Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of interviews for contested Sequim elections in the Nov. 7 General Election. This week it’s incumbent Larry Jeffryes and challenger John Graham running for Sequim School Board Director District 1, a non-partisan, four-year term. Jeffryes has served since 2019. Each candidate was asked the same questions as their opponent via email.

• What’s your personal and professional background?

Graham — Professional: Park ranger/manager since 1996 for Washington State Parks and Clallam County Parks. Personal: Volunteer firefighter 1997-2001, mentor for after school drop in center and EDGE educator, Church youth group leader/volunteer.

Jeffryes — I grew up in Iowa, Illinois, and Colorado, have been married for 54 years, and have two grown daughters. I graduated from high school in 1965. I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree (1969) in secondary science education, a Master’s Degree (1974) in biology and exercise physiology, and an Educational Specialist Degree (1996) in secondary math and science.

I spent 35 years teaching middle school and high school science, biology and chemistry in Colorado and New Mexico. I coached track and cross country for more than 20 years.Ii worked as a certified health and safety training specialist for 10 years training workers and fire department personnel in radiation safety.

My wife and I moved to Sequim in 2013 where I got involved with the Sequim School District during the 2014 school bond campaign. I began attending board meetings, became a member of two Strategic Planning Committees (2018, 2023). I served as a member of the district’s Community Truancy Board. I now serve on Sequim Education Foundation Board of Directors. In 2019 I was appointed to fill a vacant position on the Sequim School Board and then elected to that position for a four-year term in 2019.

• How has your career and personal life prepared you for a role on the school board?

Graham — I was raised by parents with good morals and common sense. They were always there with good advice and love. They truly cared about me and my future. My wife and I have raised our two girls by those same standards. We are blessed that they both have married good men who actually have ambition. This is because we instilled in them those same ideals. While we were raising our family I have been working in the law enforcement/customer service field. I have seen many different styles of families and have seen what works and what doesn’t.

Jeffryes — With 50 years in education, I feel prepared to contribute, to better understand and support educational excellence outcomes for all our students. I realize that I have to continually learn to better serve the school board, staff, and students of Sequim.

• What prompted you to run?

Graham — I feel the schools today are telling our kids what to think instead of how to think. They have forsaken the fundamentals like writing, even cursive. Reading; they tell them to read certain books which can groom them to think the way the schools want them to think instead of how things used to be before the Marxist “Common Core” was implemented. They used to read the classics . They are taught about sex now as early as kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. WHY? What does any of that have to do with EDUCATION? It needs to STOP! We don’t need to sexualize our kids. What good can come from that? School should be all about learning how to read, write, math and history. Electives used to be wood, metal and auto shop. Marketing, cooking, sewing and home economics.

Jeffryes — I got involved with the Sequim School District during the 2014 effort to pass a bond. Upon touring the schools and talking to school officials, I wondered why Sequim school facilities were in such need of updating and replacement. That bond issue failed. Those facilities have continued to be patched up, repaired, some torn down, and updated. The much-needed replacement of aging facilities has not yet occurred.

I have seen amazing students and teachers doing some amazing things despite those aging facilities. However, the academic achievement of students was not meeting the needs of the students or the community. Student achievement and success needs to reach higher outcomes. As a result of those experiences, I was prompted to run for election in 2019 and for re-election in 2023 to the Sequim School Board.

• What do you like about Sequim schools and what needs to change?

Graham — I like the choir, band, computer and shop electives. All the learning aspects need to change, or should I say go back to what it was like pre-1960s. That’s right! All you need to do is look up records. There were nowhere near the problems when we had morals and common sense in our learning. From the 1960s, which is when the department of education was created and took the authority from the states because schools could not resist the money they were now getting from the government. The problem began because now the schools had to start doing what the government wanted or lose funding. The schools have been graduating kids with no moral compass. They have no regard for any authority. Instead of being apologetic when asked to obey the laws they act like we are wasting their time and give you attitude.

What I consider a mental illness is being put on a pedestal and called inclusiveness and tolerant now. I’m sorry, but if you tell me you are a dog or cat you need professional help. Why is a man who thinks he is a woman any different? These kinds of things are in the schools as well. Instead of true counselling, they get encouragement and hormone blockers. Hey, if someone feels they need to pursue that lifestyle after school when they are an adult then that’s their business. Schools need to stop promoting it. It has no part in education!

Jeffryes — Sequim is a very special place. I believe we have the students, teachers, superintendent, administrators, educational support staff, community, and parents to take Sequim to new levels of academic achievement and student success.

Student outcomes must be monitored for continuing improvement. The challenge comes in developing internal and using external evaluations that accurately reflect student progress. That implies continued support for the professional development of every staff member and board member.

There are many facility concerns that must be addressed to bring our schools up to modern standards and then maintain them at levels that will meet the changing future needs of students. That will take not only wise use of our taxpayer money but asking voters to pass a bond and levies to invest in our students’ education outcomes.

Finally, the school district does a great job of reaching out to the community and parents. However, I believe the school board can improve ways to receive more input from community stakeholders about how we educate our kids. The challenge is to implement effective means for the board and district to gather that input.

• What groups or organizations do you associate with?

Graham — I enjoy attending the local car shows and northwest SCCA courses.

Jeffryes — In addition to being a member of the Sequim School Board, I’m on the Sequim Education Foundation’s Board of Directors. I am also a member of two retired teacher unions. As a board director, I belong to the Washington State School Directors Association. I was a member of the Olympic Peninsula Healthy Community Coalition, when I founded Meals For Sequim Kids Fund that raised more than $10,000 to help pay for school meals debts accumulated by Sequim students. I look forward to working with community service organizations, Sequim City Council, S’Klallam Jamestown Tribe, and Clallam County to further student health, well-being and educational outcomes.