MUSD School Board Candidate Q&A
Morongo Unified School District candidates Johnnie Ward, Jr., Karalee Hargrove, and incumbent Robert Hamilton tell us why they are right for the Area 1 position
On November 5, registered voters in Twentynine Palms have the opportunity to choose between three school board candidates for Morongo Unified School District Board of Education Trustee Area 1: incumbent Robert Hamilton and challengers Karalee Hargrove and Johnnie Ward, Jr.
All three candidates turned in their homework assignments on time for this Q&A session, where they were given a written set of seven questions submitted by parents of MUSD students and Desert Trumpet staff. Topics ranged from district transparency to MUSD’s relationship with Copper Mountain College. The Desert Trumpet thanks our MUSD candidates for tackling these pressing topics during a crucial election season— see what each candidate had to say below.1
One may be curious where the MUSD Trustee Area district boundaries fall. District 1 is comprised of much of Twentynine Palms as well as some of Wonder Valley. No candidates formally filed to run in Trustee Areas 2 and 3, meaning these two districts have open seat appointments available. District 2, described as being more rural, includes the northern portion of Twentynine Palms, Wonder Valley, and portions of the Marine base. District 3 includes unincorporated areas such as Landers and Morongo Valley. For a detailed map of the Morongo Basin Unified Trustee Areas, use the district lookup tool here.
Trustee Area 2 is currently represented by former Twentynine Palms City Councilmember John Cole. Trustee Area 3 is currently represented by Kerri Condley. Applications for an appointed Board position for Areas 2 and 3 can be found here. Per the Registrar of Voters and State of California Education Code, which sets forth the requirements for governing school boards, the following stipulations are required to apply:
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, a citizen of California, a resident of the school district, a registered voter and not legally disqualified from holding civil office.
If a district employee is appointed, the appointee must resign their position before being sworn in or have their employment automatically terminated upon being sworn to office.
The Morongo Unified School Board meets on the first Tuesday of every month.
List your professional background and what sets you apart from your opponents. What motivated you to run for school board this election cycle?
Robert Hamilton: My background includes volunteer work at a school abroad as well as teaching for the Morongo Unified School District. I have also done volunteer work in the community since I was in high school here. I grew up in Twentynine Palms and chose to return here after college and volunteer work abroad.
My motivation for running in this election cycle is to help ensure the progress that the school district has made during my first term, including safety upgrades, increased career-technical offerings, and the expansion of the Extended Learning Opportunities Program, which is now available at every site. I believe that progress takes time and that change for the sake of change is counter to the mission of the district and our stakeholders: to ensure the success of our students. I understand that as one person on a team of five, I cannot make any change on my own, so I will continue to work collaboratively with the other members of the governance team to keep moving our district forward. - Robert Hamilton
Karalee Hargrove: As a parent, former school board member, former teacher, and current substitute teacher, I believe I have the knowledge to be a school board member. I was motivated to run this term after being asked by many constituents to place my “name in the hat.” I understand all of the financial streams, policies, day-to-day operations and have advocated for Morongo Unified at the state and federal levels in the past. I just want to be part of the process and include students’ opinions in all decisions, because that is why we are all here in Morongo Unified—the students.
Johnnie Ward, Jr.: I've been involved with child development for 20 plus years. My mother owns a childcare that's been up and running in Long Beach that I've always played a major role in until I moved to Twentynine Palms. From potty training to playground supervision, to mentorship, to helping with college applications. I've been a full-time parent and provider of 5 since I was a teen, 5 kids, 2 currently enrolled at Copper Mountain College. One just got hired by the district. Two are currently enrolled at Oasis and one is in the pipeline.
The separation is definitely experience. While my opponents were learning how to work with children, I was hands-on. I learned what the books can't teach you—the psychology and behavior of children that's only learned from hands-on experience. I have trust-equity with students, parents and staff. When I took maternity leave to bond with my last child, I told students, staff, and parents I'd be back. I came back. When I took a year off to open our recycling center, I told students, parents, and staff that I'd be back. I came back. When a parent reaches out to me about an issue, I do my best within my power to solve it. I stand on my word and integrity. I've never left and not come back, I've never taken the job and pulled out at the last minute. This is my passion. The motivation to run comes from knowing our families want better and deserve better. I'd ask the leadership why things were a certain way or why we couldn't add certain procedures and the answer is always [the] "district." After hearing that too many times, it just feels like I can keep howling at the moon or I could go to it, so we are going to the moon.
