Interviewer:

“If elected, I will fight for...”

Rev. Dr. Steve Bland, Jr.:

I will fight for children, both in the sense of their ability to have the right to learn, to read, to write, to critically think, and the ability to choose their future, whether it be through college prep and going forward, and second-- post-secondary education or vocational training or just to be a decent citizen. But I'll push for their right to make that choice and to have the right to be prepared and equipped to make that choice. Secondly, I would push for the right for public school funding. I believe the public dollars belong in public school education, and I'll push for the right to make sure that funding is spent equitably. And also spent in ways that will increase the outcomes that I believe are the most important in regards to education for children, particularly those who start out with a sense of disadvantage, the marginalized in our society. So I would be an advocate for those as I have been. Outcomes are usually determined in various ways. The metrics of a school district through testing is one way that people attain whether or not a child is achieving. You know, whether it be reading, writing, all the other, you know, things that we test for. I think that's one measure.

Interviewer:

Okay.

Rev. Dr. Steve Bland, Jr.:

Among many of a holistic child's outcome, I don't think you can narrow your person down to what they can produce in one moment in time. You know in the tests, even though I do think it is important to critically think and be able to answer questions that are presented so we can actually move in that direction. But I'm more concerned about preparing holistically our children, some of them have more artistic talents or talents in various other field areas and some think differently. You know, when we I'm glad to see our district has changed “Special Ed” to “ESE” which basically talks about exceptional education, which suggests that their children who learn differently.

Interviewer:

Yeah.

Rev. Dr. Steve Bland, Jr.:

And if they're deficient in one area, that means they're probably proficient in others. I think teachers role is not to try to get students to learn how they teach, but teachers should teach how students learn. And then you can maximize the best out of the student. And our role is to make sure we're bringing the best out of the ones that are set before us the best way we possibly can.

Interviewer:

When I was a student, I wish my school had

Rev. Dr. Steve Bland, Jr.:

I wish my school had more teachers like the ones I grew up in. I was privileged to be a child of a segregated community at that time. I grew up in Brownsville, Chicago. Low end, we call it. And because of segregation, racism, you name it, my school where I attended was majority Black. The only white person I ever saw in my life was an Italian man who was the principal. And he set up in an ivory tower office with glass, and I could look and see him, wave at him. But the assistant principal was the one who basically interacted with us every day. But I had teachers who loved students. They cared about our learning. They did not see us, you know, as objects or, or culturally. They holistically taught us. And particularly my, my transition happened at sixth grade. I had all female teachers up until sixth grade, and I fell in love with one of them. I know in some kind of way, you kind of learned to manipulate outcomes. If you can kind of sweet talk teachers. But I got a male teacher in sixth grade by the name of Mr. Charles Driscoll, who should have been a nuclear scientist, physicist, but because, again, of racism and limited opportunities, the best he could do was a school teacher in the school district. But he taught me discipline. He taught me how to think instead of regurgitating information. You know, he taught me how to build a radio seven different ways, because I was put in detention, because I got caught with a transistor radio in school listening, you know. So instead of punishing me, he said, kept me after school. He said, would you like to learn how to build that? And so I learned how to build that radio seven different ways and won the city of Chicago, City of Chicago’s science fair three years in a row.

Interviewer:

Wow.

Rev. Dr. Steve Bland, Jr.:

So it was that kind of engagement that caused me to see education as a pathway to my future. I made it through what we call then the concrete jungle, and, you know, I have achieved 20 years ago, I received my doctorate degree, and I looked back on all of those people on that path that believed in me, you know, and gave me those opportunities and gave me the chance to show that I could learn. And they applied the learning to what they saw in me. I wish I could multiply that and bottle it up and give it to every student I meet.

Candidates appear in ballot order, alphabetical by last name.

Vote for not more than 4

• Natalie Bien-Aime*

• Steve Bland Jr.

• Michelle Broughton

• Katrina Brown

• Cidney Calloway

• Bobby Christian*

• Nicole Conaway

• Vilma Escamilla Duran

• Daniel Ferguson III*

• Duane Larry Grigsby Jr.

• Bessie L. Harris

• David Harris

• C. Allan Hubbard

• Henrietta Ivey*

• Tabrian C. Joe

• Shinese Johnson

• Theodore Jones

• Georgia Mae Lemmons

• LaMar D. Lemmons

• Clement O. Lett*

• Phil Lloyd II

• Darious Morris*

• Liana Mulholland

• Tyshea Pope

• DaNetta L. Simpson

• Tawanna Simpson

• Jameel Montgomery Smith

• Calesther Smith-Arnold*

• Terry E. Whitfield

• Elizabeth A. Williams

• Theresa Williams*

* Did not participate in the CitizenDetroit candidate video series.

Ijazz Jackson*

Aliya Moore

Shawn Vaughn

* Did not participate in the CitizenDetroit candidate video series.