Key Facts
Background
Karen Jenkins has served as a Marriage and Family Counselor, Children’s Behavioral Therapist and Mental Health Skills Builder, and Manager of Financial Institutions. Jenkins has served on the Suffolk City School Board since January 2019 [1, 2].
In 2020, Jenkins voted for a censure resolution against Sherri Story, on the basis that Story interfered in the day-to-day operations of schools as a Board Member, when it is only the Superintendent who can interfere. Jenkins’s words that day included an apparent reference to the rallying cry of protesters in the wake of the May 2020 death of George Floyd. Jenkins was ridiculed by audience members for making such a reference [3].
Key Issues
Budget
Jenkins supports reviewing the budget to find ways to create competitive salaries and wages for teachers and school personnel [1].
Civil Rights
In order to create equal opportunity for children, Jenkins wants school educators and staff to be diverse, well trained, aware of their students, and alert to various situations, cultures, and daily challenges that students face [1].
Government
Jenkins does not support day-to-day involvement in schools from the School Board Members. Rather, she feels that it should come from the superintendent [3].
School Safety
Jenkins wants to review, analyze, and test the current security provisions of Suffolk Public Schools. She also wants to work with other school systems and emergency personnel to institute realistic security measures [1].
Teachers
Jenkins wants to reduce class sizes. She also wants to implement or improve policies and procedures in place that assist teachers with managing student behavior issues [1].
Miscellaneous
Jenkins supports building on partnerships with technology businesses and wants students to be technologically savvy [1].
Endorsements
Suffolk Democratic Committee
Sources
1 WAVY
2 Suffolk Public Schools
3 Suffolk News-Herald
4 VPAP
5 Suffolk Democratic Committee