Let me begin by saying that this in an amazing question and one that I enjoy answering. My family came to St. Louis in October 2021, intentionally moving to the Ferguson / Florissant area, because we wanted to make a difference serving alongside others with like minds. Before moving here, my wife and I were an active part of the Kalamazoo House of Prayer and Jesus Loves Kalamazoo, a citywide gospel movement where over 70 churches came together to love and care for the people in their community. We left that work and many friendships to come to St. Louis to help a Ferguson-based ministry, Civil Righteousness, Inc. ─ a biblically-based organization that focuses on racial reconciliation and restoration. My wife, Tami, also co-leads the Ferguson Prayer Furnace. In addition, we have partnered with other ministries as well, including Pray for the Lou, Together STL, St. Louis Reconciliation Network, and Love the Lou. Our family attends The House Church, a 2023 church plant in Ferguson, that has an incredible vision and passion to serve its community, including the local schools.

I have a strong conviction that education is a vital part of the transformation of any community. Our daughter graduated from MNHS and our son currently attends there as a Junior. I have talked to families that have concerns about enrolling their children at McCluer or McCluer North high schools. Some families try to avoid sending their children to these high schools through applying to the STEAM Academy at McCluer South-Berkly High or through alternative learning (e.g. home schools or private education). However, a vast majority of our students do not have access to these opportunities. Even more so, families should not have to worry about sending their children to an FFSD school and consequently be faced with such a choice. It is imperative that every school in our community is (and feels) safe and provides the high-quality education that our students deserve. All the schools in our district, not just a couple, should have an excellence in safety, stability, rigor, and quality that attract families with children into our communities!

My daughter and son attended/attends MNHS because we believed the International Baccalaureate Program at this high school could academically challenge them. We also valued the diverse environment and believed that to make the greatest difference we needed to embed ourselves inside the community we came to serve. I have talked with teachers, listened to parents speak at public board meetings, and initiated conversations with several district administrators on a variety of topics. Tami and I have also had many discussions about our local schools from the times she has served as a substitute teacher for FFSD elementary, middle, and high schools. My website, http://electjohnflick.com, attempts to articulate briefly some of the pressing issues I believe are facing the Ferguson-Florissant School District and the vision I have for the school district moving forward.

I am asking the community to elect me to the FFSD Board of Education not just because I see a need, but because I have a vision and know that I can make a difference. As mentioned on my website, I have experience from serving on several boards. I have also helped train new board members regarding their fiduciary responsibilities and equipped them to read and evaluate financial reports. I am only one person, but together, in community, I believe we can make a difference. I sincerely appreciate you considering me for the FFSD Board of Education. I look forward to the opportunity to serve students, parents, educators, and community stakeholders as we work together to ensure that our students soar and our community thrives.

This is an extremely important and complex issue, so please be patient as I try to unpack a few of my thoughts. Let me first begin by saying that I believe a safe school environment is more than just creating a space that addresses and significantly mitigates violence. While gun violence in our schools rightfully draws the attention of our nation, there are other areas that should demand our attention as well. Fighting, verbal threats, bullying, and negative school culture can all contribute to an unsafe learning environment. In addition, even the conditions of our school buildings can cause students to feel unsafe.

Let me give one example of school building conditions. At McCluer North High School, the bathrooms are known for not being clean and at times reeking of smoke. While money was spent to put devices in bathrooms to detect smoking, the school has conceded that there is not always staff available to follow up on the alarms. I have heard of students just “holding it” the whole day because the bathrooms were so bad. I have been told that for a short period of time, students could not even find an unlocked bathroom as the school tried to address these issues. While the school has bathrooms on four floors of the building, it is my understanding that bathrooms are currently only available on one floor (plus one very small bathroom by the gym) to service approximately 1,100 students. Such environments do not allow students to thrive academically and emotionally.

In order to address issues regarding school safety, a majority of schools in our nation have hardened their campuses via controlled access, video cameras, and (to a lesser extent) police inside the school. However, some have argued that school policing, metal detectors, and surveillance technology disproportionately affect students of color. While I am not adamantly opposed to these measures, I do believe there are additional measures that would promote a safer and healthier learning environment for our students. These include mental health resources, afterschool & out-of-school learning programs, and additional adult (non-security) presence in the school.

First, I would advocate for a comprehensive review of the mental health initiatives within the Ferguson-Florissant School District. The National Association of School Psychologists recommends one psychologist per 500 students. The National Association of Social Workers recommends one social worker per 250 general education students, and the American School Counselor Association recommends one counselor per 250 students. However, having resources and effectively utilizing them are two different things. Students have different needs, and as a result, I believe that there should be different levels of care. On the most general level, mental health initiatives should strive to create a positive environment that includes bullying prevention and emotional learning support. On the more focused level, some students require more individualized support, including access to outside resources. Identifying these students and helping connect them with free resources is critical. Also, I believe that many teachers deeply care about their students, but the impact of COVID (and other external events) has significantly impacted the needs of today’s students. Teachers need the support of qualified mental health providers so that they can focus on student learning. Lesser class disruptions, which could be addressed through mental health programs, will give students a greater opportunity to thrive.

Second, afterschool and out-of-school programs can provide significant benefits to both the student and the community. “Afterschool programs can support social, emotional, cognitive, and academic development, reduce risky behaviors, promote physical health, and provide a safe and supportive environment for children and youth. Afterschool programs also provide a significant return-on-investment, with every $1 invested saving at least $3 through increasing youth’s earning potential, improving their performance at school, and reducing crime and juvenile delinquency” (Benefits for Youth, Families, and Communities | Youth.gov). In my experience, when students get behind in their learning, they begin to lose hope, which can lead to an unwillingness to try and to disruptive behaviors. The school district may not be able to provide all these services, but we can cultivate relationships with non-profits that could help fill these gaps.

Finally, we need to come together as a community to provide more support for our schools. Whether in the hallways or in a lunchroom, I believe the presence of non-security adults can encourage better behavior and help increase a student’s feeling of safety. I believe that there are ministries throughout our district that would work with the schools to develop a pool of volunteers that would help fill this need. My family attends a church that has prayer-walked around all the school campuses in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. I believe that love and prayer are both powerful acts that can change any environment. I have many stories I could share to prove that, but maybe that should be another post or for some in-person gathering.