Five questions with Santa Rosa District School Board candidate Oscar Locklin

Early voting is underway in Santa Rosa County and will continue until Nov. 2, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Below are Oscar Locklin’s answers to our questionnaire:

SRPG: Remind voters about your platform and your main focuses if elected to the school board.

I am a concerned father of four daughters in Santa Rosa public schools with deep roots in Santa Rosa County. I am a conservative who believes all issues must be addressed from the perspective of the classroom. Students come first. My focuses are to 1) maintain conservative, family values: My daughters will never share a bathroom with boys! 2) transparency: discuss and decide issues on the dais; and 3) teacher support in pay and student discipline.

SRPG: If approved, Amendment 1 would make school board races, like this one, a partisan election in the future. What are your thoughts on that?

Vote Yes on Amendment 1. Political issues are being pushed into our schools from Washington D.C., such as the April 2024 Title 9 Regulations mandating the liberals’ radical gender ideology. We need to know with whom our school board members stand on their political philosophy. There is only one reason any politician in Santa Rosa County would like to hide their party affiliation.

SRPG: Would you like to see metal detectors? And, are there other security measures you’d like to see added to our schools?

Every school shooting is a tragedy, and the guilty must be punished. I am not in favor of making our public schools look and feel like a prison. We need to a) connect with troubled students, b) hold bullies accountable; c) promote the current Guardian program; and d) expand the Guardian program to include teachers who want to participate. The potential presence of protective firearms will be a deterrent.

SRPG: How do you measure success for our school district, and which metrics will you emphasize when considering whether progress is being made?

Success is measured by how well our young people are prepared for the next step in real life. Students who will pursue university, community college, or starting a career all have different needs. We must allow every student to focus their path toward the next step in life. For many students, more dual enrollment opportunities will be a tremendous benefit.

SRPG: How can the school district effectively teach students about the benefits and challenges of emerging technologies, like AI, while ensuring they develop critical thinking skills and don’t rely solely on their phones for answers?

I see young people with well developed technology skills, but sometimes lagging critical thinking or life skills. The focus should be on ethics, morals, critical thinking and interpersonal skills. When we teach ethics and morals, young people will have the compass to navigate the challenges of AI. The district can provide technical skills through specialized classes, and many young people pick up technology much quicker than their parents and grandparents.