What is your name?

Shana V. White

Tell us more about yourself.

Atlanta native who is principled and purposeful, with a passion for positive and meaningful impact, healthy communities, young people, education and justice for all.

What office are you running for?

Gwinnett County School Board, District 3

What is your party affiliation?

Democrat

Attach a photo of yourself

Attach your resume or CV.

Where did you go to school?

- Dunwoody High School, 1996 - B.S., Exercise Science, Wake Forest University, 2000 - Masters of Physical Education and Sports Leadership, Winthrop University, 2003 - Educational Specialist in Instructional Technology, Kennesaw State University, 2017

Provide the link to your campaign website.

wwww.shanavwhiteforgcps.com

What is your job/occupation?

Director of computer science education initiatives at Kapor Foundation

What city/neighborhood do you live in?

Duluth

Is this your first time running for office?

Yes

What experiences have best prepared you to hold elected office?

I have over 15 years of experience working in K-12 education as a classroom teacher and over a decade of experience teaching in Gwinnett County Public Schools. I currently work in an education-adjacent role for a national philanthropic organization, so my extensive experience in K-12 schools and expertise on the operational side of K-12 education make me uniquely qualified for a position on the Gwinnett County School Board.

What is the most critical issue currently facing your district and how would you address it?

One of the biggest issues facing Gwinnett County as well as districts nationwide, is teacher satisfaction and retention. If elected to the board, would help to craft policy to provide all educators with the support, time, and resources to meet the variety of needs Gwinnett County students have. These policies include duty-free and meeting-free planning time, collaborative planning time with teachers, improved compensation, mental health resources, access to comprehensive and research-based instructional and pedagogical resources and coaching, and more teacher autonomy in their classroom spaces with ample support from school administrators.

What are your thoughts on the role of public schools in educating students about potentially controversial topics?

What’s something the district isn’t doing now that you think it should do?

I would like to see Gwinnett County Schools improve upon its public transparency of decisions made by the district leadership as well as more accountability and clear rationale related to the implementation of programming and policies district-wide.

What would you suggest so your school board can work better together?

Interrogate and analyze all board decisions through the following lens: are we collectively centering and amplifying the needs, well-being, and success of all students?

What do you think about a parental requirement to “opt in” if they want their child to receive sex education?

As a former classroom health teacher, I believe parents should have the ability to choose what is best for their child as it relates to learning sex education. I believe in the importance of students' learning all aspects of health, which includes sex education, which should be made available to all students in schools.