The main reason William T. “Tom” Craft decided to run for the Tippecanoe Valley School Board District 2 seat is “change,” he said during an interview Thursday afternoon. He moved into the school district about two years ago and has children who attend Valley schools. “I noticed two years ago they came out with the ISTEP test and Tippy Valley received an ‘F.’ I want to try and make that a little bit better,” he said. “I’m real big on academics and also sports. That’s the two main reasons I’m doing it.” At Valley’s football and basketball games, Craft does security through his employer, the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department. “I’ve noticed some things that need to be changed. That’s why I’m wanting to do it,” he continued. This is the first time Craft has run for school board. However, through issues his own children have had, he sees issues that need to be addressed and wants to address those as a board member. As for the continued decrease in enrollment at Valley Schools, Craft said, “I think it has a lot to do with basically the testing. A lot of parents see how things go with the school. Why (a drop in enrollment) is happening, I don’t have no answer for that, other than overall, Tippy Valley has received an ‘F.’ That’s not good.” One of the big projects at Valley over the past couple years was the wind turbine. The 300-foot-tall turbine was built to save Valley Schools money over its life. “In the long run, yes, it will save them money,” Craft stated. “I had a big problem, most of the summer, that thing never spun. That’s the whole thing. Come to find out, that thing was torn up. It was a manufacturing problem and that’s why it was down. Now that I understand that, I think the thing is a very good idea.” Craft moved to the area from Kentucky in 1989. “I’m not a big fan of bullying. When I first moved up here, I was a small boy so I got picked on a little bit. So I’m not too fond of that stuff anymore,” he said. He was a Mentone police officer 14 years ago. He got to know the area pretty well, and then transferred to the KCSD to work in the jail, where he’s been for almost 14 years. He does a lot of security on the outside for the schools, including Valley for the last eight years. He’s engaged, and together they have five children. Asked why voters should choose him over his opponent, incumbent Hal Hoffman, Craft said, “The main thing basically is a change. I’m not sure exactly how long he’s been in there but he’s been in there a long time. And no one runs for school board down there against these guys. “As I moved into the school, I really love it. If I could do it over, I would have changed where I went to school. I graduated Warsaw in 1993. If I could have changed, I would have went to Valley. Valley is a very, very good school and kids are a lot more respectful than Warsaw was to me.” Students getting into trouble and drug testing also are issues Craft would like to address as a board member if elected. “As far as drug testing, all of that needs to be redone,” he said. “To me if you have any run ins with the law and you’re getting into trouble, to me that’s not good. And another thing is drugs. Bottom line is zero tolerance, you’re done. If you get caught, you’re drug tested, you’re off the team. It doesn’t matter if you’re the number one guy or not.” He said there are kids who give 100 percent in practice and don’t see any playing time. “I don't think that’s right. I think kids have the right to play, as much as any kid. But all they do is sit on the bench. They sit on the sideline and don’t get that chance,” Craft continued. He concluded by saying a change, academics and sports were his top reasons for running for the board. “That’s the whole thing – change. I’m willing to do this. Those are the priority things I see need to be changed,” he said.
