Our public schools need real leadership from their school boards. Focused leadership. Most importantly, they need adults who are willing to make decisions based on what works — not what’s easy, comfortable, or politically safe.

We owe it to our students to stop pretending we can do everything and start focusing on what matters.

Instructional time is sacred. Protect it. Preserve it.

The most valuable resource our students have is time. And we’re wasting it.

Classroom hours are being interrupted by partial-days and distractions that replace real, effective, core instruction. School days are bargaining chips, and we have gambled them away like they don’t matter. They do. Time on task is one of the simplest, highest-return strategies in education. We must protect school days and preserve instructional continuity.

Simplify. Focus. Make the difficult decisions without delay.

Too many programs linger because they’re familiar — not because they’re effective. We need the courage to walk away from what’s failing our students, even if it’s politically difficult or emotionally uncomfortable.

Use data. Demand results. Make the hard call. That’s what leadership looks like.

Measure what matters 

Recent culture has vilified legitimate testing. That’s a mistake. No, we shouldn’t “teach to the test”. But if we can’t evaluate teacher performance, curriculum effectiveness, and student mastery, we are stumbling in the dark. Testing isn’t the problem—it’s how we use it. The goal isn’t to punish or label; it’s to measure and know. To improve. To grow.

Career readiness and options for future 

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is not a “fallback plan.” It’s a launchpad. CTE gives students options, self-worth, employable skills, and a reason to stay engaged. It’s one of the best tools we have to improve graduation rates and prepare students for a rapidly changing economy. We must protect and expand it.

Technology is a tool, not a teacher 

We’ve leaned too heavily on screens and digital platforms. It’s time for a change. Technology has its place — but our students don’t need more device time. They need more human connection.

We must help our children reconnect — with their teachers, their classmates, and the real-world skills that prepare them for life.

It’s about priorities 

Every decision made on this board should pass one test:

Does it help our students learn more, graduate stronger, and walk into the world more prepared than they were yesterday?

If the answer is no, we don’t do it. That’s the standard. No more distractions. No more sidestepping tough choices. It’s time to put students first—every student, every time.

— Eric Lea is a member of the Redmond School Board. He is running for re-election to Position #1 on the board.