DAMITA WHITE-MORRIS
Running for:
Bridgeton School Board
Incumbent
Challenger
*Prior* Podcast Interview
Interview on Facebook
*Prior* individual agenda
Wants to invest in our youth/education system by through:
- Updating overall infrastructure, dealing with specifics such as providing adequate cooling and heating, removing asbestos, kids having access to sufficient materials
- Funding so teachers have adequate teaching supplies
- Increase salaries for teachers
- School budget oversight
- Improve school curriculum and address homelessness Google Drive Video
- Supports Planned Parenthood Reposted on Facebook
party messaging
*Prior* policy positions
Supports armed security in schools. (learned from the Candidates Forum held at Bridgeton High School)
experience
Fifteen years experience in leadership roles with the Bridgeton School Employees Association,
Cumberland County Council of Education Association, NJEA, and National Education Association.
Active member of following professional and community organizations: Juvenile Conference Committee,
Municipal Chair for the City of Bridgeton Democratic Committee, Acting President of NJ Federation of
Democratic Women Cumberland County, and Public Housing Authority.
Candidate's Forum Statements
When asked what makes White-Morris the most qualified candidate for assembly at the Candidates Forum held at Bridgeton
High School, she spoke generally about her passion for education, leadership skills, and making laws for the greater
good.
When asked how to address the state's budget and achieve fiscal responsibility, White-Morris spoke about looking at the state's specific budget, seek grants that are available, and hold people accountable in regards to making sure money is being spent where it should be spent.
When asked how to handle gun violence, White-Morris spoke about getting to root-based causes, using evidence based programs, and reaching out to the community for suggestions.
When asked about equity, White-Morris spoke about the public needing to acknowledge the topic, needing real answers on how to deal with it, and educating lawmakers about the topic.
When asked how to address the state's budget and achieve fiscal responsibility, White-Morris spoke about looking at the state's specific budget, seek grants that are available, and hold people accountable in regards to making sure money is being spent where it should be spent.
When asked how to handle gun violence, White-Morris spoke about getting to root-based causes, using evidence based programs, and reaching out to the community for suggestions.
When asked about equity, White-Morris spoke about the public needing to acknowledge the topic, needing real answers on how to deal with it, and educating lawmakers about the topic.
Girl Let's Talk Interview
Full Youtube Interview
1. Host: Tell us who you are.
Smith: Community advocate, union member, sorority member, a leader. Born and raised in Bridgeton. Proud to be her father’s daughter, who was very active in the community. Bridgeton High School graduate, 2002. Graduate of Delaware State University. Has a criminal justice degree. Graduate of Wilmington University with a masters in administration of justice with a concentration in homeland security. One of my motivations for running is that being a person of color, my parents did not have the same opportunities that I have, including getting an advanced education. So they wanted to make sure I had an education and now I want to follow through on that vision… and I believe that’s why I am also an educator today. I worked for Bridgeton public schools for 15 years. Through my experience as an attendance officer, I realized how broken our community is and that we needed people to go above and beyond normal expectations. I remember being 9 or 10 years old and telling my mom that I wanted to help people. Through my years of being involved in community affairs, I have a network where I can help get things done by making some phone calls and sending some text messages. I want to send a positive ‘can-do’ message through the community. I am a director of early childhood education. Feels strongly about her faith and using it to move forward. I had a very humble way of accepting my nomination as a party candidate for assembly, but when I got my father’s approval I knew it was the right thing.
2. Host: At what point did you realize you were going to run for office?
White-Morris: I was tired of going to my student’s funerals. This person got shot, this one has been killed… when is it finally going to be enough? There is a lot of talk on facebook, and it lasts for a day or two, but then we go right back to our old ways. When are we going to take back our village?
3. General discussion point: We have to show our children that split second decisions have consequences, because our families and communities are setting the bad example that even if you do something wrong and go through the system, the children get the impression that it’s ok, without realizing that the consequences will follow them.
4. Host: How do we get the basic respect factor instilled back into our kids?
White-Morris: Government has taken away power. We have so many government systems set in place that they are being abused and parents are afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing, which could then be used against the parents for punishment.
5. General discussion point: COVID exposed that we have been programmed to only go to work to keep a roof over our heads, and so we’ve left the parenting up to the schools. By the time we get home from work, we are too tired to do anything else. We’re not checking homework, and sometimes the kids aren’t even getting homework. It has gotten to the point where we are graduating kids who can’t even read.
White-Morris: As an early childhood educator, I have seen all kinds of problems with kids regarding mental health problems, autism, etc. And then when the parents come in, I have seen some teachers with the attitude that it’s not their job to help the parents, which I don’t think is right.
Host: But we also have to allow the teachers to give the parents criticism. For example, if a teacher tells a parent that their child is misbehaving in school, the parents should listen and try to understand that their child might actually be misbehaving, instead of the parents getting defensive.
Summarized/Paraphrased Q&A
To note: A "general discussion point" is a summarized part of the video that might not have come from a direct question and answer format, but part of a tangent or general discussion.1. Host: Tell us who you are.
Smith: Community advocate, union member, sorority member, a leader. Born and raised in Bridgeton. Proud to be her father’s daughter, who was very active in the community. Bridgeton High School graduate, 2002. Graduate of Delaware State University. Has a criminal justice degree. Graduate of Wilmington University with a masters in administration of justice with a concentration in homeland security. One of my motivations for running is that being a person of color, my parents did not have the same opportunities that I have, including getting an advanced education. So they wanted to make sure I had an education and now I want to follow through on that vision… and I believe that’s why I am also an educator today. I worked for Bridgeton public schools for 15 years. Through my experience as an attendance officer, I realized how broken our community is and that we needed people to go above and beyond normal expectations. I remember being 9 or 10 years old and telling my mom that I wanted to help people. Through my years of being involved in community affairs, I have a network where I can help get things done by making some phone calls and sending some text messages. I want to send a positive ‘can-do’ message through the community. I am a director of early childhood education. Feels strongly about her faith and using it to move forward. I had a very humble way of accepting my nomination as a party candidate for assembly, but when I got my father’s approval I knew it was the right thing.
2. Host: At what point did you realize you were going to run for office?
White-Morris: I was tired of going to my student’s funerals. This person got shot, this one has been killed… when is it finally going to be enough? There is a lot of talk on facebook, and it lasts for a day or two, but then we go right back to our old ways. When are we going to take back our village?
3. General discussion point: We have to show our children that split second decisions have consequences, because our families and communities are setting the bad example that even if you do something wrong and go through the system, the children get the impression that it’s ok, without realizing that the consequences will follow them.
4. Host: How do we get the basic respect factor instilled back into our kids?
White-Morris: Government has taken away power. We have so many government systems set in place that they are being abused and parents are afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing, which could then be used against the parents for punishment.
5. General discussion point: COVID exposed that we have been programmed to only go to work to keep a roof over our heads, and so we’ve left the parenting up to the schools. By the time we get home from work, we are too tired to do anything else. We’re not checking homework, and sometimes the kids aren’t even getting homework. It has gotten to the point where we are graduating kids who can’t even read.
White-Morris: As an early childhood educator, I have seen all kinds of problems with kids regarding mental health problems, autism, etc. And then when the parents come in, I have seen some teachers with the attitude that it’s not their job to help the parents, which I don’t think is right.
Host: But we also have to allow the teachers to give the parents criticism. For example, if a teacher tells a parent that their child is misbehaving in school, the parents should listen and try to understand that their child might actually be misbehaving, instead of the parents getting defensive.