Candidates air concerns about Nebraska educational leaders

    Two candidates running for state office were in Wauneta Friday night, and both spoke of concerns with the State Board of Education and Department of Education.
    Elizabeth Tegtmeier of North Platte is running for the State Board of Education’s District 7 seat, which includes Chase County.
    She hopes to unseat Dist. 7 incumbent Robin Stevens of Gothenburg.
    Edward Dunn of Grant is seeking the District 44 seat in the Nebraska Unicameral. He hopes to fill the seat now held by Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango, who is term-limited.
    Both spoke to a crowd of 25 at Wauneta’s Chateau Theatre after a showing of “The Mind Polluters” documentary.
    Tegtmeier said Friday’s appearance was her 84th visit to communities since August last year as she travels the massive District 7 in her campaign.
    She said she has three major concerns with education in Nebraska—academic proficiency, teacher shortages and NE Dept. of Education accountability.
    She said Nebraska’s high school juniors last year had an average proficiency in English of 40% and 30% in math following state testing.
    She said education is why Nebraskans send their children to school, but is disappointed in those averages.
    “I’m very concerned with our academics,” she said.
    She said the state’s teacher shortages needs additional attention, adding there are a lot of good ideas on that issue from administrators and teachers she’s visited with in western Nebraska.
    “We need to talk with them,” she said.
    Tegtmeier said the NE Dept. of Education needs to be more accountable. Calling the department and its 500 employees “bloated,” she wants them audited to see what everyone does in their jobs.
    “What can be cut and given back to the local districts?” she asked.
    She said the $84 million in COVID money the department received “was like a kid in a candy store.”     
    Regarding current Dist. 7 board member Stevens, Tegtmeier said he is now saying he’s always been against the controversial state health standards proposed by the board last year.
    “He’s never taken a stand until this week,” she said.
    She said she’s honored to have the endorsement of State Sen. Hughes, as well as 16 other state senators, Gov. Pete Ricketts, former Gov. Dave Heineman and Lt. Gov. Mike Foley.
    She said she’ll protect Nebraska’s conservative values if elected.
    “I’ll protect our kids from Comprehensive Sex Education and Critical Race Theory,” she added.
    Dunn, who grew up in nearby Bartley, also touched on education in his address.
    “The job of the legislature is not to pick the curriculum for schools. That should be left to the local level,” he said.
    The job of the legislature is to provide what’s needed to reach education goals, he said.
    He referred to the documentary, “The Mind Polluters,” shown ahead of the candidates’ talks.
    The documentary addressed the infiltration of CRT and CSE into school curricula. It also presented information on the Obscenity Exception that allows schools and public libraries to provide what some consider sexually explicit material that could not be presented in other settings to young children.
    Referring to “The Mind Polluters,” he said he’s viewed it 10 times so far, adding “if that doesn’t make you shiver....”
    Nebraska is one of 43 states with the Obscenity Exemption. LB 282 introduced in the 2021 legislature to remove the exemption stalled in committee. It was a carryover bill this year.
    Dunn said it is important that men be more involved in raising their children. He comes from a family of five boys and a single mother.
    A March 6 presentation of “The Minds Polluters,” also in Wauneta, drew over 50 people, said organizer Vanessa Fanning.