Kenneth Harris
Running for school board in Prince George's County District 7
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 5)?
32
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
The Aerospace Corp., senior project manager.
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
Doctorate in engineering, George Washington University.
Why are you running for the school board?
I believe every student in our county has the right to a quality education, and every family should receive the necessary resources to position our future leaders for success. I am running for re-election to the Prince George’s County Public Schools Board of Education because this is the public school system that prepared me for the career I have today. Further, it is the system my parents went through and the future educational system my two children will enter starting next year. During my first term, I am proud of the work we have completed to navigate academic challenges like regression seen through COVID, work with our stakeholders and unions to build six cutting-edge new schools, and increase mental health resources for both our scholars and educators across the county, with still more to come. Moving forward in District 7, we have honed in on true partnership and fostering community to elevate the educational experience for everyone in our school buildings. Together we are working to create safe school communities through addressing the physical, emotional and social well-being of students, educators and parents. We have continued to support the creation of an environment in Prince George’s County Public Schools that not only offers fair compensation for educators but also fosters a culture of individuality and creativity, through the full funding of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. As the current representative, I acknowledge the unique challenges each district faces. Moving into a second term, I will continue to elevate the parent voice, lead through partnership with our administration and provide a unique skillset to our board.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
As a graduate of Prince George’s County Public Schools, lifelong resident and now father of two scholars, I have a uniquely vested interest in the status of our educational system. Every decision I make has a direct impact on educators, who taught me, or my children's future experience in Prince George’s County Public Schools. The Prince George’s County Public Schools Board of Education needs to reestablish trust with the residents of Prince George’s County with candidates who are intentionally and unselfishly pursuing office to be focused on the elevation of each and every student. During my first term on the Board of Education, I have worked to: Promote parent/community partnership. Prioritize safe schools. Champion climate friendly priorities. Pioneer science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) programs. Support the expansion of mental health services. Oversee the capital improvement plan budget resulting in the completion of six Public-Private Partnership (P3) schools, and much more. I have a record of leadership amongst my colleagues and the Administration, serving as the chair and vice chair of the Operations Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee, chair of the Ad Hoc Climate Change Action Plan Committee, liaison to the Parent and Community Advisory Council, an ex-officio member of the Academic and Achievement Committee, and presently vice chair of the Board of Education. Aside from my role as a board member, I am a globally recognized rocket scientist and have worked at the collegiate level, helping to establish undergraduate and graduate-level degree programs for both domestic and international universities. These initiatives have engaged with students across Singapore, Kenya, Rwanda, Melbourne and parts of North America.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
The Prince George’s County Public Schools school board faces a significant challenge in addressing the persistent achievement gap between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. While the board cannot directly implement educational programs, we play a crucial role in shaping the district's overall direction and ensuring accountability. In doing so we can focus on actionable steps within the authority of the board under the Education Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland & Title 13A of Code of Maryland Regulations. To address this issue, the board can continue to develop clear evaluation structures that hold the superintendent and district leadership accountable by monitoring the district's progress towards achieving its goals. During my term we have worked to reconstruct indicators of the superintendent’s evaluation, prioritizing the academic success of our scholars through measurable outcomes, such as the improvement of early literacy in grades kindergarten-third and the improvement of quarterly cohort readiness of four-year graduation rates. We’ve worked to address the culture of schools, with a focus on social emotional learning and mental health by targeting chronic absenteeism, reducing suspensions/expulsions and stakeholder safety at school/work. The board must continue to allocate resources strategically, ensuring that funds are distributed equitably to support schools in underserved communities, including investing in capital improvements to address aging school facilities. Since 2020, District 7 has completed over $107M in capital improvement projects with an additional $424M planned by 2030. Additionally, partnership with the community must be prioritized to intentionally address community concerns reaching the school house and advocacy at the state/federal level to implement strong policy reform.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
I deeply admire Dr. Alvin Thornton for his transformative leadership and unwavering commitment to educational equity not only within Prince George’s County, but on a national level. As senior advisor for academic affairs at Howard University, he has played a pivotal role in advancing academic standards and fostering institutional growth. His leadership of the historic Presidential Commission on Academic Renewal and his contributions to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education underscore his dedication to institutional excellence for our scholars. Extending beyond Howard University, his work as chair of the Maryland Commission on Education Finance, Equity and Adequacy revolutionized the state's education financing system, ensuring more equitable distribution of resources. This visionary approach in the Thornton Commission laid the groundwork for addressing disparities in educational funding, a legacy he continues to support through current initiatives with the Kirwan Commission — the Blueprint for Maryland's Future.
