Middletown Election: Susan Owens Running For Board Of Education

MIDDLETOWN, CT — The 2021 municipal election is heating up in Middletown with plenty of races on the ballot.

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 2 and cast their ballots for seats on the Board of Education and Planning and Zoning Commission.

Middletown Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Democrat Susan Owens, 63, is running for election to the Middletown Board of Education.

Occupation: Retired State Of Connecticut Employee

Family: Brian 14, Dashawn 12, Tashawn 12, Joshua 30

Experience: none

Family in government: no

The single biggest issue in town is ______, and I plan to do this about it:

A large population of our children do not know the difference between printing their name or signing their name. They don't know how to cursive, write letters, do reports or what a footnote is. Let's not forget make change if the cash register stopped working. What an injustice, we have done to our children. We have forgotten the fundamental skills of education. In 2010 when the Common Core Standards which is the shared goals that should be taught was adopted. It did not say to stop teaching cursive writing. The stopping of cursive writing came about when teachers saying it took too much time to teach and it wasn't a priority. Learning to use technology was more important. I sure wished who was making the decisions in Hartford came to me, other parents, and teachers and professors and asked us what we thought. Or even made us aware it and other things were no longer being taught. What my plan is to bring back the fundamental skills of education.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

The critical difference is that I am a native of Middletown. I am retired mental health worker. I volunteered for Children and Placement as Guardian Ad Liem. Was a foster parent. Worked for Women's and Families as an outreach worker. I was a sexual assault crisis counselor.

I have been volunteering at MHS since 2005. In 2009 Beverly Lawerence and Cheryllynn McRae and I started GIFTS which stands for Girls Inspired for Total Success. It's mentor program for girls at MHS.

Accomplishments:

Being a mentor and working with the teachers and kids. Working in Project Reach with teenagers and being a sexual assault counselor. I am vice present of several organizations: 2nd Vice President American Legion Auxillary 206, Vice President of the Greater Hartford Democratic Women, 3rd Vice President Ct Federation of Democratic, and these organizations have taught me organizational skills. My family.

Other issues:

Mental health and Safety for our Teachers and Students.

Achievement Gap and Opportunity Gap

Diversity of teachers

What else would you like voters to know about you?

There needs to be a change. We can't have our kids dependent on technology. One day there will be a black out what our they going to do. Give them the foundation like we had. It didn't stare us wrong. I'm eager to help our kids. I only can do it with your help.