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Joplin school-board candidates emphasize teacher support, discipline and preschool expansion at forum
Summary
At a KGCSTV–MSSU forum ahead of the April 8 election, four candidates for two Joplin School Board seats urged measures to retain teachers, address student behavior and expand preschool; they differed on discipline tactics and cell-phone bans while uniformly backing early-childhood growth.
At a March candidate forum hosted by Lisa Allegas, four people seeking two seats on the Joplin School Board outlined priorities including teacher retention, student discipline, preschool expansion and how the district should handle artificial intelligence and cell phones in classrooms.
The candidates — incumbent board member David Weaver; former district educator Lauren Musser; former two-term board member Derek Gander; and business owner Thomas Ross — agreed on several broad goals but proposed different approaches. Weaver stressed discipline policies and support for teachers, Musser emphasized building school culture and supports, Gander focused on keeping students in class with more in-class support, and Ross framed many issues around parental involvement and reducing distractions.
Why it matters: The forum came ahead of an April 8 election for two seats on the board. Candidates’ positions on staffing, behavior policy and preschool expansion would affect classroom routines, budgets and services for early-childhood learners if implemented.
Teacher recruitment and retention topped the discussion. Musser called retention a “crisis” and urged creating “high-quality work environments” and giving teachers training, resources and scheduling that protects planning time. Weaver said respect and support for teachers — and better classroom-discipline structures — are central, adding that Joplin’s regional salaries are competitive. Gander said pay and respect matter but emphasized visible board engagement and support for teachers.
On substitute and special-education staffing, candidates offered practical fixes: Musser suggested a permanent building substitute for consistent coverage and recommended paying substitutes a living wage; several candidates proposed hiring more paraprofessionals and support staff for special-education classrooms to reduce teacher overload.
Student behavior and discipline drew a clear divide. Weaver said when a student disrupts learning, “get them out of there” to allow teachers to teach; Gander rejected sending students home, arguing they should remain in class with additional adult support. Musser and Ross emphasized parent partnerships, more counselors and relationships that connect students to staff as tools to prevent recurring disruptions.
Cell-phone rules prompted strong views. Gander and Ross voiced support for an all-day ban to curb distraction; Weaver and Musser favored limiting phone use during instructional time while allowing devices when they support learning or accessibility.
All four candidates backed expanding early-childhood seats after the district reported enrollment growth from about 157 children in 2022 to roughly 417 in 2025 and a resulting wait list. Weaver described district planning and architect reviews to add rooms but noted funding and brick-and-mortar costs as constraints; others stressed hiring and logistics.
On artificial intelligence, Gander called AI “cheating” and said penalties should be enforced; Weaver urged a balanced approach that teaches AI skills for the workforce while protecting academic integrity, noting detection and proof of misuse are difficult. Musser and Ross said AI is a tool that requires thoughtful classroom limits and monitoring.
When asked about potential changes at the federal level, including proposals to shift Department of Education responsibilities to states, candidates expressed preference for local control but worried about possible reductions in federal funding for Title I and special-education services and said they would watch changes closely.
Audience questions covered how to measure school success beyond single high-stakes tests; candidates suggested more frequent formative assessments, local-industry input on readiness and a broader set of performance indicators.
On taxes and funding, candidates generally rejected immediate property-tax increases: Weaver called tax increases a last resort and noted recent no-debt projects and reserves; Gander and Ross said they would avoid new taxes and look first for efficiencies.
The forum concluded with reminders about KGCSTV rebroadcasts and the April 8 election. "Don't forget to exercise your right to vote April 8," the host said.
Next step: Voters will decide the two seats on April 8; the forum underscored contrasts on discipline and operational strategies even where candidates agreed on goals such as expanding early childhood offerings.
