Longtime teacher wants to be the voice of her fellow instructors in District 2

Transferring from one school to another as a child because of her family's frequent moves, Sharon Jefferson, a candidate for the District 2 school board seat and a history teacher at W. D. Sugg Middle School, has had a close look at a lot of School District of Manatee County schools.

She attended four elementary schools — Blackburn, James Tillman, Palmetto and Palm View — and two middle schools in Lincoln Memorial and Martha B. King before graduating from Palmetto High School in 1990.

She not only is "home grown" in terms of the school district, but she has seen many of the districts' strengths and weaknesses first hand through attending those seven schools.

In 1999, she began her 27-year teaching career within the School District of Manatee County.

“It's wonderful to hear my students come back and say, ‘You didn't just teach us about history, you taught us about life,’” Jefferson said. 

While looking at many of those students during her teaching career, she wishes she could have done more for them. Unfortunately, she felt that teachers' recommendations didn't carry as much emphasis as she would have liked.

Even today, she said teachers' opinions aren't heard enough by board members.

“When we don't speak out, we're doing a disservice to our families and the children that we serve,” Jefferson said.

She wants to be that board member who represents the teachers' opinions.

“Who's going to speak out for that teacher?" she said. "Who's going to come and fight for them? I'm fighting for education that I've given my life to and that I love so very deeply.”

Becoming a school board member would give her the opportunity to help not just the students in her classroom and school, but across the county. She has three children — Tyra and Troy who graduated from Lakewood Ranch High School in 2013 and 2020, respectively, and Tyrese who graduated from Braden River High School in 2021.

Jefferson is not only a seasoned educator and a parent, but she is also the founder of two nonprofit organizations that directly impact the lives of marginalized and under-resourced communities of students. Those nonprofits are Recess Education, Inc. and Freedom Leadership Academy.

Recess Education offers a variety of resources to students in need including free tutoring, summer programs, books and school supplies, food, clothing and more. Freedom Leadership Academy works to provide the opportunity to learn in a nontraditional format including a virtual learning environment for students K-12 along with a high school diploma program.

Through these programs, Jefferson said she has connected with various families, specifically in District 2, and knows what sort of problems need to be addressed. 

“I know what works because I have been a part of the solution,” Jefferson said. 

Teacher shortage and turnover is a big issue in Jefferson’s mind, especially in regard to Title I schools. Jefferson said a lot of Title I students are dealing with issues relating to trauma and poverty that have a great impact on the way in which they learn.

“Our kids have specific needs that need to be addressed and it could be overwhelming for some people if they're not prepared for it,” Jefferson said. 

Jefferson said she wants to bring back a “Title I bootcamp” for teachers to be prepared to handle anything.

“When you have a younger teacher who doesn't have a clue about what (the students) want or what's going on — they have a big heart, they're anxious, they're ready to go — but they don't have the tools and the support to be able to be as effective.” 

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Jefferson said while academics are extremely important, they should not be the only focus. She said social emotional needs need to be addressed. She said that starts with strengthening partnerships with preschools and childcare providers before the students even enter school.

She also hopes to work toward hiring more guidance counselors and social workers to help, but she knows money could be an issue there.

“We start seeing some behavior problems, self-esteem issues and a lack of confidence early in their lives,” Jefferson said. “That can impede them from being able to perform.”

Jefferson said there is work to be done in terms of discipline in schools.

“According to the Florida Department of Education, we have disproportionate discipline among black and brown students,” Jefferson said. “These students are often sent to alternative programs and in the worst case scenario, they're referred to law enforcement.” 

Jefferson said suspensions, expulsions and reassignments don’t work in the long run. When students have learning interruptions, they fall behind as they have not been receiving the same level of education and support as their peers. She wants to bring back restorative practices that focus on restoring relationships instead of the punitive side of discipline. 

Jefferson said when the student who was disciplined returns, limited communication tends to happen, whether it be between the students involved, the parents, or the teachers.

“We need to make sure children have an opportunity to learn accountability, so that we won't continue to follow through the same cycle over and over again,” Jefferson said. “We need to touch them emotionally and let them understand the effects of their behaviors and how it harms other people. It is a process of communication that occurs when people are able to be honest, open and reflective.”

Jefferson also wants to implement town halls and has no problem calling up churches to host such events.

“My goal will be to make sure that we resolve our conflicts, make sure that everyone is heard, and that we resolve and solve problems,” Jefferson said. “I definitely want to be able to validate their concerns, but the focus has to be on the solutions.”