Can the school board be more accountable to the public on student achievement, school performance and progress over time? Is transparency an issue at the School District that should be addressed and if so, how?
Hargrove: You can never be too transparent. MUSD is transparent about student achievement. We are making small gains, but it will become measurable and with accountability on everyone involved we can do better. But let’s not forget that testing is only one small part. We have social-emotional needs, food insecurity and students need to always feel safe. Those issues come before test scores and data as that falls into place when their other needs are met.
Ward: Absolutely! If we want and need more involvement, we need more transparency. We need outside ideas, in order to receive them we need transparency. It takes a village, it takes trust, it takes transparency, it takes accountability. All meetings should be live streamed and recorded.
When a parent needs an answer, an adequate one should be readily available. Parents want a voice, they want to be heard. We are dealing with the most important people in their lives. In the same breath though that respect and understanding needs to go both ways. I'd like to see parents involved and active at the school as much as possible. If time and circumstance permits, come do sit-ins, have lunch with your kids, take one of our part-time positions. I promise it will open your eyes and show you a different perspective and appreciation for the staff that do work extremely hard and go above and beyond. - Johnnie Ward, Jr.
Hamilton: The school board, as a governing body, can only direct the superintendent to make reports on student achievement available. That said, there are frequent reports on student achievement, and school performance is dictated by standardized testing. At an individual level, achievement is regularly reported by teachers and the principals who oversee them. On the Instructional Services page of the district website, the public can find links to reports on student attendance, behavior, and academics. The California School Dashboard is a publicly accessible site which provides interactive access to information such as testing progress, suspension rate, graduation rate, etc. This information can be viewed for the district as a whole or by individual schools. To further enhance communication with the community, we now utilize social media and a monthly newsletter. However, it's important to note that certain information, such as staff proceedings and student disciplinary outcomes, cannot be shared publicly.
What do you think students need right now that public school is not providing them?
Ward: Preparation for the real world upon leaving high school. They don't know economics, credit, or money management. Resumé building, interview preparation, basic communication skills. We need to offer them more trades—college isn't the answer or best route for everyone. Go talk to a high school counselor and they are gonna tell you about college—what if college isn't in the cards? Middle school and elementary? Unpopular answer—discipline. Students being behind, bullying, excessive disruptive behavior and the common denominator is lack of discipline. Unfortunately, that is a little higher up the food chain though. We are encouraged to reward good behavior but what is the consequence for bad behavior? Lack of discipline is setting our children up for failure in the real world. In the real world there are repercussions for bad behavior.
Hargrove: More elective options, better food served for both breakfast and lunch without so much sugar and over all more counseling services with students who need that help.
Hamilton: While the district offers a wide range of programs and activities—both educational and extracurricular—there’s a critical need to ensure students and parents are more informed about these opportunities. Many valuable resources and support services may go underutilized because families aren’t aware they exist. Improving outreach would help bridge this gap, enabling students to take full advantage of what’s offered and ensuring they have access to the support they need to thrive both academically and personally. I invite members of the school community to become more involved by attending meetings and responding to surveys.
Regarding vocational programs and local CTE (Career Technical Education) programs in our public schools—how would you rate the relationship between Morongo Basin Unified and Copper Mountain College? In your opinion, what, if anything, can the school district do better to build the relationship with Copper Mountain College, or vice versa?
Hamilton: The offering of our vocational and CTE programs has grown enormously since my time as a student in our district. We have students graduating high school with dual-enrollment degrees at a rate that was unheard of a decade ago, and the number of vocational programs continues to grow. We are also seeing students graduate with certificates that will enable them to be immediately employable. I believe that the number of programs being offered is only limited by the process of ensuring that they are approved and accredited and finding qualified instructors to provide outstanding training and education to our students. The partnership between MUSD and CMC has been strong, and will continue to prosper and grow, as it contributes to the growth and success of both the district and the college.
Ward: It's a breath of fresh air and I'm all for it. It gives our students a head start and I'd encourage more of our students to get involved. There's always room for improvement but I don't have any complaints. I'm an advocate for hands-on experience especially early, because it gives them a front row seat and the opportunity to gauge whether or not this is the goal and career they are really interested in pursuing. I'd like to see it expanded into trades as well though. As far as establishing a better relationship with the college, that's something we'd have to sit down and discuss because I'm not privy to the views or perspectives coming from either side.
