Stephen Gorham for Hillsborough County School Board

Name:	Stephen Gorham for Hillsborough County School Board
Office:	Hillsborough County School Board County Wide
Website:	stephengorham.com

Background:

My family and I moved to the South Lakeland/Plant City area when I was 8. Upon graduating from High School, I enlisted into the Florida Army National Guard. While serving as a reservist in Tallahassee, I attended Florida State University.

In 1999 I left College and enlisted full time in the US Navy. While serving in the Navy I earned both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. During this time I also married my wife Rebecca. We have been blessed by the birth of our two daughters Sky and Savannah.

After the events of September 11th I immediately volunteered to deploy to the Middle East. Upon my return my family and I were relocated to the Mediterranean where I had another opportunity to serve by supporting Operations Iraqi and Enduring freedom concurrently.

Upon separation from the Navy, my family and I returned home. Currently I am the Director of Networking and Telecommunications and Chief Information Security Officer for Hillsborough Community College. My wife, Rebecca, is a 6th grade teacher and we are members of St. Clements Catholic Church.

I am a member of the Hillsborough County School Board Citizens Advisory Committee. I am also a member of the Florida Army National Guard and Plant City Fire Rescue Reserve. I am proud to claim membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars and am an avid hunter and fisherman

Goals:

As a Veteran who deployed to the Middle-East two weeks after September 11th, and as a volunteer firefighter, I take service very seriously. I am a product of the public school and state University system. My wife is a sixth grade teacher and our oldest daughter will enter kindergarten this fall. I am fully invested in ensuring that all children in Hillsborough County get the absolute best education possible.

With the challenges that our school system faces, I believe we need new leaders with fresh ideas to handle the increasing demands on the district, our teachers and especially our children. We need leaders who will challenge the status quo and not just act as a rubber stamp for the administration. That is why I am running for the Hillsborough County School Board (District 7 – county-wide), and I humbly ask for your support and your vote this August 26th.

Issues:

Student Achievement- The current School Board has forgotten that not every student is college bound. We must make certain that our college bound students receive the tools necessary to be successful, but we also must provide a parallel toolkit for our kids who may not be going to college right away, or at all. For those students not headed to higher education, we need to ensure that these students have the skills necessary to compete for a good paying trade, technical, or vocational job within our community. We must realize that when our students go to college and are stuck in remedial courses or when the best our non-college bound students can hope for is a minimum wage job, we have failed, as a School Board and as a community. We can, and we must prepare our children for a better tomorrow.

Safety and Security- Across the district, teachers, parents and students are forced to contend with outdated security technology and inconsistent security practices that leave our schools vulnerable. The current School Board has shown that the safety and security of our children is not a priority. I am a qualified security expert with a deep understanding of effective safety and security practices, technologies, and applicable federal and state laws. Safety and security must be a priority, and I will work to make this happen.

Fiscal Responsibility- I have maintained budgets throughout my career and I currently maintain a $2.5 million dollar annual budget. I am very familiar with State of Florida purchasing guidelines and subscribe to a competitive bid and/or quote philosophy whenever applicable. Most of our current Board members lack “real world” budget and purchasing experience and are a rubber stamp for an administration who spends with reckless abandon. I will challenge current spending practices and be a true steward of the taxpayer’s money.

Communication- I believe that consistent and effective communication is the key to a good School District. The current Board does not subscribe to this philosophy. Instead, Board members follow the lead of an administration which has completely lost touch with the wants and needs of our community and the employees they serve. As a result, decisions are made without proper dialogue with the effected parties. Recent examples which highlight the breakdown of communication are the Good Friday fiasco, Springboard, school boundary changes, and this year’s High School schedule change. I will work to improve communication and restore the voice of the community.

Grassroots Support:

Grassroots has and will continue to play a huge role in our success. I am running in Hillsborough County Florida. The seat is a county-wide seat. Hillsborough County has close to 700,000 registered voters and has many rural areas.

By utilizing proven grassroot techniques of canvassing, house parties, and sign waving we our taking our message to the people one neighborhood and precinct at a time, winning over hearts and minds at door steps, and funding a campaign on small donor contributions.

As August grows closer we will need grassroots more then ever to ensure that our message continues to get out and our donations continue to rise. I truly believe that on Election Day when folks are in the booth they will remember the campaign that sought them out personally not through just a TV commercial or paper ad.

DFA Values:

I believe that all people are created equal and deserve equal protection under the law. I believe that every child is entitled to a quality education that will prepare them for a successful future.

I belive that we have an obligation to invest in our children's future and to ensure that they receive a high quality education in a safe and secure environment.

I believe it is the Government's duty to tax appropriately and fairly in order to promote a society of responsible corporate and private citizens working together for the common good. I believe that tax dollars should be spent in the most efficent manner possible and that all constitutional officers should be true stewards of the taxpayers money.