Ben Borcher

Powell native and parent Ben Borcher wants to be involved — that’s why he’s running for one of three seats on the Park County School District 1 school board. 

“I think public education is a topic that seems to stir emotions, right? And I think it's critically important to just be involved, and so again, I've been pretty unabashed about my experience. I don't have experience,” Borcher said adding. “I have no credentials to do this, apart from being someone who cares about involvement and being someone who has kids that he loves that are in public school.”

Borcher is running to be involved and provide his perspective. Two years ago, there were 10 candidates running for the school board. There should be a dozen or two dozen on this year's ballot, Borcher said.

“We all probably feel like we have some perspective or some view that is beneficial for the direction of public education, but unless you put your name in the hat, what can you do to affect it? And that's why I did it,” Borcher said. 

The most important thing in the district, in his opinion, is that the children are happy and healthy, he said.

“A trustee is someone who is entrusted to advocate for children, and that is what I want … a kid needs to feel loved, and a kid needs to feel protected, and a kid needs to feel valued. That is the issue to me, I think everything else is secondary to that,” Borcher said.

He added that the school district meets this need for students, and this comes down to good staff, but he noted there are competing interests for children, “some of it’s educational, some of it’s societal, all you have to do is look at the news. And so, yes, the district is doing great — it can change in a second,” Borcher said.

He said even a good district can be better and part of that is consistent interaction with constituents. 

Borcher also acknowledged the good work of district teachers and the tough job they have. He doesn’t think schools should be the moral authority for his children and said he disagrees with some “goofy” aspects of the public school system, but indicated that it’s a situation where the good outweighs the bad.

“Honestly, it's a pretty great environment and so I think the areas that I do have negative feelings towards, I think are out of the hands of the teachers themselves,” Borcher said.

Ahead of the Nov. 5 election, Borcher urges community members to press candidates on specific topics. The position is apolitical, he said, but candidates should have to “give an account for how they see the world,” and be asked difficult questions. 

“If you aren't going to be involved and you're not going to ask the questions and you're not going to press for the stances on things, it's really hard to hold your board accountable for what you thought they were going to do,” Borcher said, adding, “All I can do is answer questions, and I think all a voter can do is ask them and be involved.”