Candidate Profile: Samuel Gross For Manassas City School Board

MANASSAS, VA — Samuel Gross is one of several candidates hoping to fill three open at-large seats on the Manassas City School Board on Nov. 8.

Other candidates in the race for the city's school board include Sara Brescia, Mel Kent, Abraham "Alex" Iqbal, Jill Spall, and Lisa Stevens.

Read more: General Election 2022: Dates, Races To Know In Manassas

Patch asked each of the candidates in the school board race to fill out the following questionnaire.

Name

Samuel Gross

Party affiliation

Independent, recently endorsed by Republicans.

Family? Names, ages and any other pertinent details you wish to share.

My wife and I raise our two young children in Manassas. They attend Metz and Mayfield.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education Level

Ph.D in Mathematics

Occupation, including employer and years of experience.

I have been the senior cryptographer for Noblis, Inc. since moving to Manassas in 2015. I have been teaching college level mathematics, either full or part time, for 16 years. I am currently an Adjunct Professor at the NVCC Manassas Campus.

Previous or current elected office

None.

Campaign website

sam4schoolboard.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

Over the last several years, I have seen seen academic standards and proficiency diminished in the core subject areas of math, reading, and writing. The consequences of this can clearly be seen in the job market and in the college classroom. The current culture of low expectations in K-12 education robs students of their best chance for upward mobility, breaking generational poverty, and a chance at the highest paying career paths. The current boards' policies are perpetuating this status quo, and in the last few years I have seen the effects in my own young children. I decided I had to make a difference.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Right now our middle and high school are only conditionally accredited. Our high school is not fully accredited because of "chronic absenteeism" and "drop-out rate". In particular, right now "30.13% of the students in this school were chronically absent in the 2021 - 2022 school year." (https://schoolquality.virginia.gov/schools/osbourn-high).

How do you think local officials performed in responding to recent issues (i.e. the pandemic)? What if anything would you have done differently?

My own young children went from success to failure during the extended mandate of online-only school. Our board could have returned our kids to school much sooner, however they deliberatly ignored new scientific developments and decided instead to adopt party-line positions. Our school leaders chose politics over our children.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have 16 years of experience in education at the college level. As a former full-time faculty in mathematics, I have experience in direct classroom instruction, curriculum review and oversight, and leading the subject matter portions of K-12 teacher education programs.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

The incumbent candidates have worked hard to create a culture of low expectations. They have passed and upheld policies that diminish teachers' ability to challenge students. For example, teachers are not allowed to uphold deadlines on any assignments and are forced to give minimum grades - even for missing assignments. Their solution is to inflate grades and continue to pass students along. Their platform and policies prioritize "social and emotional learning" instead of math, reading, and writing.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Increase budget efficiency, more effective oversight, more transparency, and more parent ownership.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am a US Marine Corps Veteran. I went to college on the GI Bill after serving in Kosovo, Africa, and Iraq. I began college with remedial math and went straight on to earn a Ph.D. I know exactly how and why students struggle - I was one of them. I also know, both personally and professionally how to overcome these challenges.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Lead, follow, or get out of the way. (Thomas Paine)

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

The current culture of low expectations robs students of their best opportunity for upward mobility, breaking generational poverty, and a competitive chance at career paths in the highest paying job fields. Moreover, the lack of meaningful homework robs parents of the easiest, most effective means of being involved in their Childs' education. Fixing our schools begins with a new, positive direction focused on facts and objective inquiry - not political agendas.

See also: Candidate Profile: Mel Kent For Manassas City School Board

See also: Candidate Profile: Jill Spall For Manassas City School Board