Michael Watson
Non-Partisan | North Carolina
Candidate Profile
Leans Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Michael Watson
Party
Non-Partisan
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Schools Board of Education, District 6
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Bachelor of Science Information Technology/Computer Science, 2006
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
University of Missouri-Columbia (College of Engineering), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Board, Polo Ridge Elementary School PTA
Vice President Events, Polo Ridge Elementary School, School Leadership Team Member (3 Years)
Polo Ridge Elementary School, All Pro Dads Executive team, Jay M. Robinson Middle School PTA
President, Jay M. Robinson Middle School, School Leadership Team Member (3 Years)
Ardrey Kell High School PTA, Social Media Co-Chair
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Board of Education District 6, 2022
Race
SELECTED FINANCIAL SOURCE DOCUMENTS
OTHER INFORMATION
Election Voting History for Michael Andre Watson during time of resident in district and/or at current address:
- 2022 Party Primary Election: No Records
- 2020 Party Primary Election: No Records
- Voted in zero Primary Elections 2016 - 2019
- Voted in four General Elections 2016 - 2020
**Voter history is not considered during panel evaluations.**
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not be a resource for instruction or services in the school.
Agree
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Disagree
ECONOMY
School districts should be able to use taxpayer money for lobbying the state legislature.
Neutral
What is your position on government funding of public education from Pre-K through college?
I am a proponent of government funding of Pre-K through high school. I believe that at the post high-school level there should be supplemental funding available for trade/ community college, but I am also a proponent that college education should require some effort to attend through traditional funding or securing of scholarships
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
At school, students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience and faith, including Christianity.
Agree
The ability to speak freely and communicate leads to better understanding.
School districts should not discriminate against individuals, organizations or small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.
Agree
In general, I am against all forms of discrimination. In answering this question, my position is that school districts are representative of all members of the community and should remain neutral. By not remaining neutral there is a risk of discrimination on any given side.
Students should not be allowed to pray in school.
Disagree
Students should be free to practice their religious beliefs without fear or condemnation.
HEALTHCARE
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
While this may be a recent hot-button issue, vaccinations have been required by schools and employers for some time. I believe in the most known cases Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Polio etc. have all been required to attend public school for decades. I think when it is in the global interest of the health and well-being based on the severity and risk factors then those decision should be made. Government is too high of a threshold; however, schools and employers have a specific mandate to protect their respective interests and so it is warranted.
EDUCATION
When should parents be restricted from speaking in school board meetings?
Ultimately if structured properly there should be a set time for parents to speak and be heard in board meetings. I am a firm believer that meetings should have a focus though and not be a free for all that only servers to frustrate all involved. A solution here is to provide time outside of board meetings with members to understand and hear parents.
Please list in order the following priorities in relation to the role of a K-12 public school (omitting any that do not apply): Mathematics, Information Technology, Science, Political Activism, Personal Finances, Gender Identity, Physical Fitness, American History, Critical Race Theory, Language Arts, Art & Music, Vocational Learning, Sexuality, Foreign Language, Social Emotional Learning
Mathematics, Information Technology, Science, Personal Finances, Physical Fitness, American History, Language Arts, Art & Music, Foreign Language. My position as it relates to K-12 is that there should be a standard to the education in preparation for college and/or employment following the school career. This does not diminish the need for and support for additional learning opportunities in certain subject areas. For example, Political Activism would be an area I would see more suited for community leadership and support vs the public-school setting.
American civics education should emphasize our nation's founding principles of liberty and equality.
Agree
I agree, but I also think that understanding social and legislative events along our timeline is crucial to developing a well-rounded students
Before students are taught courses such as Comprehensive Sex Ed (CSE) or Social Emotional Learning (SEL), they must opt-in with written parental permission.
Neutral
The loss of local control in education is too high a price to pay in exchange for federal dollars.
Agree
I support the teaching of curricula (such as the 1619 Project, No Place for Hate, Second Step, etc.) that emphasizes slavery and racism as the foundation of American history.
Disagree
I support the teaching of accurate facts and real events that have taken place during our history. I don't think curriculum that are used to reframe the social aspect of the events and shape a certain perception one way, or another are helpful. With that being said though I am also against the erasure of events from our history because it is also just as harmful. Facts are facts and should be taught freely to frame the understanding for the individual
Parents are the ultimate authority in their child’s education and should be able to freely pursue whatever educational options they deem best for their child.
