Bristol-Warren Election Profile: William O'Dell

BRISTOL-WARREN, RI — William O'Dell is running for a seat on the non-partisan regional school committee. The 66-yeard-old letter carrier previously served on the committee from 1998 to 2018.

O'Dell lives in Bristol with his wife, Wendy, has two sons in their early 30s and is a graduate of Rogers High School in Newport.

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Why are you seeking elective office?

I care a great deal about a well run local school district and offer 20 years of experience on the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee to see that the job gets done correctly.

What do you believe should be done to contain the coronavirus pandemic, and what would you do to lessen its economic impacts?

The context of my answer has to be in regards to public schools since I am seeking election to a local school board. There is a hidden economic impact to parents who face challenges when schools are closed. There is also potential future impact as a result of children receiving a substandard education as a result of over dependence on remote learning. We have made great gains in making schools safer from gun violence. We did this without having to close schools. We can have the same success with Covid-19. I don't think a "hide in your house" approach is going to foster excellence in education in the long term. We need to help guide decision makers to come up with brilliant solutions, not just solutions to get us through the crisis by the skin of our teeth.

Do you believe systemic racism is a problem in America generally and Rhode Island specifically, and if so, what would you do to combat it?

First, I would encourage one and all to start listening to as many speeches by Martin Luther King Jr. as you can get your hand on. Then watch as many interviews as you can. They are easy to find. We need to start thinking together. Listening to a brilliant, well-thought-out person is a great place to start. As someone who grew up in the '60's and thought most of these problems were solved, it is disheartening to realize there is much ground that has to be regained. As Dr. King put it; what good is it to be integrated into a burning house. It's easy to misunderstand people you don't know. Honest, face to face dialogue doesn't have to be a scary thing if the end desire is an enriched human experience. To miss quote a line from Jerry McGuire "we complete each other".

Should the words "Providence Plantations" be removed from the state's name?

Yes

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

I am the only Bristol School Committee candidate in the field with 20 years experience, including eight years as treasurer plus being the only candidate who has actually lived through a teachers strike; working with both labor and management using the team approach to identify issues and foster mutual cooperation. That approach lead to the realization of the positive impact of giving teachers and administrators ownership of their positions.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

There is a general lack of wisdom in publicly criticizing the very board I hope to be working with in the future. Every school board experiences difficulty and the "personality" of every school board changes with each election. There's a right way and a wrong way to go about doing business. I have talked with several people who question the approach being taken by the present school board. I look forward to using my experience to help the board establish a best practice policy. Communication and mutual respect encompassing a unified agenda is the key to moving a school district forward.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Here's the best quote from Fred Rogers of "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood" — "The most important thing we as providers must provide for our children is their childhood". Education is part of that childhood, and we must never lose sight of our sacred responsibility; a responsibility that goes beyond the mere transfer of information from one person to another.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have a twenty year voting record that is open to public review. It is truly a repugnant idea that I would boast about "my" accomplishments. Rather, I have had the good pleasure to work with talented and knowledgeable people. We all, together, have a shared list of accomplishments, including a successful building referendum bringing our school buildings into the twenty-first century. The Bristol Warren district has been innovative to the point where educators have come from other parts of the country to see what we are doing. My best accomplishments can be found in the accomplishments of others. Hire the best, give them direction, then get out of their way and let them do their job. I suppose that would be my greatest accomplishment; knowing the formula that brings the greatest result.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

In everything you do, be kind.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

The only thing left to say is it would be a humbling honor to be granted the privilege of serving the community once again.