HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – A Public Health Nurse and lifelong resident of the Hi-Line, Jessica Kennedy-Stiffarm says she could bring a unique perspective to the Havre School Board of Trustees.
As an indigenous woman and mother of three children in the District, Kennedy-Stiffarm contends that her life experience would provide the Board with an important viewpoint.
“Working in public health for nine years, I have a knowledge of public health, knowledge of community health. Working on boards, having a professional background, being able to see another persons opinion before I make my own decision. Just being committed to the community. Being able to collaborate.”
Kennedy-Stiffarm says one of her main priorities is to ensure educational equity in the District, which she says is different from educational equality.
“It’s important to understand what the differences mean. Equality means everyone should get the same amount. But the problem with that is not everyone is starting from the same place. So if we’re all getting the same amount but you started out back there and I started out over here, we should get the same amount but you’re going to be that far back behind me. So for example, this past year when we went completely online, did every family start from the same place? Probably not. The District tried to distribute devices, but not every child started from the same place. Did the child know how to use the device, did the child have the support at home? Were there several children sharing one device? Did the child or children thrive at home online completely? I know some children did, and some children didn’t. Were there technical difficulties that were just not addressed because we weren’t able to address those issues. So i’s basically about giving people the resources and support they need so that everyone can be on equal footing and compete on equal footing. So equitable treatment means we all end up at the same place.”
Kennedy-Stiffarm is set to graduate with a masters degree in Public Health from the University of Montana this summer and has already received a bachelors in nursing from MSU-Northern.
