Candidate Profile: Sebastien Ostertag For P-CCS Schools

Sebastien Ostertag, a Plymouth resident is running for Plymouth-Canton Community Schools.

Age: 20
Party affiliation: N/A
Family:Both parents are in education. My mother is a French teacher in another district and my father is an assistant principal in the DPS school system.
Occupation:I am in my second year of college at Schoolcraft. I have held different jobs, most notably for almost 2 years I worked at Taco Bell.
Previous elected experience:Non
Family members in government:No
Campaign website: https://sebastienostertag0.wixsite.com/mysite

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
When it comes to education I would say that supporting students and teaching them correctly is top priority and is something that is really important. I grew up in the district and I still have friends and even family here. I know what students face and I want to support them. I have seen, and in some cases dealt with problems such as mental illness, teen pregnancy, alcoholism, threat of gun violence, etc. We need to meet with students when it comes to mental illness and mental health. We need to support teens dealing with pregnancy by providing life affirming information about crisis pregnancy centers, the Safe Delivery of Newborns law, and pro life charities. For safety we need armed and trained resource officers who will be there to protect students and teachers from the dangers of shootings. We need to provide a safe place for students to come forth about drug abuse, sexual harassment, and alcoholism. We also need to keep political ideology out of policies and curriculum.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I am the candidate with the most experience being a student and understanding students. I have 13 years of experience being a student in the district and I have the connections that are needed in the student body. The current board of education isn't representing the students. I know what needs to be done and I want to actually reach out to the students, parents, and teachers. I am also running as an independent, non-partisan, and bi-partisan candidate. Other people in this race are being funded by political parties and are extreme ideologically. My friend and fellow candidate Sheryl Piccard and I were excluded from a forum for the candidates because we weren't ideological enough. I don't want political parties to control the school board. We need people who are not owned by those groups.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I have been involved in the community for many years now. I was a group leader in the children's ministry at my church. I was one of the founding members and the secretary of the Plymouth Right to Life affiliate. I was on the Sexual Education Advisory Committee for about a year and a half while I was still a student. I worked for the school newspaper and ended up involved in local politics and debates. With my church's high school ministry I went twice to Haiti for mission trips.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
I have a friend named Jacob who started a company when he was a senior. He is an example of the American dream and I believe that small businesses like his are crucial because they are responsible for about 80 percent of the jobs in the United States. The government should give vouchers and tax breaks to local companies that are going down. Giving stimulus checks to companies has worked in the past during the Great Recession and I'm glad that it is still being done today to help us rebuild.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
I am a Christian. I believe that all people are made in the image of God and are loved by God. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only beloved Son. That whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life" John 3:16. I believe what Martin Luther King Jr stood for; that we should be judged by our character and not our skin tone. Racism is a problem and we need to teach students about how all people are created equal with certain inalienable rights. I am against putting identity politics into curriculum since that just divides us even more.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
I am running on a pro life platform. I want to support students who do end up pregnant with life affirming information, since most people who do choose to have an abortion don't want to. They just feel like they have no way out and no help.
I am also against putting sexuality and gender theory into the curriculum and policies. Parents should teach their kids about those issues and the district shouldn't be pushing ideology.
I also want to support teachers since they have been supporting me for years and years. I have so many great memories because of them and I know that they need help and support during the Covid crisis, as well as after since many of them haven't gotten their pay raise that they worked hard for since the Great Recession.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I am against any more privatization in the district. I remember when many great members of the janitorial staff were fired and replaced. Their replacements have not been effective and teachers can tell you all about how their classrooms are dirty because the older school board decided to cut the budget. I am interested in going back to having district janitorial staff who are a part of our school community.