Candidate Miller says finance background will help him ‘ensure every tax dollar allocated to CCPS is spent wisely and efficiently’

Editor’s note: The Carroll County Times is profiling candidates for the Carroll County Board of Education leading up to the July 19 primary elections. In the nonpartisan race, voters may choose three candidates on their primary election ballots. The top six vote-getters will advance to the general election. Seven candidates are running for three open seats: Tara Battaglia, Pat Dorsey, Amanda Jozkowski, James Miller, Pat Sands, Tom Scanlan and Steve Whisler. Katie Speert is also listed on the ballot but withdrew from the race in June. Read more in The Baltimore Sun Voter Guide at baltimoresun.com/politics/elections/voter-guide.

James Miller of Manchester said he’s running for a seat on the Carroll County school board to ensure that parents have a voice in public education.

Miller, 39, is running as part of a three-candidate slate, alongside incumbent Tara Battaglia and Steve Whisler. A slate is an official legal designation; its members raise and spend money as a group with a shared mission.

“My vision includes a public school system that is representative of the community it serves … [and] has teachers and staff who feel empowered as part of the community … all while understanding parents have a right to be involved in the children’s education,” Miller said.

Miller is a 2001 graduate of Liberty High School in Eldersburg and has three children who are now students in the county public schools.

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Miller earned a master’s degree in business administration from Loyola University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He works at John Hopkins Medicine International and said he has years of experience working in finance, which he believes would be useful as a member of the Board of Education.

“I am a proven finance leader who has led diverse teams my entire career,” Miller said. “I’m ready to work hard to ensure every tax dollar allocated to CCPS is spent wisely and efficiently.”

If elected, Miller wants to work to reduce bullying in the school system.

“Kids cannot escape their bullies due in large part to social media. It is 24/7/365,” he said. “We need to stop protecting bullies and start protecting the bullied.”

One of Miller’s priorities as a board member would be to maintain local control of the school system.

“There needs to be a willingness to challenge the state when we believe they are overstepping and forcing regulations on the local board. … There has to be a willingness to use the courts to challenge the legal authority of the state when such situations arise,” he said.

“We have the best school system in the state of Maryland. It’s time to bring confidence back to our education system,” Miller added.