Public Instruction candidate Heitkamp calls for change on the campaign trail
Steve Hallstrom
Special to The Farmer
A candidate for North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction says the state needs to get back to basics in the classroom and needs stronger leadership to give parents a voice in education.
Jason Heitkamp served in the North Dakota State Senate for two years, as a Republican representing District 26. His tenure ended in December of 2022 after falling short in his bid for re-election. Currently residing on a family farm near Wyndmere, North Dakota, he was also a Richland County commissioner from 2010-2014. If successful, he would supplant the incumbent, Kirsten Baesler, who has held the position since 2012 and is seeking a fourth term. Heitkamp is a father of two, and a cousin of former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp.
Heitkamp says school board meetings in northwest North Dakota have been a big motivator for him to run. Speaking to the McKenzie County Farmer, Heitkamp said the state needs better leadership, specifically when it comes to interactions between schools and the public.
“In Williston High School, transparency has fallen to the point where someone needs to step in. Minot is almost the same level. They were having a school board meeting in Williston, and they would not let the public address the school board, so they used Roberts Rules and a person stood up and yelled ‘point of order,’ and the school board basically stood up and walked out. They didn’t cancel the meeting, they didn’t stop the meeting, they just basically walked out. And then about a week later they said the next meeting was going to be virtual. They have had police officers there that have escorted people out; people who wanted to speak and who had asked ahead of time to speak. In Harvey recently, they were going to have a meeting about a $20.5 million bond issue, and they weren’t going to give time for public comment. Fargo wants to spend over $600 million over the next 15 years. We don’t see DPI (Department of Public Instruction) involved in any of this stuff. Maybe they are on the phone, but if I was involved in something like that I would be there.”
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