📚 The Hall Pass

Civics Class - Politics Shouldn’t Be This Weird

Welcome back to The Hall Pass.

The newsletter where we skip the political jargon, leave the drama in detention, and talk about what actually matters to South Dakota families.

Last week I shared why I’m running for the South Dakota House. This week, I want to talk about something just as important: how I plan to serve.

Here’s the thing. Government isn’t supposed to be a reality show.

It’s supposed to fix roads, strengthen schools, keep healthcare within reach, protect our communities, and spend taxpayer dollars responsibly.

Somewhere along the way, we’ve accepted the idea that politics has to be a nonstop food fight.

It doesn’t.

I’ve spent my career in classrooms, healthcare, higher education, nonprofits, and community organizations. You learn pretty quickly that yelling rarely solves problems. Listening does. Showing up does. Doing your homework definitely does.

That’s the representative I want to be.

I don’t wake up wondering how to make headlines. I wake up wondering why families are paying more for groceries, why property taxes keep climbing, why rural healthcare is disappearing, and why teachers are expected to do more with less.

Those are the conversations I want us to have.

Not because they’re flashy. Because they’re real.

📋 Syllabus

This semester we’re focusing on:

Lowering everyday costs for South Dakota families.

Supporting strong public schools.

Expanding access to healthcare.

Protecting our communities and public lands.

Bringing a little more common sense—and a little less chaos—to Pierre.

🚨 Principal’s Office

This week’s assignment for elected officials:

Remember who hired you.

Spoiler alert: it wasn’t cable news.

⛓️ Detention

Myth: Politics has to be angry all the time.

Reality: Disagreeing doesn’t require disrespect. We can debate ideas without forgetting there’s a human being on the other side of the conversation.

Imagine that.

⭐ Honor Roll

A huge thank you to everyone who’s shared the campaign, donated, signed a petition, sent an encouraging message, or simply stopped me in the grocery store to say hello.

Campaigns aren’t built by one person, they are built by communities.

📈 Progress Report

Every conversation reminds me why I decided to run in the first place.

People aren’t asking for more political theater.

They’re asking for affordable housing, lower property taxes, accessible healthcare, quality public schools, and leaders who remember that public service is about serving the public.

I hear you.

📝 Returned With Notes

One thing I’ll always promise:

If I don’t know the answer, I’ll tell you. Then I’ll go find it. It’s one of the first lessons I learned as a higher education instructor.

I’d rather earn your trust with honesty than pretend to have every solution.

✏️ See Me After Class

What’s the one issue you wish politicians spent more time talking about?

Reply to this newsletter or send me a message. I may not agree with everyone on everything, but I promise to listen.

Because that’s where good government starts.

📚 Homework

This week’s assignment is simple.

Talk to one friend, neighbor, or coworker about an issue that’s affecting your family. Ask them what’s on their mind. Listen more than you talk.

Politics shouldn’t just happen in Pierre. It should happen around kitchen tables, over coffee, at little league games, and in line at the grocery store.

Democracy works best when we show up for each other.

See you next week.

Class dismissed. Hall pass granted.