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, passed by the General Assembly in 2021, is a 10-year plan that includes increased education funding to support early childhood education, increased teacher starting pay, college/career-readiness standards for high school graduates, and expanded services to multilingual and impoverished families, among other goals. Please tell us your views on the Blueprint and how it will affect your school district.
I am excited about the generational impact of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future on Prince George’s County Public Schools and will continue to serve as an advocate for the full funding of the Blueprint. This includes a partnership with Strong Schools Maryland & serving on committees with Dr. Alvin Thornton, one of the key developers for Maryland’s Commission on Education Finance, Equity, & Excellence, also known as the Thornton Commission. As we continue to advocate for this crucial funding, Prince George’s County Public Schools must do everything we can to increase our chances of success. The Blueprint will impact our district through targeting hiring/retention, community schools and preparing our scholars for the next step in their journey. Through my work with the chief financial officer and her staff, we aim to improve transparency in tracking “Blueprint dollars.” This will show fiscal responsibility in the proper allocation of funding and highlight the correlation between it and positive gains, indicating the need for these resources. The Blueprint will aim to address hiring and retention concerns by offering a higher starting salary and incentives for educators. I believe this is a great resource as we continue to elevate and improve the full career environment for our educators. Providing them a safe and efficient place to grow their career and educate our scholars. We’ve worked to adjust board policy 1100 and remove outdated provisions that hindered flexibility in implementation of the Blueprint and adjusted the Community Schools Steering Committee to reflect the rich diversity in Prince George’s County Public Schools. The time is now, our children cannot wait for a high quality and world class education.
Some school districts nationwide are placing new limits on the use of cellphones in middle and high schools. What do you think should be the policy on student use of cellphones in your district, and why do you support that policy?
Presently our Policy and Governance Committee has already begun the work to revise Board Policy 5132—Portable Electronic Devices—in the Schools. I believe it is critical to revise and strengthen the Portable Electronic Devices policy to reduce distractions and promote a more focused learning environment. While cellphones can be valuable tools for learning and communication, their misuse can hinder student success. I have encouraged colleagues to prioritize the following actions:
- Implement a clear and enforceable ban on Portable Electronic Devices use during instructional time.
- Educate students and staff about the negative impacts of excessive Portable Electronic Devices, thus encouraging responsible behavior and promoting a healthier learning culture.
- Consider reimaging technology to restrict Portable Electronic Devices use.
- Continue to involve parents and the community in the policy development process. By leveraging student workgroups such as the Student Member of the Board Student Advisory Council and Parent and Community Advisory Council groups, we can ensure that the policy is fair, effective and aligned with the needs of our students and community.
Are you satisfied with your school district's efforts to ensure the safety of its students? What, if anything, should be done to improve school safety in your district?
I am proud of the improvements our district has made, but I believe we can do more. Physical/building safety is a concern across the nation that we cannot afford to ignore. I worked with the administration to provide updated security measures for our most at-risk schools through the Security Enhancement Equipment Rollout Plan impacting our middle and high schools. Mental health support, including counseling, therapy and crisis intervention, to address the emotional and psychological needs of students and educators is critical to the goal of safe schools. I have supported and advocated for the expansion of mental health awareness through budget amendments and recommendations to the administration. To date, Prince George’s County Public Schools has committed to a multi-year $2.9 million+ initiative. Through our Policy and Governance Committee the board aims to strengthen policy 5143 to provide clear anti-bullying policies that define unacceptable behavior and outline procedures addressing incidents of bullying or harassment.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries? If so, what kind of books should be removed, and who should make those decisions?
I believe that while freedom of speech is a fundamental right, it does not extend to content that promotes mental or physical harm. The decision to remove books from school libraries must be approached with careful consideration of the potential impact on students. It is my opinion that books should be removed from school libraries under the determinations reflected in a Prince George’s County Public Schools policy and via a review of an established committee. The decision to remove a book should be made on a case-by-case basis, considering the age and maturity level of the impacted students, the context of the book and the potential harm it may cause. In my opinion books that should be under consideration should include the following context:
- Glorification of hate speech.
- Explicit and graphic sexual content.
- Promotion of violence.
- Provocative behavior.
- Misinformation or historically inaccurate.
Some school districts enact policies allowing transgender and gender nonconforming students to use their preferred pronouns while at the same time not informing those students' parents about that decision. What is your opinion of such policies?
The decision to allow transgender and gender nonconforming students to use their preferred pronouns without informing parents is complex. Schools should prioritize student well-being and create a supportive environment. While open communication with parents is important, addressing student needs should be the primary focus unless there's a risk to their mental or physical health. By collaborating and being sensitive, schools can create a more inclusive learning environment for all students. While the school district's top priority is the educational success of each scholar, policies such as this play an important role in the holistic experience.
