School Board Candidates Answer Questions: Cindy Burriss

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

The Anderson Observer reached out to all candidates running for school board seats in this year’s election. The following are the responses of those who responded. These interviews in no way constitute an endorsement of any candidate. They are published as a public service to Anderson County voters.

Candidates who still wish to be included in providing voters with information can contact news@andersonobserver.com no later than 11 p.m. Oct. 28 for a chance to answer questions. The deadline for all submissions will be 11 p.m. Oct. 29.

Cindy Burriss, Anderson School Dist. 5 At-Large

1. What is the primary responsibility of a school board member?

The school board provides leadership for the district, controls the purse strings of the finances used to operate the schools, and manages policies. Plans for new schools. Advocates for public education. Works with the community to improve student achievement. Hires the superintendent who oversees the hiring of all staff. The board establishes policies that the superintendent implements. The board must comply with state and federal laws to establish policies. 

2. What are the three most pressing issues facing the school district for which you seek to serve?

Student safety; to include classroom safety and discipline in the classroom

Quality education that is cost effective

Student Achievement 

3. How would you resolve those issues? 

Update and upgrade security measures. Practice safety drills. Ensure discipline of students at school.

Evaluate and remove costs that are too expensive and not effective.

Offer school choice.  

4. How would you solve differences in your goals/approach working with the superintendent/other board members?

Look for the common ground. Look for the strengths of the others on the board and the superintendent and celebrate those. Allow full discussion of concerns over differences and work as a team to resolve conflict. 

5. Have you served on boards/foundations? no

6. What experience/qualifications do you possess which make you an ideal candidate?  

To answer this question, I would like to explain how I have stood up for the children of Anderson District 5. Last year, I heard from parents that superintendent Wilson with the board’s approval announced a plan to pay highschoolers $100 to take experimental vaccines. I participated with parents and concerned citizens to organize a protest at the district office. We protested weekly for 6 weeks hoping to bring attention to the potential dangers of the vaccine. We wanted to stop the incentives and ensure that no more incentives were rolled out to the younger grades. Approximately 30 of us gave passionate speeches at the next school board meeting and about 7 spoke at the next. At that meeting, superintendent Wilson said there were no plans to continue incentives. We also learned that teachers and staff were incentivized with $500. According to minutes from board meetings, the cost of giving shots to 1,070 children was $107,000. No mention of teacher / staff shots or money spent was found. Our fears were warranted. Recently, Florida’s surgeon general warned that males age 18-39 not take mRNA vaccines due to 84% increase risk of cardiac related death. He also warned that healthy children not vaccinate with mRNA vaccines. 

I am a small business owner and manager of a thriving vacation rental property on Hartwell Lake. I have gained knowledge operating this business that I feel will help me to be a more responsible school board member who is concerned about balancing a budget.

7. Describe your own educational journey and what role education has played in your life. How do you maintain a commitment to lifelong learning in your own life?  

I consider myself a “late bloomer”. I graduated from T.L. Hanna in 1979. I attended college at Anderson University for two years but being undecided concerning a career path, decided to get a job in manufacturing. I worked at Electrolux Company for total of 13 years, was married for 25 years, and had three daughters. Over the years through personal experiences and the raising my children, I became disappointed in modern medicine. I became very interested in natural remedies which I discovered worked better and were less expensive than prescription drugs. This birthed a desire within me to become a nurse. I learned that nursing is diversified and encompasses natural healing and being an advocate for your patient so nursing was a perfect fit for me. I started nursing school at Tri-County Technical College in 2008 and graduated as a licensed practical nurse in 2009. I immediately went to work in long-term care. I then decided to pursue my RN license. In 2015, I graduated from Greenville Technical College with my Associate Degree of nursing. At that time, I went to work with a local hospice in Anderson. I temporarily stopped nursing in 2021 because of required biweekly PCR testing and then the covid vaccine mandate. 

I continue on a journey of learning everything I can about healthy lifestyle, disease prevention and holistic care. I keep a journal of what I learn about natural healing and share with others who are interested in the same. I have had much success in this endeavor of health and healing! I consider myself to be a lifelong learner concerning health. 

8. How important is it to maintain competitive teacher salaries and how would you boost morale among teachers?  

Offer competitive salaries. Address needs expressed by teachers. Improve conditions for teachers to be able to work less hours due to “bringing work home” or staying long hours at school. 

Take some of the administrative paperwork off the teachers and seek ways to free up more time for teachers. Show teachers respect and appreciation. Listen to them and take action to requests.

9. How would you encourage the board to challenge high-achieving students?

Make the teachers happy. Happy teachers teach better. Better course selection. School Choice.

10. Name three things you want voters to know about you as a person.

I believe in the Lord God, family and country. 

Our founding fathers fled an oppressive British government with great peril to their lives. Our nation was founded on freedom to worship or not worship. Our first schools were started by the church. This includes our most famous universities. Prayer was taken out of school in 1962 by the Supreme Court. I share the opinion of many who believe the “removal of God out of the schools” led to a removal of his hand of protection and his blessing of protection from our schools. Many who are against prayer in schools have sited “separation of church and state” but the founders only meant the state was to stay out of the church! The founders utilized prayer in every assembly!

There is a movement in our country to erase our history and rewrite it. Basic fundament truths are being silenced. Propaganda is being promoted. Our children must be taught the truth. They must be taught to think critically and independently. I believe in teaching children to honor our founding fathers and preserve our history so they can learn from it. Our children are being indoctrinated instead of focusing on traditional subjects like math, reading, English and history. Less than 50% of SC students are proficient in math and reading (expectmoresc.com). I stand for parental rights. I stand for teaching children to know their constitutional rights and to love this great country.