Meet the 19-year-old who became a Springfield school board member ❘ Good to Know
Instead of running off to college after his high school graduation, Springfield High School graduate Parker Mason had another idea.
The 19-year-old decided he would run for the Springfield Local School District Board of Education.
He ran on a platform of fiscal discipline, better communication and integrity.
It worked.
On Jan. 9, he was sworn in after placing second in a field of four candidates vying for two spots on the board. One of his opponents was a former school board member.
Mason finds himself making policy for a district in state fiscal watch, with a community that is deeply divided on providing new funds. He's aware that both sides of the issue have an argument to make.
"Is either side right or wrong?" he said in a recent interview at Springfield Baptist Church on Krumroy Road. "I would say yes or no to both."
Perspectives of a teenage school board member
Mason said he was motivated to run for the board by a desire to bring back opportunities for the district's students.
He was still a student when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools, and he saw the effect online classes had on many students. The Springfield district went to a hybrid model — a choice of online or in-class learning — before most of the districts in the county.
For those who went to class, he saw the benefits of being among teachers and fellow students. He also believes many students who went virtual — in his district and others — suffered from the experience.
"I would argue that the people that were online struggled way more," he said.
Studies of the period bear him out. Nationwide, math and reading scores declined during the pandemic, and behavioral problems accelerated.
It's an issue he's likely to talk about more in the future. But first, he said, he wants to learn.
"For the first year, I want to listen more than I speak," he said.
'How we approach adversity'
Mason said he'd like to see the district recognize and concentrate on its strengths, empowering students to make life choices while in school and beyond.
"It's how we approach adversity," he said. "... [T]here are alumni from Springfield doing fantastic things."
A decision to forego college
Mason said he's not currently planning to go to college. The need and economics of a university education don't add up right now.
"I don't have to go to college to succeed," he said.
He sees a trend in that direction, with more people his age seeing a better path for themselves.
"Why are you telling someone who wants to start their own bakery ... they need to attend college?" said Mason, who works part-time at Firestone Country Club.
'I believe in transparency'
Mason said he wants to be held accountable for the decisions he makes as a board member. He's learning more about the financial situation the district is in and more about being a dependable school board member.
He said it's his goal to be responsive to the community that elected him and to make informed decisions.
"I believe in transparency," he said. "I believe in integrity."
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Do you know an interesting person in Greater Akron who would be Good to Know? Send suggestions to Alan Ashworth at aashworth@thebeaconjournal.com
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Meet Parker Mason, the 19-year-old on Springfield Board of Education
