Central Bucks School Board Primary Election: Stephen Mass, Region 1

Candidates running in contested races in the May 16 primary election have been invited to provide background about themselves and their positions on the issues to voters in these profiles, which will run in Patch individually for each candidate.

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Stephen Mass is running as a cross-filed candidate for an open four-year-seat on the Central Bucks School Board in Region 1. He is in two-way race for the nomination with Karen Smith, who has also cross-filed.

Name: Stephen Mass

Age: 54

Town of Residence: New Britain

Position sought: Central Bucks School Board Director, Region 1

Are you an incumbent? No

What towns Does Your Position Cover? New Britain, Plumsteadville, Buckingham

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: Wife Marion and 3 kids who are all CBSD graduates: Brian, Amanda, and Eric

Education: Bachelor of Arts, Vanderbilt University. Doctor of Medicine, Duke University. Residency training, Northwestern University

Occupation: Physician and surgeon

Questions

1. Why are you running?

Like most people, I was seriously alarmed by what I saw during and after the pandemic: Plummeting test scores, diminished attention spans, and more mental health issues than our district has ever seen. Parents and teachers are demoralized by a sense that we've lost our way, are no longer teaching the basics, and have a harder job with emotional and behavioral issues so prevalent. It's really not that complicated. Kids need to be challenged so they can eventually think for themselves and make good decisions for themselves. They do not need to be pawns in a political battle. I decided to get off the sidelines because I felt our values were not being represented in Region 1.

2. What are your top issues and how do you plan to address them?

The top issue is learning loss. There is no doubt that the loss has been a catastrophe, across our district and the entire country. Our curriculum needs to reflect the fact that we're now playing catch up. We need to compare teaching methods across the country, and world, and find what works best and apply it here. We need to promote and expand our excellent vocational training, because many kids learn better by doing than being in a classroom. And with all the debate about the library policy, we have ignored the fact that most kids simply do not read enough. It needs to be a habit. They need to be challenged with difficult books so they can think critically, and think for themselves.

Another crucial issue is the mental health crisis. We want the kids to learn, but also be happy, and develop some great memories of their school days. Sports and other after-school activities are part of the solution. So is partnering with parents to help them identify issues and point them towards help.

3. Identify specific goals/ideas you have to enhance the district.

With regards to learning and how it is impacted by mental health, the most important factor in a child's education is their family. I would like the district to offer more voluntary educational sessions for parents that focus on mental and physical well being. Some topics for physical well being might include nutrition, sleep habits, and exercise. Topics for mental health might include stress management, drug prevention, and recognizing signs of psychiatric illness. And parents could learn strategies for raising successful children with regards to effective study habits, limiting screen time, and time management. Engaging the parents will rebuild trust and unify our community. We also have to study preventative programs like Preventure or online programs to serve as mental health aids and choose one that can best help in our district in dealing with our youth mental health crisis.