in mind.

That is the kind of representation I believe District 7 deserves.

1. Priorities and Preparation

Why are you seeking election to the St. Tammany Parish School Board? What are your three highest priorities, what experience or preparation do you bring, and how should voters judge whether you have been successful?

I’m running because I believe in public service. I’ve been a public servant all my life — 27 years in the Louisiana Air National Guard, a first responder during natural emergencies, a youth coach at the Abita ballpark, and chair of the American Legion’s Children & Youth Committee. For the past four years, I’ve volunteered to read to elementary students, who then ask me about my military service. This campaign is an extension of that duty. My wife, our three daughters, and I are all products of public schools. With a granddaughter on the way, I want the school she walks into to be top-notch.

My three priorities are safe schools; fiscal responsibility and transparency; and competitive pay for teachers and support staff. I bring 20 years as a union representative, 16 of those in a full-time capacity as Business Manager of Laborers’ Local 1776, representing a nationwide bargaining unit of nearly 5,500 employees of the Department of Defense. I have a track record of serving my community and representing union members who rely on me. Voters should judge my success by whether the board makes measurable progress on school safety, clearly explains major financial decisions, and moves teacher and support-staff compensation toward the top tier statewide without compromising the district’s long-term financial stability.

2. Record or Readiness (new candidate)

What have you done to learn about the St. Tammany Parish Public Schools? What have you learned that most influences your decision to run?

I’ve done my research, and I’ll keep doing it. I’ve studied the district’s audited financial report, which shows approximately $480.3 million in General Fund expenditures and a $148.6 million General Fund balance. That balance is roughly 29 to 30 percent of a year’s operating costs, compared with the board’s policy requiring a minimum reserve equal to two months of operating costs. The balance includes funds committed for financial stability and funds assigned for salaries, benefits, and other educational priorities. Comparable October enrollment figures also show a decline of about 1,500 students since 2020. I’ve reviewed the collective bargaining agreement and the district’s attendance-boundary map - comprehensive and complicated at the same time. I’ve attended and spoken at board meetings, and I’ve engaged the board over the years on the Lakeshore attendance boundaries, student discipline and due process, parking fees, and collective bargaining. My wife and I also count educators and school staff among our friends, and we hear their concerns firsthand.

I come to this as both a taxpayer and a longtime labor advocate. St. Tammany remains among the higher-property-tax parishes in Louisiana, and schools receive nearly half of local property-tax revenue. Yet teacher and staff compensation is not in that same top tier. That gap deserves a clear explanation, and I want to understand what choices have produced it and what can responsibly be done to close it.

3. Parliamentary Procedure

How familiar are you with Robert's Rules of Order and the use of fair and consistent rules during Board meetings? If elected, would you be willing to participate in training on Board governance and parliamentary procedure?

Familiarity with Robert's Rules of Order: 5 — Advanced Knowledge.

Would I participate in training on Board governance and parliamentary procedure: Yes.

4. Collective Bargaining

Do you support collective bargaining in St. Tammany Parish Public Schools? Yes.

5. Employee Compensation

Do you believe compensation for certificated and support employees is competitive? No.

6. District Finances

Rate your knowledge of STPPS finances and budget. 4 — Strong Knowledge.

7. Recruitment, Retention, and Working Conditions

What do you believe affects the district's ability to hire and keep good employees?

Most people would probably identify pay and benefits as the main factors affecting recruitment and retention. In fact, one of my proudest accomplishments was an effort I spearheaded that secured a roughly 30 percent pay increase for New Orleans-area federal wage employees after Hurricane Katrina.

But, after nearly 20 years representing employees, including 16 years full-time, I can tell you that while pay certainly plays a major role in an employee’s decision to leave or stay, the main reason good employees often leave is because of bad management and whether they feel valued, respected, and supported. I’ve watched excellent employees accept less money to work for an organization that values them rather than take more money to work in a poor environment. Pay is unquestionably front and center, and I hear that from the teachers and school staff my wife and I know here in St. Tammany. But workload, student behavior, administrative support, and whether employees have a meaningful voice can make every compensation problem better or worse.

From a human-resources perspective, I would push for the same principles I fight for as a union representative: policies applied consistently, due process, clear guidelines, manageable workloads, adequate planning time, and a workplace where employees are treated as professionals. No employee – teacher, paraprofessional, bus driver, cafeteria worker, or anyone else – should feel threatened or intimidated for using the processes and protections available through the collective bargaining agreement, school board policy, or state and federal law.