Hargrove: CMC is great with dual enrollment and does match with our programs such as building trades, medical assistant, child development. We can always do more but I do think there is a great relationship between the two entities.
Parents have shared that bullying is an issue on campuses but that penalties for bullying are applied inconsistently or not at all. How will you work to ensure that our children are safe from abuse by other kids and that bullying is treated seriously at all school campuses?
Ward: It's important that we understand that there's a difference between bullying and some children that are just behaving in an unsavory manner. One of my daily phrases on the playground is, "So what if they don't want to play with you? Go find someone who appreciates you and hang out with them." But we do have to acknowledge the fact that bullying is an issue and it has changed drastically from when we were children.
Two years ago, I asked a sixth grader why what other people said matters and she gave me a lesson. She said, "Mr. Johnnie, it's not like back in your day. When you went home nothing that happened at school mattered, but when we go home it follows us—our phones don't turn off." Bullying on my playground is an absolute no-no, but I can't be everywhere all the time. The state has the schools’ hands tied as far as discipline. We are told what we can no longer do without being given the tools and authority to fully fix certain issues. And yes, I will acknowledge there are cases where I get extremely frustrated with discipline when it comes to how the bully is handled. To be honest, I’m pretty sure that there are teachers who feel bullied too. I'd suggest and work hard for parents and districts to come together to apply pressure on the state. I also can’t voice this loud enough— certain behaviors such as bullying are not innate behaviors, they are learned behaviors and children replicate what they see adults do.
Hargrove: This is an important issue. Students need to feel safe. Now the legislation from the state really prevents actual consequences.
At no time should a child feel scared of going to school. We need to hire people but pay a living wage—not these three-hour jobs—and increase campus supervision. We have a great relationship with San Bernardino County sheriff with two resource officers but until the state changes legislation, it is very hard to see change. For parents out there: if your child is struggling, reach out to the principal. If your child is having an issue with another child, they can sign a contract that would prevent bullying and if it continues, the consequences are there. Students—surround yourself with people who make you better! - Karalee Hargrove
Hamilton: I believe that Social Emotional Learning programs like those we have implemented in our schools are the best way to address the underlying cause of bullying. But bullying is not taught in our schools, so any practices or penalties we can enact in our schools will never be enough. An effective solution to bullying includes parent and community involvement to address problems outside school hours.
What is your view of the relationship between homeschooling and the role it plays relative to the public school system and local enrollment rates?
Hamilton: There is no singular model of education that addresses the needs of every student. So long as alternatives to the “traditional model” meet the needs of the student and provides them for similar opportunities for success, I see no problem with them. I believe it is our duty as a school district to continue to build programs that make public schools the best option for our students.
Hargrove: I support parents having a choice of what works for them. I took my own daughter out and we did a year of homeschooling and it was fantastic. She is back at school now, but who am I to tell any parent how to raise their child. Parents and guardians know what works for them. Now, I wish we had a more robust homeschool program within MUSD so those students could still participate in the social activities. With regards to enrollment—enrollment is down nationwide. After the COVID pandemic, some parents enjoyed homeschooling and kept it going. The lack of affordable housing here in the area is also a part of it.
Ward: I'm not against it as an alternate method of education, but I don't feel it should be a first option. It takes away from our enrollment numbers, which takes away from our funding, which in turn limits our school resources. My biggest issue with it is that it stunts social development and growth. Our children need to be around and learn to cope with a diverse group of people and personalities because they’re in store for that when they hit the real world.
What, in your opinion, should be Morongo Basin Unified’s top priorities?
Ward: Test scores, community involvement, transparency, real-world readiness, making our voices heard to the state, student input, and filling our vacancies. No particular order. A small improvement every year is a large gain in the long run. We are running a marathon.
Hamilton: Our priority is, and always should be, the success of our students. This means not only focusing on their academic achievements but also creating a well-rounded environment that nurtures their personal growth. To achieve this, we must continue to expand programs and opportunities that promote enrichment, and we need to continue to hire and support qualified and effective staff members. We also need to strengthen the involvement of our community to build a network of support that extends beyond the classroom. Additionally, it's essential to ensure that our students have access to safe, state-of-the-art facilities that inspire learning and creativity. By investing in these areas, we set the foundation for every student to reach their full potential.
