Lisa Hahn

- Political agendas are taking over our schools and our student’s ability to attain a proper education. Less than 40% of 3rd graders are proficient in reading. Less than 30% of Moorhead graduates are college ready. Although college is not for all students, at least 90% of Moorhead students should be either career or college ready upon graduation.

- Parents, teachers and students should be free to speak without being shamed or silenced. We have many different opinions in our community, however, all should be given equal opportunity to share.

- I hope to advance education and unity in our identity as Americans.

Through living and operating in other cultures where life-style, priorities and thought processes are very different from here, I am very accustomed to understanding and problem solving through potential barriers. I have experience teaching English as a second language and working with students who have special needs and mental health challenges. These experiences have led me to understand deeper elements of what appear to be surface level issues. I ask questions to get to the root of the problem, and then work towards sustainable solutions - solutions that address both the heart as well as logistics.

I care most that students receive an education that empowers them in their identity as Americans - not race or gender. As American students, it is important to understand the U.S. Constitution, and history in context to the rest of the world and over time.

Although we should not eliminate the hard parts of history, we also must not use historical tragedies as weapons against people today. Instead, we must learn from those events and students should be able to apply those lessons to their life today, lest we repeat history all over again.

Minnesota Department of Education and the Teachers Union.

Martin Luther King said it perfectly, “they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

I envision students growing together in building character, creativity and critical thinking skills - that they can apply lessons learned to everyday life, in a way that enriches the future by empowering individuals, families and communities - in freedom, truth and integrity.