To help inform voters in the November 5, 2024 election, this candidate questionnaire may be republished at no cost by local publications in North Carolina. To help enable this reporting, please consider subscribing to The News & Observer.
Name: Josh Points
District/seat: Wake County Board of Education, District 6
Political party: Republican
Age as of November 5, 2024: 46
Campaign website: points4wake.com
Current occupation: Commercial Real Estate Advisor
Professional experience: I am currently a commercial real estate consultant for Medalist Capital in Raleigh, NC. I have run three small businesses: The County Club at Wakefield Plantation, Jim McLean Golf Schools and start-up Profile by Sanford.
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of Virginia, Master of Business Administration with a Special Emphasis in Finance and Marketing from UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School
Please include any notable government or community involvement: Coach and attend many sporting events for children
What would be your top priority if elected?
We have a crisis in our public schools in Wake County, with one in three children unable to read and do math proficiently. Improving this will require the involvement of our entire community. Like our ongoing HVAC problems, this crisis has been a decade in the making. How will these results lead to a better future society?
What specific strategies would you promote to improve the academic performance of Wake County students?
Eliminating cell phones will lead to a more focused and disciplined learning environment. Reduce our high absenteeism by engaging our media partners and will require the courts to clear their backlog. Reimplement classic teaching methods, such as memorizing math. In grades K-3, we need more targeted ways to get our low-performing students up to grade level because this is critical to long-term success. The Read to Achieve Camp offered to children who are not at the third grade level has a 6% success rate.
How should Wake County respond to the Biden administration’s new Title IX rules regarding transgender students?
The Biden Administration’s changes to Title IX differ significantly from previous Title IX rules and were met with immediate legal challenges that our Supreme Court supported. In the best interests of our students, parents and teachers, we should have waited until these challenges had worked their way through the legal system. Unfortunately, our leaders have chosen a different path, which has led to much division and confusion.
Do you think the Legislature should fund approximately $500 million for private school vouchers through the Opportunity Scholarship program? Why or why not?
As a parent of a child with special needs, I support school choice because only 24% of students with disabilities are proficient. This should be a needs-based program, where those with the greatest financial difficulties receive the necessary assistance in their choice of school. Raleigh residents invest another $700 million+ from local taxes; 25% of students who qualify for our public schools choose alternative education methods. We are bringing these students back to our schools by improving our skills outcomes.
What is your opinion on installing gun detectors in every school as a security measure?
Every school from grades 6 to 12 should install these preventatives, but they should be part of a much broader security plan. Strict rules and regulations go hand in hand with all safety additions. We must ensure that all access points are well secured, monitored by cameras and have functioning locks. Our primary focus must be creating safe learning environments for all children and teachers.
Under the Dome
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