With the fall elections right around the corner, Texas weather won’t be the only thing turning tides in Round Rock. Since the beginning of 2020, RRISD Board of Trustees candidates have been preparing themselves for the election this coming Tuesday, Nov. 3. Four out of seven of the places within the Board of Trustees will be re-elected as their four-year term comes to a close. 

Running for the Place 2 position on the board are three candidates: Engineering professor Mary Bone, attorney Lacey Mase, and Cornell Woolridge; national recruiting officer for the Princeton Review. This is Mr. Woolridge’s second run since 2008, and he has his priorities ‘set straight’ for a bright future for all students in Round Rock. If elected, he’s determined to make sure every part of the district is fairly supported. 

“Being somebody who really values and holds equity at a high priority, what I think is really important is for the district to look at all of the different areas that are key for students’ support and education and look at the students,” Mr. Woolridge said. “It’s taking a step back and saying ‘which students and communities are not serving well enough?’ and making sure that all students are being served to the best of their abilities.”

Another one of Mr. Woolridge’s top priorities is getting schools on a path that’s not exclusive to just learning about the basics of working a 9-5 job. He believes that students may be prepared for the narrow path that school has prepared for them, but not the real world and the challenges that await. Mr. Woolridge hopes that the district will take more initiative to better prepare their students for the real world, so they won’t be as set back when they do come face to face with obstacles. 

“I would really like to work towards getting the district to develop 21st-century learners as opposed to 21st-century employees. We need to help students develop so that they are more of a whole person and not just an employee,” Mr. Woolridge said. “If we did more to give students a chance to learn and figure out other parts of life that really matter to them outside of just working, I think that whenever life throws different things at students, they’ll be more equipped to handle them.”

Mr. Woolridge believes his experience with mentoring students of a variety of stature and ages through his work with the Princeton Review has given him an introspect into what students struggle with the most. He believes that marginalized students need more support, but in a way that does not take away from those who are already being supported and excelling. According to Mr. Woolridge, working on the district’s system of equity could benefit students as well as teachers, who can’t make the change alone. 

“I’ve had the experience of being able to work with both marginalized and excelling communities so I can understand both parties’ situation,” Mr. Woolridge said. “Understanding how to get the most out of those communities who are marginalized while also supporting those who are doing well and wanting to continue doing well and really having that experience of bringing them together is what will lead to growth.”

Along with wanting to help reach educational equity, Mr. Woolridge’s campaign is also determined to reach equity in Round Rock’s disciplinary department. Mr. Wooldridge has seen issues in how the disciplinary committee handles suspensions, as well as the inequitable qualities of the committee going against marginalized groups in this fashion. According to Mr. Woolridge, the district should focus more on looking for solutions and going more into dissecting the problem instead of heading straight to penalization.

“Something that really matters to me is our inequitable disciplinary policy and actions as a district. If you look at the numbers of students who face disciplinary action and those who face even suspension, the results are not equitable,” Mr. Wooldridge said. “If you look at the groups who are not doing well in the district, those same groups are the ones facing the most inequitable disciplinary action in the district. For me, it’s really important for the district to put these two factors together and try to take action about it.”

While the other two candidates, Ms. Bone and Ms. Mase, look towards providing the right resources for the district, Mr. Woolridge’s campaign strives to make sure everyone is being equally supported and prioritizes students’ mental health during these tough times. The Woolridge campaign looks to provide students with a future that’s within reach and that they’re comfortable going into.