My Priorities
Utah's public schools are full of talented, dedicated educators doing extraordinary work for kids every day. The State Board of Education should be making their work easier, not harder. It should be setting a vision that puts students first, trusts the professionals in our schools, and ensures every child — regardless of background, ability, or language — has a real shot at success.
That's not what's been happening. James is running to change it.
That's not what's been happening. James is running to change it.
Protect the Arts and Arts Programming
The arts are not a luxury. They are how many students find their voice, build confidence, develop empathy, and stay connected to school. James has led Wasatch Theatre Company since 1997 and has spent decades watching what happens to young people when they have access to meaningful arts experiences and what gets lost when they don't.
As a Board member, James will push back against budget cuts and policy decisions that treat arts programming as expendable. Music, theatre, visual arts, and dance belong in every Utah school, Pre-K through 12th grade. Full stop.
As a Board member, James will push back against budget cuts and policy decisions that treat arts programming as expendable. Music, theatre, visual arts, and dance belong in every Utah school, Pre-K through 12th grade. Full stop.
Promote Pro-Public School Policy
Public schools are the backbone of our democracy. They serve every child, regardless of their income, ability, ZIP code, or family circumstance. James believes deeply in the promise of public education and will oppose any policy that diverts resources, attention, or public trust away from our public schools.
That means advocating for adequate funding, resisting privatization efforts, and ensuring that the Board's energy is spent strengthening the schools we have, not undermining them.
That means advocating for adequate funding, resisting privatization efforts, and ensuring that the Board's energy is spent strengthening the schools we have, not undermining them.
Trust School Board Staff and Their Expertise
The Utah State Board of Education employs specialists, researchers, and educators with deep professional knowledge in curriculum, instruction, assessment, and policy. Their job is to bring that expertise to bear in service of Utah's students.
The Board's job is not to override them for political reasons.
James will work to restore a culture of genuine collaboration between elected Board members and USBE staff — one built on trust, not micromanagement. When staff bring forward research-based recommendations, the Board should engage with them seriously, not dismiss them because they don't fit a political agenda.
The Board's job is not to override them for political reasons.
James will work to restore a culture of genuine collaboration between elected Board members and USBE staff — one built on trust, not micromanagement. When staff bring forward research-based recommendations, the Board should engage with them seriously, not dismiss them because they don't fit a political agenda.
Trust Teachers and Educators
Teaching is a profession. Utah's educators have training, credentials, experience, and judgment. They know their students. They know their communities. They deserve to be treated accordingly.
The current Board has tilted sharply toward compliance and discipline, which has created a climate where teachers feel surveilled, second-guessed, and unsupported. James will work to shift that culture back toward empowerment. That means listening to teachers, defending their professional autonomy, and making sure the Board's decisions reflect what educators in the field actually need.
The current Board has tilted sharply toward compliance and discipline, which has created a climate where teachers feel surveilled, second-guessed, and unsupported. James will work to shift that culture back toward empowerment. That means listening to teachers, defending their professional autonomy, and making sure the Board's decisions reflect what educators in the field actually need.
Focus on What Matters to Students, Teachers, and Families
The Board spends a lot of time on things that don't make a single classroom better. James will push the Board to ask, of every agenda item: does this help students learn? Does this support teachers in doing their jobs? Does this serve families?
That means prioritizing:
That means prioritizing:
- Social and emotional learning and restorative practices in schools
- Mental health resources and support
- Early childhood education and full investment in Pre-K
- Innovative approaches to measuring student success that go beyond standardized testing and look at the whole learner
Support Quality Public Education, Pre-K Through 12th Grade
Every stage of a child's education matters. James will advocate for the resources, staffing, and policy conditions that allow schools to do their best work at every level -- from early childhood programs that set kids up for success, to middle school supports that keep students engaged, to high school pathways that open real doors.
Quality public education isn't just a slogan. It means well-trained teachers, reasonable class sizes, updated materials, functional facilities, and a curriculum that is honest, inclusive, and rigorous.
Quality public education isn't just a slogan. It means well-trained teachers, reasonable class sizes, updated materials, functional facilities, and a curriculum that is honest, inclusive, and rigorous.