Camp Verde School Board Election
There are four candidates running for three seats on the Camp Verde School District Governing Board: Incumbent Carol German and challengers Steve Gresham, Paul Hawk and Matt Jahnke.
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5
Candidate: Matt Jahnke
Age: 62
Time in Camp Verde: 4 years
Background: “I am a retired commercial helicopter pilot, having flown for 30 years, as well as a certified instrument flight instructor.
The majority of my time was spent flying tours over the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, Nev. “Prior to my flying career, I was a radio DJ for 10 years. The largest radio market that I worked in was San Jose, Calif.”
Q: Why are you qualified to serve on the board?
A: “I never considered running for the board. I am most definitely not a politician, have never run for office and the thought of running for the Camp Verde School Board was the furthest thing from my mind.
“ However, after turning down two people who had asked me to run and whom I greatly admired, when the third person asked me, again out of the blue, I realized that these folks saw something in me that would be beneficial to our school district and most importantly to our kids. They apparently could see in me how broken-hearted I was over what has been done to our children and realized that being on the school board would be a good fit.
“After much contemplation I have come to realize that it is a calling that has been placed upon my heart. I have a deep sense of fairness and justice — not social justice — and believe the ‘woke’ agenda is terribly damaging to our children.
“We have done them an injustice by forcing upon our kids ideas and thoughts which are counter to the natural order and in many cases, as part of the ‘woke’ agenda, have taught them to hate this country and openly embrace socialism, Marxism and communism.
“I am qualified, because I care and intend to protect our children to the best of my ability.”
Q: What are three specific items or policies that you are running on?
A: “I believe that my job is to learn how to help our children think and reason and gain knowledge and wisdom. In light of that goal, my thinking becomes what can I do to assist them.
“How can I support our superintendent, who is indeed the expert, when it comes to overseeing the educational process.
“Finally, I believe in education, not indoctrination. Indoctrination is the job of the parents as they
raise their children in whatever manner they deem fit. It is not the government’s or school’s responsibility. The schools should simply provide the basics of education. Everything else should be taught at home by the parents. Our children do not belong to the ‘state.’”
