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January 9-15, 2004 • Vol. 13 No. 2 • www.madtimes.com • Free

Winston Jr. declares for school board race

Leaving no student behind

by Jonathan Gramling



	Johnny Winston Jr. (l), his wife Dr. Angela Byars-Winston, and their daughter Jasmine

Johnny Winston Jr., who declared his candidacy for Seat 4 on the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) board on January 3, has been around the issues facing Madison's schools for his whole life. He is the third of four generations who have attended Madison public schools. "We've been talking about the same thing since my grandmother was going to school here," Winston said in an interview with The Madison Times. "That was a while ago. Unfortunately, we have yet to be able to solve these issues."

Winston has also seen the issues that many "at-risk" students face from the inside out of the district. He's been a parent/community liaison at West High School, worked with the Neighborhood Intervention Project, and was the center director for the Vera Court Neighborhood Center.

"I've been thinking about this for a long time," Winston said. "I went back to school and got my educational credentials. So now, I'm looking for another challenge in life and this is it. I had thought about running for some sort of public office when I was working at Vera Court and working in other youth programs. I know there are some people who don't know what is going on out here in these programs, working with kids, children, youth and families. Yet, they are the ones making the decisions. I think many of those folks never experienced what other people experience in challenged neighborhoods and the programs."

While Winston looks at keeping these kids in school and out of jail as a high priority, he also understands the bigger role he would play as a school board member. "I am not the 'Black candidate,' although I am Black," Winston said. "I'm not just the school board representative for the Black kids. I'm the school board representative for the Black children, the White children, the Hispanic children, the Asian children, the Native American children, and all of the children in between."

The school board may be facing a $9 million revenue gap in order to keep school programming the same as it is in the current school year. While Winston feels the state-imposed spending caps have hurt the district, he also feels the district needs to make wise choices. "The spending caps are crippling our school district," Winston said. "But they aren't just doing it to us. They're doing it to schools all over the state. Education is an investment. People need to know their investment is being spent wisely and there is a return on that investment. However, at the end of the day, we have to roll up our sleeves and go to work."

Winston is highly supportive of building a new Wexford Ridge center on the grounds of the Jefferson/Memorial campus. And he is also highly supportive of Nuestro Mundo. "I think it is a fabulous concept and program," Winston said. "It's needed. They probably should have thought of it ten years ago. I definitely support the project and it looks like it is going to become a reality, one way or another. It may not look like the original design. But we have to take baby steps and we have to grow. Hopefully, at the end of the day, it will be something that has grown into the vision the founders want it to be."

Winston believes there are three essential ingredients to student achievement. "Number one is to encourage parental involvement," Winston said. " We need them to be involved, not just in times of crisis, but also to develop good relationships with the teachers. Number two, strengthen and or develop partnerships with our local universities, our business community, and programs working with youth. The bottom line is that we are all in this together. Learning does not stop after school. We have some great after school programs. We have some great neighborhood centers that are doing great work. We have some great social service agencies that are doing some really good things with our youth. We want to be able to support that. Third, we have to listen to our teachers among the many people we need to listen to. They are the front line working with youth. I believe they hold a lot of the answers to a lot of the questions we have."

While he understands the special issues students of color face, Winston is also keen on individual responsibility. "When I was at West High School, I was surrounded by other people who wanted to achieve," Winston said. "Picking your friends is a good thing. We have to show young people there's a certain way we conduct ourselves in school and when we have issues or challenges or problems, you go to this person. You don't take it upon yourself."

For many students, particularly students of color, obtaining their high school diploma is their only chance to succeed in life. Winston is acutely aware of that, having recently received his master's degree from Cardinal Stritch College. As Winston continuously emphasizes, "The bottom line is we have to get kids across that stage."

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