8. Professional Autonomy and Instructional Decisions

When a school uses a scripted curriculum, how much freedom should educators have to adjust the lesson, pace, or teaching methods to meet their students' needs?

Professional autonomy ranks alongside respect and adequate pay because all three are connected. A strong curriculum should provide a foundation, not become a script that prevents teachers from responding to the students in front of them. Educators should have meaningful discretion to adjust lesson delivery, pacing, examples, and teaching methods while still meeting state standards, learning objectives, and district requirements. There is no cookie-cutter student: students have different aptitudes, interests, learning needs, and personal circumstances. Teachers are closest to the daily realities of the classroom, and we should trust their professional judgment while providing the materials, training, and support they need.

It’s the same in my own work. No two cases that cross my desk are alike; every disciplinary matter, grievance, and contract negotiation turns on its own facts, people, and circumstances. Consistent standards matter, but rigidly identical treatment does not always produce a fair or effective result. Schools are no different.

9. Safe and Supportive Schools

How should the district handle violence, threats, bullying, repeated behavior problems, and other behavior that makes it hard to learn or feel safe, while also protecting student rights and giving students the help they need?

Safety has to come first, while at the same time respecting the rights of students, teachers, staff, and administrators. Violence, threats, and bullying require a prompt and serious response. For repeated or severe behavior, consequences should be deliberate, fact-based, and timely. Discipline must be applied fairly and consistently, regardless of who the individual is or whom they are connected/related to. That is how we protect students who are there to learn and adults who are there to teach and care for them.

At the same time, consequences alone are not enough. Mitigating circumstances should be considered, due process must be protected, and students or employees dealing with personal hardships should have access to appropriate counseling, intervention, or other support. A system of clear rules, consistently applied consequences, due process, and meaningful support is how we create a safe environment.

10. Educational Opportunity and Student Success

What school programs and opportunities for students should the district improve or add?

Most of this is anecdotal, but a recent Lakeshore graduate told me this week something I’ve heard from other students: they do not feel prepared for the real world. First, career pathways. A four-year college degree is not every student’s best path. Students should have strong exposure to skilled trades – electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders, and other careers – along with military service, technical programs, apprenticeships, and university options. As a Laborers’ union leader, I know the trades offer good careers where people can earn while they learn and complete training without taking on substantial student debt. Schools should present those paths with the same pride as the university track.

Second, practical life skills: paying bills, managing a bank account, understanding credit and taxes, carrying yourself in a professional environment, and saving for retirement in a world with fewer pensions and uncertainty about Social Security.

Third, the arts. Sports are a major part of our culture, but music, theater, visual arts, and other creative programs also deserve a strong place in our schools. We are next door to New Orleans, one of the most culturally and musically important cities in America, and our students should have meaningful opportunities to participate in and appreciate the arts.

I recognize that the district may already offer some of these opportunities and that my impressions are based on a limited number of students and families. My point is that we should continually evaluate whether these programs are available, well communicated, and accessible across the district – and whether students themselves believe the programs are preparing them for life after graduation.

11. Artificial Intelligence, Technology, and Screen Time

How should the district approach AI, technology, student devices, and screen time?

AI should be approached thoughtfully, not fearfully. It is already part of daily life and will reshape fields from manufacturing to medicine. Our responsibility is to prepare students for a world shaped by AI while being clear that technology should support, not replace, good teaching and independent thought. That means age-appropriate AI literacy; firm expectations for academic integrity; protection of student data; strong cybersecurity; equitable access; and training and input for teachers before new tools are introduced.

Phones and screen time require a different approach. Phones are a distraction during instruction, and requiring students to put them away during class is reasonable. More broadly, district devices and educational technology should be used when they improve learning, not simply because they are available. Students also need meaningful device-free time for discussion, reading, writing, hands-on work, and interaction with teachers and classmates. Before new technology is adopted, teachers and parents should be informed and have a real forum for questions and concerns. The board must manage the school system, but it should do so with the advice of the people in the classroom and at home.

12. Accountability and Accessibility

If elected, how will you stay available to employees and the public, communicate with Federation representatives, and protect employees' right to speak up about workplace concerns? If you make a decision that is different from what you said during your campaign, how will you explain that decision to the public?