Agree
What is the function of the local school board?
A school boards member role is to support his/her communities voice as it relates to school board matters but also support and consider the well-being of the district as a whole. The school board members are part of corporate body that has influence over educational decisions.
Do you support the National School Board Association's characterization of parents who speak out at school board meetings as "domestic terrorists"?
No
Who should have the authority to set curriculum and determine resources used in those curricula?
I think the State/Local model can function as intended. I am also supportive of teacher/parent input in a "review" phase but ultimately the district should be making the majority of the decisions.
Who has the ultimate right to control the education of children in public schools? (a) parents (b) teachers (c)school boards.
This should be a collaboration between the three. We don't always have to divide responsibilities and rights.
VALUES
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian and have been my whole life. I attend church regularly and believe in prayer and other traditional Christian rites and rituals. With that being said I do not condemn any other religious beliefs or customs. I work hard to not only refrain from judging the differences that we as people have from a religious standpoint but also not to condemn anyone who is not there yet in their own personal journey.
I support allowing public high school students to participate in athletic competition based on the gender with which they identify instead of biological sex.
Disagree
This a complex issue but ultimately why I disagree is the physiological differences that can make the playing field unfair.
Who is responsible for teaching sexual education to children, and what is the appropriate age when it should be taught?
Ideally, I believe this is a function of the parent in general terms, but I do feel there is a societal obligation as well. Case in point you cannot have debate or societal issue about abortion rights, adoption, assistance programs etc. without having some responsibility of educating students on the root. With that being said the age is nuanced, I believe that at minimum if the conversation hasn't been had by the time a student has reached generally accepted ages of puberty, then I would be understanding of the educational system filling the void
If you support the teaching of Sex Ed, please answer the following question: Sexual education should include these topics (list all that apply and add your own, if needed) -- Physical and emotional health outcomes; contraceptive methods; consent; abstinence; sexual orientation and gender identity; human anatomy/the reproductive system; abortion methods and side effects; stages of pregnancy and fetal development; sex acts and pleasures of sex
There are several in this list that i do not agree with. What I will say is that Sex education should be centered around the basics.
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that is necessary for our system of limited government.
Disagree
Judeo-Christian values and morality deal with the individual and not the system. They can and should be guiding beliefs for the individual who practices said religion but cannot be used to frame limited government that must govern people that fall under several different sets of beliefs. The idea that religious freedom is a right and not forced by government is literally the bedrock of how America came to be.
No healthcare diagnosis or treatment, whether mental, reproductive, or otherwise, should be given to a child without first receiving written consent from the parent.
Agree
I agree with this but there are circumstances that fall outside of the frame of the question. A perfect example is someone on their own without parents to guide that decision. While an extreme example it highlights why legislation cannot be absolute
No school official should be involved in the sexual transitioning of a student, including the use of alternative names and pronouns.
Agree
EQUALITY
I support the teaching that an individual, solely by virtue of his or her race, is inherently racist, whether consciously or unconsciously.
Strongly Disagree
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
A candidate's personal moral values should not be relevant when considering a candidacy for elective office.
Disagree
Moral values are indicative of the character of an individual and should factor into candidacy
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Lean Liberal
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
N/A
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
I believe in CMS and the idea of providing our families across the entire district the opportunity to capitalize on the educational experiences offered to our students. It is time for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District to be one that is known as a safe, high quality and consistent educational experience. I am excited for the opportunity to be able to represent CMS District 6, but more importantly partner with all families in a pursuit to make CMS a district of choice.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Under what circumstances (if any) should schools be allowed to require vaccinations?
I believe in the most known cases Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Polio etc. have all been required to attend public school for decades. I think when it is in the global interest of the health and well-being based on the severity and risk factors then those decision should be made. Government is too high of a threshold; however, schools and employers have a specific mandate to protect their respective interests and so it is warranted.
I support mask mandates.
Neutral
Mandate is always going to generate pushback and so I am of the mind that a strong recommendation is warranted. Those who wish to wear masks can wear them and feel safe with their decision, and those who chose not to can also feel comfortable with their decision. Ultimately, it's a personal health issue.
