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The Candidate

Name

Jay Weaver

Age

42

Family

Wife, Jennifer; Children, Graham, Will, Page, Ben

Education

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, graduated 2002 with bachelor degree in political science and American history

Occupation

Executive Director, JP Morgan Chase and Co. Small Business Banking and Credit

In The Community

• Shady Grove PTO Executive Board (2017-Present)

• Shady Grove Parent Advisory Committee (2018-Present)

• Shady Grove School Improvement Team (2019-2021)

• All Pro Dads

• DSC Calendar Committee (2019-2020)

• NC Fusion Soccer Coach (2016-Present)

• YMCA Basketball and Baseball Coach (2015-2019)

• Davie Fastbreak/NC Rise Coach (2019-Present)

• Clemmons United Methodist Church

Why did you decide to seek public office?

Weaver: I decided to run for Davie County Board of Education because I believe a strong public school system is vital to having a thriving community.  In Davie County we are blessed with a great school system.  We currently have no “low performing” schools and last year all schools met or exceeded growth.  This is a statistic of which the entire community should be proud.  My long-term vision is for every student to have such a great experience in our school system that when they decide to plant their roots and start families they choose to remain or come back to Davie County to raise their children.

What do you think are the most significant challenges facing the school system, and how do you intend to address those challenges?

Weaver: The two issues I feel are the most significant challenges facing our school system are educational gaps and behavior issues arising from the pandemic and the nationwide teacher shortage.

We all know the last three years have been challenging for our students, educators, and our community.  I want to focus on providing means to address the challenges that will inevitably result from the difficulties of the last few years.  Next year we will have ninth graders entering Davie High School who have not had a normal school year since the fifth grade.  Our rising third graders will have never had a normal school year.  I will work to find resources for our teachers and students to address these gaps and challenges.

Secondly, It is no secret that we will have a teacher shortage across the entire country over the next few years. We need to do everything we can to make Davie County the most attractive option when recruiting new teachers and staff as well as retaining our current staff.  Our school board and county commissioners have done a great job continuing to advocate and supporting higher pay for teachers, and I will continue to do so; but pay is only a part of supporting teachers.  We need to ensure that our school system has a culture where teachers feel valued, supported, and heard.  I want to work with our teachers and district staff to provide ongoing support and resources the teachers need to provide the best educational experiences to our students.  I feel the best way to understand what our school staff needs is to have open communication among the board, staff, and administration.  Qualified and experienced teachers will have choices of many counties in which to work, and I want Davie County to be the destination of choice.

What is your perspective on critical race theory?  Do you believe there is an issue of Davie teachers promoting American historical events in a biased fashion that distorts the truth? 

Weaver: As I have educated myself on critical race theory, I have come to realize that there are numerous definitions and interpretations of critical race theory.  As we continue to have a discussion on critical race theory I think it is imperative to agree on a common definition.

Over the last couple of months I have spoken with multiple principals, teachers, parents, school board members, and administrators about critical race theory. Unanimously, everyone I have spoken with has stated that critical race theory is not being taught in Davie County Schools. From these discussions, it is my conclusion that teachers in Davie County are teaching to the standards set forth by the State and County. The Davie County School Board issued a statement last summer addressing critical race theory and the teaching standards and philosophies enacted in our county and I firmly support that statement. Fundamentally, I believe and trust our teachers to develop lesson plans and educate in line with the standards approved by the state.

Other Issues

Weaver: I want to take this opportunity to thank the community for the wonderful support I have received throughout my campaign.  I also want to thank all of the teachers, educators, parents, students, and community leaders who support our schools every single day.  In both my personal and professional life I try to be a servant leader. If elected I will bring this mentality to the board.  I hope to continue to improve our schools for all students by listening to the community, showing appreciation to our educators and community, trusting our teachers and school leaders, and continuing to genuinely care about the success of our students and their well-being.