First and foremost, everyone I represent - whether they live in my district or not - deserves dignity and respect. You will never find me disrespecting a constituent or employee, especially when they attend a public meeting and address the board. I plan to serve in this role with clear, dedicated ways for constituents and employees to reach me directly by email, an online form, or a dedicated phone. Any website or communication channel I use will comply with district policy and public-records requirements. My pledge is simple: respond and do not go silent. Communications will be received, evaluated, and answered, and when action is needed, people will know what I think and why. I will also support clear non-retaliation protections so employees can raise good-faith workplace concerns without fear of punishment or intimidation.

Finally, the Federation. I respect the Federation’s legal role in representing its members and bargaining-unit employees collectively. Dealing with the Federation means listening to employees with dignity, respect, and a genuine desire to provide answers. My pledge is to honor the positions on which I campaign. If new facts or circumstances ever lead me to consider a different position, I will explain the valid, fact-based reasons publicly, seek input when practical, and be transparent about my final decision to the fullest extent permitted by law. People may not always agree with my vote, but they should never have to guess why I cast it.

Thank you — and thank you to your members for the work they do every day in our schools, on our buses, in our cafeterias, and in every other way they make sure our school district runs smoothly. I would be honored to earn your endorsement, and I welcome the opportunity to sit down with the Federation in person.

1. What are the greatest challenges facing schools in the parish, and which policies are needed to address them?

St. Tammany’s greatest challenges are declining enrollment and growing budget pressure. Fewer students means less state funding, and the state makes it worse when it hands down mandates without paying for them. The district covers the gap with one-time money, and that pressure reaches pay, staffing, facilities, and student programs. Reserves can bridge a temporary gap, but they cannot pay for recurring expenses. The board needs realistic enrollment projections, transparent budgeting, and careful spending review, and it must press the state to fully fund what it mandates. Classroom instruction and competitive pay for teachers and support staff come first. Changes must happen in the open, with real input from employees and the community.



2. How will you address the challenges of teacher retention in the parish?

Teacher retention starts with compensation. Teachers routinely go beyond their duties, and when the district asks more of them, that work should be paid. I will prioritize a salary schedule that recognizes education, years of service, certifications, training, and added responsibilities. The board should compare salaries and benefits with similar districts and make competitive pay, for teachers and support staff alike, a priority in every budget. Pay is not the only factor, but it affects whether teachers feel valued and whether they can afford a career here. We must also provide planning time, administrative support, consistent policies, and a meaningful employee voice. Retaining experienced teachers is an investment in student success.

3. What characteristics and qualifications will you look for in school supervisors and leadership staff?

I will look for qualified, effective leaders with sound judgment and a record of serving students and supporting employees. Hiring and promotion must be based on merit, not favoritism or nepotism. Strong leaders treat employees with dignity and respect; follow applicable laws, regulations, board policies, and collective bargaining obligations; and enforce rules consistently, especially in discipline. They must listen, communicate clearly, accept accountability, and never retaliate when employees raise concerns or exercise workplace rights. Employees deserve due process and the ability to be represented by their union. Leadership is not simply authority; it is a responsibility to earn trust through fairness, competence, and integrity.

4. What criteria will you use to evaluate the Superintendent’s annual performance?

The superintendent is the district’s chief executive, so evaluation must be comprehensive and based on clear, attainable goals set in advance. I would measure student achievement, including literacy and math growth; school safety; financial management; employee recruitment and retention; compliance with laws, policies, and collective bargaining obligations; operational effectiveness; and communication with employees, families, and the public. The evaluation should use districtwide and school-level data on agreed timelines. The board owes the superintendent clear expectations and the authority and resources to meet them. Once those goals are set, the superintendent must be accountable for results and for correcting shortfalls.

5. Schools in our city and parish are sometimes subjected to a number of lockdowns due to safety or security issues or suspected intruders on campus. What should be done to address this issue and to provide school security for our students, faculty, staff, and the entire community?

School safety is my first priority because learning cannot occur in an unsafe environment. The district must continually assess threats, facilities, emergency plans, training, and coordination with first responders. Security should protect people without making schools feel like police or military installations. Every campus needs a uniform, practiced response that protects life, limits property damage, and returns students safely to learning. Transparency is essential. Families deserve prompt, factual updates covering who, what, when, where, why, and how, as facts are verified. Injuries and corrective actions should be reported while protecting minors’ privacy and information that could compromise an investigation or future security.

