John Bloom is a candidate for Newport News School Board – North. His name will appear on the ballot on November 5, 2024.
Bloom is running against 2 challengers for Newport News School Board – North.
The first day of in-person early voting at your local registrar’s office for this election is Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Click here to see who is on your ballot.
10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race, with a request for a bio and a list of questions to answer. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.
Biography: Mr. John Bloom graduated from Pennsylvania State University (1985) with a BS Degree in Nuclear Engineering and graduated from New York Institute of Technology (1995) and an MS degree in Environmental Technology. Mr. Bloom was an Officer stationed on board the USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67) when two F-14 Tomcats stationed on the Kennedy shot at Libyan MIG Flogger Aircrafts off the coast of Crete on January 4th, 1989. He also had the pleasure of working for then Chief Engineer William Klemm, who retired as a two-star Admiral and who assigned Mr. Bloom to escort President Ronald Reagan’s Surgeon General C. Everrette Koop onboard the Kennedy when President Reagan relit the torch on the Statue of Liberty, July 3rd 1986.
Mr. Bloom wrote procedures as a Radiological Engineer to remove radioactively contaminated components from obsolete gloveboxes and ducting on the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory at the West Mifflin, Pa, site, near Pittsburgh, Pa. Mr. Bloom provided Engineering support to both fabrication and design errors during the construction of the USS GERALD R. FORD (CVN-78) and USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CVN-79) at Newport News Shipbuilding as a Nuclear Engineer. Mr. Bloom worked as a Health Physicist at Norfolk Naval Shipyard for almost six years before retiring.
Though Mr. Bloom retired from Federal Service and the Civilian workforce he works part-time as a Substitute School Teacher at the Newport News School District, which gives him a unique perspective to see the issues plaguing teachers AND Students. He also works part-time for Busch Gardens Williamsburg as a Railroad Conductor and Log Flume Operator.
Mr Bloom has been active in the New York Conservative Party and in the 1990s sponsored a Educational Reform Seminar, that featured New York State Teacher of the Year John Taylor Gatto, who wrote the book\, “Dumbing us Down – the Hidden Agenda of Compulsory Schooling” as well as the author of legislation for Parental Choice in Education.
Mr. Bloom refers to himself as a Recovering Republican as he ran for State Delegate as a Republican against Democrat Ma’mie Bacote and as an Independent Candidate when he left the Republican Party to build the Constitution Party of Virginia, which he has been Chairman since he reorganized it in 2017.
Why are you running for this office?
President John F. Kennedy in his Inauguration Address said that “A Child miseducated is a child lost.” I would like to instill some Engineering Principles into the School District. An Engineer is a PROBLEM SOLVER and we must examine the root causes as to why some children are NOT learning. It is NOT because teachers cannot teach, but rather something has to be done to keep children awake so they can learn. It does NOT take a Nuclear Engineer to realize if a student/child is SLEEPING they are NOT learning and chances are will receive failing grades. In addition most students are told that a “D” is NOT failing, but they are NOT told that a “D” is UNACCEPTABLE as they will undoubtedly be LEFT BEHIND.
What is the top challenge facing Newport News Public Schools, and how would you address it?
Students SLEEPING in CLASS, I would assign a fellow student who is doing well in mthe class, whose job it is to “poke the bear” to keep them awake.
What do you believe still needs to be changed following the Grand Jury’s Report on Richneck Elementary School?
There must be a balance between PROTECTING Teachers and Students. I was assigned as a Substitute Teacher at Gildersleeve Middle School and during the 6th Grade Homeroom class, students were going into and out of the class without a pass. I placed my hand of what should have been the door handle to close the door and I TOUCHED the BACK of a students hand attempting to leave the class. The homeroom class was dismissed and when they came in for the 2nd Core Class I was told to speak with the Principal and I was escorted from the School and I even had to speak to a member of the Newport News Police Department. There were TWO 7th Grade Math Students in two different Math classes, that told me I was there favorite Substitute teacher. I did not like the way I was treated, but I was NOT shot and was there for those other students. There is a saying that is appropriate for Newport News Public Schools that reflects that though Administrators were changed they did NOT learn anything from what happened at Richneck Elementary school, “The Lunatics (badly behaved students) are running the Assylum.
Do you believe parents of other students should be informed of disciplinary action in the classroom?
Absolutely, many children really want to learn but are hurt by those that do not want to learn.
How will you still value constituents with whom you disagree with?
I do not know all the answers and I believe we need to get back to CIVIL DISCOURSE and debate all issues. Also I do not believe every child learns the same way and a parent providing me the insight into who their child learns can be an effective tool to make changes that are appropriate for some and not for others.
What is your view on the Governor’s Executive Order to ban cell phone use?
For most schools cell phones are not allowed out during class. At Busch Gardens I am NOT permitted to have a Cell Phone while working so I am fine with it. Removes distractions all the way around. I can leave it in my car and go to my car during lunch or breaks.
