Ronnie Morris
Ronnie Morris has announced he is running for the District 6 seat on the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Below is his statement.
“We must demand no less than excellence in all areas of education reform or we will likely return to a system that offers success for a few while leaving the majority underserved,” says Ronnie Morris, candidate for BESE District 6.
Morris says recent reforms are producing promising results in student outcomes, but the improvement is coming too slow and the upcoming elections are critical for maintaining a positive direction.
“I oppose Common Core or any plan that would standardize and nationalize education. The truth is that Louisiana already has a well-regarded state standard that was developed by Louisiana teachers and experts throughout our state. It allows great flexibility for local systems and local schools and provides a proven foundation for schools to develop successful programs for all their students.”
“My platform is simple—Demand excellence from ALL participants at ALL levels. Teaching is a profession and teachers should be paid a professional salary for professional performance. Principals should be allowed to build the best team possible. Schools should have the flexibility to arrange curriculums and courses that best meet the needs of their particular student body. School board members and office administrators must provide guidance and oversight but keep their political policies out of the classroom. Taxpayer money should follow the child and parents should have numerous options and control how and where their child will receive the best education. We cannot and must not revert back to a status quo that made us one of the least successful systems in the industrialized world,” says Morris.
Morris earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Louisiana State University in 1995 and graduated from the LSU Flores MBA Program in 2017. He is the Founder and President of the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization WeProduceGrads and Board Treasurer of the Baton Rouge BASIS School. He has also served as a Junior Achievement classroom volunteer for 15 years in local high schools and an ExxonMobil Diversity Scholars Mentor for LSU students.
He founded the LSU McCollister Leadership Awards in 2000 for students pursuing a career in education. It is the largest endowed scholarship in the state for future teachers. He also founded the LSU Tom and Kathy Greene Scholarship for engineering students. In 2016, Ronnie and Allyson Morris were recognized as the College of Human Science and Education Philanthropists of the Year.
He lives in Baton Rouge with his wife, Allyson, and their granddog Luna. Their children are all graduates of Southeastern University and LSU. Ronnie is a Republican. He and his wife attend Healing Place Church.