1. Why are you running for school board?

I have always believed in public service, and I have dedicated much of my life to it—primarily through my service in the National Guard. If I am given the opportunity to represent District 7 on the School Board, it would be a continuation of that lifelong commitment to serving my community.

My first involvement with the St. Tammany Parish School Board came years ago, when attendance boundaries were being redrawn as Lakeshore High School prepared to open. The original proposal would have placed many local children on buses for well over an hour each day. Like many other parents, I was concerned, so I got involved. I attended the hearings, spoke up, and worked alongside other parents and community members until the Board ultimately adjusted the attendance boundaries.

The final result was not perfect, but the experience taught me something important: when people show up, speak up, and work together, they can make a difference — not only for their own families, but for their friends, neighbors, and community.

More recently, I again spoke before the School Board when it moved to cancel its employees’ collective bargaining agreement. That issue crossed political and ideological lines and brought people from throughout the community together around a shared concern: ensuring that the employees entrusted with educating and supporting our children are treated fairly and have the opportunity to maintain a reasonable quality of work life.

Those experiences helped shape what I would bring to this seat: someone who shows up, listens, asks questions, and makes decisions openly and transparently.

I am not running to fight culture wars or turn our School Board into another battleground between red and blue. We are Americans, Louisianans, and St. Tammany neighbors first. Most of the work a school board actually does is not partisan — it is about educating children, supporting employees, managing taxpayer dollars responsibly, maintaining safe schools, and making decisions that affect families throughout our community.

I hope to bring a fresh, independent perspective as a parent, veteran, taxpayer, and longtime advocate for working people, while keeping the focus where it belongs: on our students, teachers, staff, families, and community.

Standing Up for District 7 Schools

District 7 includes Bayou Lacombe Middle, Chahta-Ima Elementary, Lakeshore High School, and Monteleone Junior High. Those schools are part of the broader Lakeshore Learning Community, which also includes Woodlake Elementary and Mandeville Middle.

Our community is approaching an important crossroads. The School Board's 2024 demographic study projects the Lakeshore Learning Community to experience the largest percentage enrollment decline of any of the school system's eight learning communities over the ten-year forecast period—approximately 15.7%. That matters.

Declining enrollment can eventually lead to difficult conversations about school consolidation, closures, attendance boundaries, staffing, and the re-allocation of resources. I understand how consequential those decisions can be because an attendance-boundary fight is what first brought me before this School Board many years ago.

I believe education is one of the foundations of individual opportunity and a strong community. I want to bring new ideas, a different perspective, and a willingness to challenge assumptions when necessary so that our schools — and our community — are prepared to give the next generation every opportunity to succeed.

But representing District 7 also means listening.

I do not presume to know your concerns better than you do. I want to hear from parents, teachers, employees, students, taxpayers, and residents throughout our district. If I have the opportunity to serve you on the School Board, I will listen before I vote, explain the reasoning behind my decisions, and make every decision with the interests and input of the people I represent in mind.

That is the kind of representation I believe District 7 deserves.

2. If elected, what will be your top priority?

A school can't teach if it isn't safe. When a building isn't secure, or when students, parents, teachers, and staff don't feel safe or respected, it's a distraction. So safety across the board is the foundation everything else is built on and allows our schools to function to the best of their capability. For all of these reasons, safety has to come first. 

We can do all of this while at the same time respecting the rights of students, parents, teachers, staff, and administrators. Violence, threats, and bullying require a prompt and serious response regardless of who the perpetrator is, meaning a student or parent, teacher, or staff member. For repeated offenses or severe behavior, consequences should be deliberate, fact-based, and timely. Discipline must be applied fairly and consistently, regardless of who the individual is or whom they are connected/related to. That is how we protect students who are there to learn and adults who are there to teach and care for them.

At the same time, consequences alone are not enough. Mitigating circumstances should be considered, due process must be protected, and students or employees dealing with personal hardships should have access to appropriate counseling, intervention, or other support. A system of clear rules, consistently applied consequences, due process, and meaningful support is how we create a safe environment.

3. How do you view the current use of technology in St. Tammany Parish schools? Are there any aspects you would change, maintain, or expand?

I approach this as a parent and taxpayer primarily since all of my children graduated over 10 years ago and the use of technology in the classroom has exploded in that brief period, especially during and because of COVID. So I know St. Tammany Parish, like many other school districts, has made a significant investment in classroom technology. I support making useful tools available to students and teachers, but I would judge that investment by how well it improves learning. Having a device available should not mean using it for every lesson.

