Meet the Alachua County School Board District 2 candidate: A Q&A with Thomas Vu

Thomas Vu is a candidate for Alachua County School Board District 2 and will face incumbent Diyonne McGraw in the Aug. 20 primary election.

More: 2024 Voter Guide: School Board of Alachua County. See how the candidates stack up

Q&A

Q: What, in your opinion, is (are) the most prominent challenge(s) facing Alachua County schools? How do you think you can help change this?

A: The most prominent challenges facing Alachua County Public Schools are declining literacy rates, high teacher attrition, and decreasing student enrollment. These issues stem from board policies that lack accountability. Declining literacy rates adversely affect our Black, rural, socio-economically disadvantaged, and ESE students. Our district, once above state testing averages, now drags them down. Leadership spends too much time deflecting blame instead of addressing these issues. We need to partner with community groups that successfully bridge literacy gaps. The lack of a long-term strategy prevents us from solving this and the achievement gap from the bottom-up.

Teacher attrition is alarming. Many are leaving due to poor treatment and a lack of respect from a district leadership that hasn’t adapted to the current labor market for teachers. Rather, they’ve exacerbated the underlying issues. Teachers are doing more work than ever for effectively less pay — all while being treated as expendable and being denied agency over their careers.

Increased enrollments would allow for better resource allocation, but leadership has forgone true community input, showing indifference to the needs of our families. We must restore transparency and accountability. The board needs to take hard votes on decisions that affect the education of our students instead of hiding behind board policy. We need real community engagement through regular feedback cycles, with district leadership required to respond. Good governance requires transparency and accountability to improve the quality of education in Alachua County. By implementing these measures, we can rebuild trust and make ACPS the top choice for families again.

Q: How is your experience as a former teacher and former district staff relevant to becoming a school board member?

A: My experience as a teacher is central to my understanding of the issues facing our schools. I’ve seen firsthand the lack of onboarding, support, and meaningful professional development that drives teachers away. I was earning $35,000 a year while working 50+ hours weekly. I understand the daily struggles teachers face. This under-resourced environment demoralizes our educators and impacts their effectiveness. As a former district staff member, I observed a troubling lack of strategic, long-term planning. Leadership prioritized headlines and quick wins over meaningful progress and genuine improvement.

This dual perspective, from both the classroom and district office, enables me to bridge the gap between educational policies and classroom realities. Without understanding the challenges teachers face, how can we expect to retain them? Without understanding the damage caused by short-term thinking, how can we drive meaningful change in the long-term? My experience has shown me the importance of adapting to reality, modernizing governance, and prioritizing long-term planning. This holistic understanding is vital for making decisions that truly support our students, teachers, and families. We need leadership that understands and values the on-the-ground experiences of our educators while pushing for long-term strategic, data-driven improvements. Only then can we create a school system that fosters growth, respect, and excellence.

Q: What will you change to ensure there is support and respect for teachers?

A: To ensure support and respect for teachers, we must create structures that make the profession sustainable. This starts with comprehensive onboarding and clear organizational structure, guiding new teachers through benefits, curriculum, and classroom support. Effective onboarding can provide new teachers with the confidence and tools they need to succeed from day one. We also need robust curriculum support through provided lesson plans written by successful teachers, which will give new educators a solid foundation and help them manage their time effectively while honing their craft.

For veteran teachers, respect for their experience and input in decision-making is crucial. Teachers should be the first group district leadership consults when making educational and curriculum decisions. Their firsthand knowledge and insights are invaluable. I would ask, “How many teachers were consulted about this? What did they have to say?” We must ensure that decisions are grounded in classroom reality. Teachers must be given their due respect, and veteran teachers need agency over their careers so they stay in the school system.

Moreover, ongoing professional development should be tailored to help teachers grow in their careers, providing them with the skills and knowledge to meet evolving educational demands. By creating a supportive environment and valuing teacher input, we can improve retention and job satisfaction. Teachers are the backbone of our education system, and the key to ensuring their support and respect lies in a leadership that genuinely values and empowers them, rather than treating them as expendable. The worsening treatment of our teachers is hurting our students, families, and community.

Q: Is there anything the incumbent school board member did that you would have done differently?

The first thing I would do differently is actually follow through on campaign promises. Many elected officials run on one platform but then govern on another, provoking cynicism and eroding trust in our institutions, especially within Alachua County Public Schools. Breaking promises makes it hard for families to have faith in our school system and contributes to declining enrollment. We must lead by example and be people of our word. True leadership means taking responsibility, shouldering the blame when things go wrong, and giving credit to others when things go well.

I would not have supported the superintendent’s $50,000 raise, especially amidst declining test scores and student enrollments, and increasing teacher attrition. This decision sent a terrible message that district leadership prioritizes its own benefits over the needs of students, teachers, and families. Instead, I would focus on creating a long-term strategic plan that supports students in reading at grade level, fosters teacher growth and agency, and involves the community in decision-making processes.

Effective leadership is about prioritizing long-term solutions and ensuring policies reflect the needs of our students, teachers, and families. Our public schools are suffering due to a lack of vision and commitment from current leadership. We need a shift towards accountability & transparency, and a long-term focus on tangible data-driven goals to improve our education system and restore trust in our schools.

Know where to vote

Voters can find their precinct ahead of the August election by visiting the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections’ website .

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Meet the Alachua County School Board District 2 candidate: A Q&A with Thomas Vu