Meet Howard County Education Board Candidate: Antonia Watts

ELKRIDGE, MD — When voters cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 elections, they will be asked to select individuals to serve on the Howard County's board of education.

Patch asked each candidate to answer questions to help provide voters with information about who they are and their stances on various issues. We are printing their responses in full, unedited except for spelling or punctuation. Below are the responses from candidate Antonia Watts.

Age (as of Election Day)

39

Town/City of Residence

Elkridge

Office Sought

County School Board

If you are a congressional candidate, please indicate for which district (District 1, District 3, etc.)

District 2

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Married with 2 children ages 6 and 3.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Yes

Education

BS Mechanical Engineering University of Delaware
MS Bioengineering University of California Berkeley
MA Secondary Education University of Michigan

Occupation

Private tutor/ESL teacher 10+ years of experience

Campaign website

www.antoniawatts.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing our school is the opportunity gap. Therefore, It is critical that we develop a system where every child has access to an education that fits their needs. Students from traditionally disadvantaged backgrounds have fewer educational opportunities compared to their peers. Without these opportunities, the achievement gap will continue to grow. We need to close these gaps to achieve better outcomes for our children, especially for the traditionally underserved like my two sons. Sadly, this gap starts even before kindergarten. Children without access to early education may enter school up to two academic years behind their peers and may never catch up. I will work to expand the number of high quality and affordable pre-K programs in our schools.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My opponent recently suspended his campaign. However, my experience as engineer in data analysis, as a classroom educator and as a member of the board of trustees for the library make me uniquely qualified for this position. Additionally, I am committed to public education and public service.