I'm for technology that helps teachers provide targeted instruction, supports students with specific tasks - especially those with disabilities, and keeps parents informed. However, since the goal is to actually learn and absorb material, I think that relying on screens as a primary method of educating children is misguided and detrimental. I am not an anti-technology person. I don;t mind exploring and adopting new technology. In fact, I have been using computers since I was 9 years old, when my parents enrolled me in a BASIC code class at Radio Shack in 1982, at a time when iPhones and the internet were just wishful thinking. Because of that comfort and familiarity with technology, I also know that fully immersing yourself is detrimental. For that reason, I would lean towards preserving a strong foundation of printed books, handwriting, classroom discussion, and hands-on learning, particularly in the early grades. That includes favoring old, trusty chalkboards over Promethean Boards.

To gauge where we are, especially before supporting further expansion, I would want a clear picture of how much time students spend on devices, which programs produce meaningful results, and what teachers and families say is working. I would support age-appropriate expectations for screen use and a regular review of software costs, educational value, and student privacy. Last, I would let teachers teach! Teachers need the flexibility to choose, in fact to determine, the best tool for a particular lesson.

I would, however, expand opportunities for students to learn practical technology skills, including research, evaluating sources, coding, and understanding the limitations and responsible use of artificial intelligence. Those opportunities should be available across our schools.

My priority is purposeful use of technology that strengthens teaching while protecting the time students need to read, think independently, create, and interact with one another, especially in a human-to-human capacity without screens getting in the way. 

4. For each of the following school technology initiatives, please indicate your level of support using the 1–5 scale below:

1 - Strongly Oppose

2 - Oppose

3 - Neither Support nor Oppose

4 - Support

5 - Strongly Support

• 5 - Strongly Support: Eliminating 1:1 devices (e.g. Chromebooks) from Pre-K–3rd grade students, with the exception of mandated assessments.

• 5 - Strongly Support: Establishing specific screen time limits by grade level.

• 5 - Strongly Support: Banning student-led use of YouTube.

• 5 - Strongly Support: Providing parents with transparency regarding technology exposure–both on devices and in teacher-led instruction–including amounts of screen time and the applications and websites accessed.

• 5 - Strongly Support: Establishing clear guidelines and restrictions for student use of generative AI tools.

5. If desired, please explain or provide additional context for any of your responses above:

As I mentioned above I am not anti-technology. I've been using computers since I can remember. However I do believe that we are experiencing a technology overload where companies that manufacture electronic devices, software, and now AI want to integrate these products into every task that we do and every moment in our lives. 

Think of when you go to a music concert now. Assuming you have enough money to pay the $200 to get in and sit in the nosebleed section, people aren't happy just enjoying the show. Everybody, it doesn't matter whether there's 50 people in the crowd or 50,000...all you see in the air is people holding up phones, recording the concert or live streaming the concert or taking selfies of themselves at the concert. They're not even paying attention to who's on the stage or the music that they're playing. For what? Likes? Shares? Because everybody is an influencer now? It's honestly ridiculous. And all of these people that are recording these videos on their phone, are they ever going to watch them again? Probably not. It's like everybody has been programmed to do the same thing: to live their lives through this virtual world devoid of human interaction. In fact the more social the technology tries to get, the more antisocial it makes each one of us. 

That antisocial atmosphere has now permeated into the classroom. I think it needs to stop. 

6. Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?

I want to know what parents, students, and constituents think and I'm asking that they share their thoughts, opinions, and concerns about technology or any other issues that stem from public education with me. They can visit my website at www.ben4sb.com. From there they can go to my Facebook page, they can email me, and they can even call or text me. I commend Schools beyond screens for their efforts to reduce reliance on technology and get back to the basics. I think this is well overdue.

1. Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have called St. Tammany Parish home since 2005. I am a 27-year veteran of the Louisiana Air National Guard who worked on F-15 fighter jets, responded to the call of duty after 9/11, and was on the front lines of nearly every hurricane from Katrina forward. I am a proud graduate of Louisiana public education (Grace King High School Class of 91). I've been married to my wife, Rhonda, for 30 years and we raised three daughters who came up through St. Tammany Parish public schools, from Abita Elementary to Fontainebleau High. I have spent my life in service to others — as a veteran, as a Business Manager of Laborers' Local 1776, as a youth softball coach at the Abita ballpark, and as an American Legion leader whose Post provided more than $20,000 in scholarships and Boys and Girls State sponsorships for local students last year. Now I am ready to bring that same service to the St. Tammany Parish School Board.