Hargrove: Community schools, attendance, more parent engagement. Now, with community schools, these centers could have a laundromat, parent classes, social services, counseling, high school diploma classes—everything you could need.
Attendance—when kids come to school, the learning is easy. Supporting incentives for attendance. Engagement—this is where I ask the community what they want? What can we do to make you feel more included? Do you need help with anything?
Check Voterizer.org to ensure that you are registered to vote. You have until October 21 to register for the November 5 election.
Watch for upcoming Desert Trumpet election coverage including State Senate District 19. Previous election coverage included Q&As with candidates for Copper Mountain College Area 3, School Bond Measure C, and a report on our Twentynine Palms City Council Candidate Forum.
Leave your thoughts in the comments below. Please note that we do not allow anonymous comments. Please be sure your first and last name is on your profile prior to commenting. Anonymous comments will be deleted.
Feel free to share this article!
Many communities in the Morongo Basin are economically disadvantaged, so our coverage will always be free. However, if you have the means to support our work, we always appreciate upgrades to a paid subscription. Your upgrade helps keep subscriptions free for those who cannot afford to donate.
Note that donations in excess of $100 are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law, and your subscription/donation will be listed as AHA Projects, the name of our fiscal receiver, on your statement. Donations over $100 can be made via the Aha Paypal.
Author’s note: Responses have been revised for punctuation to maintain each respondent’s intent.
As a former school district employee of MVUSD, my position required me to be involved in all the school board meetings (18 years of them!). During that time, I learned what the Board members can and can't do, as well as the inner workings of the entire district. Any board member should know that while their goal is student success - in all avenues - their primary focus will be on the oversight of the district, particularly in budgetary and personnel matters. The best board member is the one who understands that it is the CERTIFICATED and CLASSIFIED staff that need their support and understanding of their work. It is those two employee groups that have the most direct effect on the students. Unwieldy, or overpaid management does not benefit the students, nor the operations of the district. The board should, first and foremost, cut dross at the top, and then evaluate the needs at the bottom, and work towards not only having properly compensated staffing at the schools, but ensuring the service provision meets the needs at each site. Proper employee evaluations of competency and adherence to district regulations is a must. Ensure teachers have the resources they need to not only manage their classrooms, but engage their students, AND meet the learning criteria each one needs.
Each of these candidates have some valid points in certain areas, and each have something to contribute.
Since there are no applicants for areas 2 and 3, I would suggest that each of the candidates apply for appointment, and, regardless of the vote outcome, all be seated on the board.
And I'll be the consultant/contractor for the live streaming of the board meetings. I do have 18 years experience of video recording and broadcasting board meetings, plus another 2 years of same for city council meetings.
I have truly appreciated hearing from Robert Hamilton about his work advocating for students’ and families’ best interests during his tenure on the MUSD school board. Time and again Hamilton has thrown his support behind the foundational needs of this community instead of vowing to the popular vote or frivolous purchasing that benefits admins only. He is a strong advocate for Social Emotional Learning, which is the most basic and essential need in all districts, but especially in a district that has been plagued by bullying at such supremely high levels. This is an issue I hear from parents about on a near-constant basis.
I would also like to note my displeasure in seeing candidates make statements as Mr. Ward does here that try to paint education as something without worth, even while running for the school board. His comment above is both factually inaccurate and deeply disturbing, as he shares, “While my opponents were learning how to work with children, I was hands-on. I learned what the books can't teach you-the psychology and behavior of children that's only learned from hands-on experience.”
Mr. Ward, both of your opponents have been or are *currently* teaching. If you energy is being spent maligning your opponents it may be in your best interest to do research on their backgrounds. Parenting and teaching are truly some of the most “hands-on” professions there are. I appreciate the comprehensive experience that Robert Hamilton and Karalee Hargrove would bring to stewardship of a position on the MUSD school board, and the fact that they are both using their platforms to share information about current processes and enlighten those interested in learning more about how a school board functions. Education is an advantage, not a mark against them, and one that these two candidates also pair with a depth of experience.
I appreciate Ms. Hargrove for the experience she brings to her campaign. And based on all that I have learned from Mr. Hamilton during his tenure I feel confident in his ability to continue to fight for what our community needs.