About James Shores
An Introduction
I've been a Suffolk resident since 2006, arriving on active-duty orders with the U.S. Marines. Retired in 2011 at the rank of LtCol, then went on to graduate law school. 2014. A dedicated father of two boys, now 16 and 15. My boys have attended Northern Shores, Col Fred Cherry, and now both are excelling in gifted programs such as International Baccalaureate at Kings Fork and engineering at Nansemond; both being members of the National Honor Society and Junior National Honor Society, respectively. It is now over-due that I give back to Suffolk for giving my boys the opportunity to scholastically excel in OUR public schools. Together we need to instill renewed confidence of parents and teachers to COME BACK to OUR public schools.
Platform Issues
Transparency
Transparency between parents, teachers and school administrators. Transparency is the most critical enabler to build trust in a partnership that educates our children.
Policy and Legal Oversight
Virginia law is very clear on the responsibilities, duties and powers of school boards. We need to ensure our policy is strictly aligned. No more policies that infringe on the school board's lawful duties to ensure Suffolk Public Schools are meeting the highest of standards.
Parental Rights
Parents have supremacy on decisions made on educating their children. The exodus of children to private and home school options demonstrates that this supremacy is not respected. We must change this to bring back parent and teacher confidence in OUR schools. We must do a better job of encouraging parental involvement in their children's education.
Special Needs Programs
These are Federally mandated and subsidized programs we must absolutely adhere to. We must do a better job adhering to accommodation requirements for all our students with an individual education plan (IEP).
Education not Social Indoctrination
It is not the public school's place to educate or discuss subjects that distract from core objective: To prepare OUR children to compete for entry in the best colleges and trade schools out there. K-12 is the "parent zone." These children are minors. Any curriculum that infringes on parent's rights to properly guide their own children on matters of political opinion, religion (preference or opinion), sexuality (beyond parental approved family life program) needs to be removed from the classroom.
Discipline
We must do a better job of balancing special circumstances contributing to behavioral issues with needs of ALL Children in having an environment free of distractions in order to maintain the collective high standard of academic excellence. Empower and back up teachers and support staff to remove students with repeated behavioral issues causing disruptions.
Why I am the best candidate to be YOUR representative on OUR Suffolk School Board
I'm concerned about some of the things intruding on our children’s education that have no place in classrooms. Parents are putting their children in private and home schools, and teachers are leaving our schools because of it. I want to be part of a team that brings them back, regaining their confidence in our public schools. Our children deserve an education focused on only what will best support them to achieve their career goals and become the best contributors to our society they can be.
Involved Parent
- I've been an involved father in my boy’s education; with them every step of the way since kindergarten.
- I have spent countless hours assisting with homework, assistant coaching them in sports, providing them feedback on their learning performance and the value of educational rigor and discipline necessary to achieve their scholastic goals.
- Disciplined academic achievement – I do know.
Have Educated and Instructed to the Highest of Standards
- Instructor, Officer Candidate School, Marine Corps, Quantico.
- Naval flight Instructor, trained Navy, USMC, Coast Guard and International partner pilot candidates; Director of Training, Senior Marine. Pensacola.
- As a cyber policy analyst, developed the genesis of what is now the Cyber Law curriculum for National Guard Judge Advocate Generals (JAGS) for the National Guard Bureau. Arlington.
- A deployable analyst trainer for operational law and authorities, Joint Staff, trained Staff Judge Advocate staff of Combatant Commands and Joint Task Forces on best practices of Joint Integration. This also included facilitating operational law and authorities' courses for general and flag officers as part of the CAPSTONE, PINNACLE, and KEYSTONE programs.
Academic Achievement
- AAS Industrial Engineering
- BS in Business Management
- Juris Doctor (JD) of Law