Luan Blancher, Candidate for School Board
https://www.luanblancherforschoolboard.com
blancherforschoolboard@gmail.com
I am a mom, community member, corporate employee and small business owner. I have been living in Wyoming for the past 12 years with my family. In 2023 I joined the Primary Schools Building Committee and saw the effects of diverse voices championing for our students. I have also curated a girls’ strength training class at the Wyoming Rec Center. In my corporate career, I have been a champion for many diverse groups and have been a moderator and participant on panels about diversity, inclusion and career building. My corporate experience spans from working with students to executives in the C-suite. I have three degrees, in science and business combined which allow me to apply critical thinking while keeping short term and long term vision top of mind.
Being from a multicultural family, I believe the school systems should be a representation of our community as well as a reflection of the wider global community. It is vital for our students to learn and respect different cultures. Cultures that they will see represented in our country and globally. Experiencing different viewpoints will enhance their critical analysis skills, and broaden their future outlook. I want our students to understand the similarities but also respect and acknowledge the differences that we may have.
As a School Board member I would first want to review past studies and understand and investigate the success and failures of previous and current programs. This would be vital in determining the next steps in creating a safer environment; one that fosters belonging and inclusion. Since Wyoming is a public school system, any mandates from the government may pause or stop programs already implemented. Therefore the school system would have to lean in more and collaborate with the community in order to support our students.
It is great that mental wellness is no longer a taboo and there have been studies further investigating the effects on students. As a School Board member, I believe school is a place of belonging and inclusion. If our students don’t have an environment that supports that then it is the School Board’s task to investigate, work with the superintendent, staff, teachers and students to determine how to foster more inclusion
