I think the way we conduct ourselves in the world is pivotal. Every word we speak, every encounter we have, we’re teaching our kids hate. We’re teaching our kids love.”

Elaine Mikel-Mulder

Beneath the hot lights of Hastings Community TV’s (HCTV) studio, school board candidates Elaine Mikel-Mulder and Simone Rendon fielded questions for the ISD 200 School Board Candidate Forum.
Unlike previous years which saw a wide field of candidates, this year only two candidates are running for the seat left open by the death of Jenny Wiederholt-Pine. That seat is currently held by Mikel-Mulder who was appointed in May.
The event was moderated by Alexis Huss, who posed questions to the candidates that were submitted by the community.
Candidates were initially asked for an opening state as well as what motivated them to run for school board.
Mikel Mulder cited her belief in the concept of duty: “This community has given so much to me, and I believe it’s my duty to give back to the community.”
Rendon cited the need for “more diversity everywhere we look,” and referenced her difficulties in navigating her daughter’s time at Hastings alternative school.
The candidates were also asked what they had been hearing were the top priorities of community members they had spoken with while campaigning.
“The two things that I hear the most is educational excellence and making sure we have good student behavior and discipline,” said Mikel-Mulder. She referenced complaints from both students and teachers of disciplinary issues within the district and the need to “build up some gumption, get some community spirit and try to hold each other accountable: families teachers and staff.”
Rendon also said she had heard from residents on the issues to discipline and academic excellence, but again highlighted the need for “bridging the gap around diversity” in order to be more inclusive across ISD 200 schools.
Rendon tied the issues of othering and lack of inclusivity to discipline: “I think a lot of the things with the discipline will start to fade when we actually start coming together and talking as families.
Candidates were asked about the many issues facing districts across the country from labor shortages, shrinking budgets to political pressure and how they would navigate those challenges.
“I would start by looking at the places that we’re not looking,” said Rendon.
Rendon, who is Ojibwe and Lakota, spoke to the difficulties in accessing the funds that go towards Native American education and how when she moved to Hastings, there wasn’t knowledge about getting those funds.
“There’s a lot of funding in the diverse group of people that we’re missing because the paperwork is not filled out correctly, or we don’t have the right paperwork,” said Rendon.
Mikel-Mulder spoke to “the value of really being charitable with one another, being hospitable to one another.”
Mikel-Mulder emphasized approaching diverse perspectives with hospitality, especially given that public service is a difficult job.
On the budget, Mikel-Mulder looked to St. Paul: “We do whatever we can to make sure we make our voice known to the state legislature to free up the money that we can potentially get to us.”
Finally, the candidates were asked how they would conduct themselves in order to bring unity and common purpose to the needs o the school district’s students.
“In a good way,” quipped Rendon, continuing, “by listening, by actually having flexible thinking, by not showing up with a set picture in my brain of how this district is supposed to be around its students.”
Mikel-Mulder echoed that point.
“I think the way we conduct ourselves in the world is pivotal. Every word we speak, every encounter we have, we’re teaching our kids hate. We’re teaching our kids love.”
In her closing statement, Rendon spoke to separating the district’s problems from broad political issues: “how do we actually look at our Hastings school district and concentrate on that. Now all of these other things do matter, but sometimes we get too big. So how do we actually keep that communication small here?”
Mikel-Mulder emphasized fostering a love of learning within the district.
“I want them to leave our school system and love their experience in District 200 yes, but to get in a rhythm of their life where they’re asking questions, where they’re comfortable being curious, where they’re comfortable being gray, where they know how to engage people in great conversation with empathy and compassion and intrigue and excitement.”
After the cameras cut, the candidates hugged, congratulating each other.
The full Candidate Forum can be found on HCTV’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/@HastingsCommunityTV