2. Please list 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

a. My top priority is safe school for students and staff. A school can't teach if it isn't safe. When a building isn't secure, it's a distraction for students, teachers, and staff alike. Safety — real physical security, and a climate of respect where teachers are supported and backed up — is the foundation everything else is built on. Safety is the foundation that allows everything else in our schools to work.

b. Second is fiscal responsibility and transparency. Safe schools need adequate funding and I believe in full transparency and accounting when it comes to taxpayer money, with no ambiguity on how it's collected or spent. Also, I'll push to put the numbers out plainly and explain them, so any taxpayer can see exactly where their money goes and the difference it makes.

c. Third is competitive pay for all school district teachers and employees. Safe, well-funded schools must continuously strive for excellence, and it's the individuals involved who make that happen. To attract and retain qualified and dedicated professionals, including paraprofessionals, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria staff, and more, we must provide competitive salaries that recognize their expertise, commitment, and service.

3. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I believe in fully transparent government that holds itself accountable to the citizenry it serves. When I say accountable I mean one that is not only open about its activities and how it collects and spends taxpayers dollars, but one that also readily responds to inquiries from those same taxpayers. Accountability also includes making those who abuse their position in public office answer to the fullest extent of the law. Without exception.

4. Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

As a man, my father - Ben Banchs Sr. - was and still is my first role model. He instilled in me the values of patience and service to this country. He also instilled in me the importance of honesty and integrity in all that I do. My 9th grade civics teacher - Mr. Nero - was one of those people that came into my life whose lessons went beyond the classroom. He made a real impact on me on what it meant to serve others and to be involved in your community. Last but certainly not least, my high school JROTC instructor - Chief Master Sergeant Anthony Arcuri - was another role model that, luckily, I still get to visit with today. After my father, Chief Arcuri solidified my desire to join the military. He also helped me truly understand the value of preparation and how it leads to success.

5. What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, integrity, service above all else, especially above personal gain.

6. What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The school district has one mission, to educate children and prepare them for the future. Part of that education includes exposure to sports, the arts, advanced placement, skilled trades, community service, and military service. It also include providing children, especially young adults, real-life skills like basic financial planning and management, job seeking preparation, and other topics that would help make them contributing members of society.

7. What legacy would you like to leave?

For my children, I hope that I gave them a more stable childhood than I had growing up, and that I instilled those same values that were handed down to me by my father, Mr. Nero, and Chief Arcuri. I hope that they learn from my example, especially that being financially wealthy is not the only thing that we as individuals should strive for. That wealth comes in many different forms, and for me, to be wealthy is to be loved and respected by those who I've helped along the way. There is nothing more fulfilling or satisfying than knowing you made a real difference in someone else's life, especially in their time of need.

8. What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was working the grill, fryer, and counter at New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood Company at their brand new (at the time) restaurant on the corner of David Dr. and Veterans Blvd. in Metairie LA. It was a summer job. I was 14.

9. What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I will never understand why it is so hard for people in position of authority to do the right thing, especially when it comes to taking care of those they are entrusted to lead.

10. Who are your constituents?

If elected, I would have the privilege of representing St. Tammany Parish School Board District 7, which encompasses most of Lacombe LA, as well as certain areas of Slidell, Mandeville, and Covington LA.

11. What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

To date, I have been endorsed by the St. Tammany Federation of Teachers and School Employees and the AFL-CIO Central Trades and Labor Council for the Parishes of St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington.

12. Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

The ideal learning environment is one that safe, first and foremost. The facilities should also be adequate, clean and well lit, and in working condition. Students should also have all the necessary tools, learning aids, equipment, and furniture needed in their classroom whether that be chairs, desks, books, visual aids, necessary technology, etc. Also, leading the classroom should be a qualified, motivated, and well compensated teacher. A school that is properly functioning also addresses the needs of all of its students, including and especially special needs children. Last, a proper campus deals with improper conduct and behavior on the part of both students and staff in a deliberate and even-handed fashion, and when appropriate, provides offenders with the opportunity for rehabilitation and a second chance.

13. What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remeber?

The first historical event that happened in my life that I was fully aware of and was personally/emotionally impacted by was the Space Shuttle Challenger exploding as we all watched in our 7th grade classroom.