Kentucky School Advocate
December 2020

Christine Thompson, Livingston County Schools

You’ve been on the Livingston County board for two years. What has been the most challenging issue during your time on the board?

It was in August when the district was trying to decide whether to go back to school in-person or continue with virtual. The school district left it up to the board. We got community feedback from text messages, phone calls and emails from family, staff and teachers. All had good reasons, both to go back and to not go back. There was the fear that if kids did go back there could be a big outbreak. Then there was fear that the kids would fall behind in school. With this being a rural district, a challenge is lack of technology. We had gotten a taste of what that was going to be like when we went virtual back in March.

What has been the most rewarding thing about being a board member?  

Before the pandemic, I had made it a goal to visit schools in person about once a month to see the day-to-day routine. I didn’t want to be just a name out there. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the classroom. It is valuable to have face-to-face conversations and see the teachers in action and the hard work they are doing.

How did the educators you met react?

They seemed appreciative and surprised. It is something we should all do – not all the time or to be looking over their shoulders, but to pop in and see what is going on on the ground.

What’s something about being a board member that has surprised you?
This is pretty common, I think. The limitations of what we can do as a board is the most surprising, even though we are forewarned before we take office and are given a rundown on our role.

When you were elected in 2018, you were the first Hispanic woman elected to office in Kentucky. Since then you’ve been featured in news articles about that achievement. Did all of the recognition surprise you?  

I was very surprised it has taken this long to have a Hispanic woman elected to office in the state, but I am grateful I can move the needle forward and help the progress. I’ve also been surprised by and grateful for the recognition.

It seems that this achievement could lead to some speaking engagements?

I would appreciate that opportunity if it ever came my way. I would be glad to share my experience; I hope this will not be just a title. I have thought that later on down road, I might be able to help Latina students in some way, maybe through a nonprofit.
 
You are now on the KSBA Board of Directors. Why did you want to get involved at the state level?

I am a director-at-large for KSBA for a three-year term. I always want to do more. This can be a way to make more of a difference, gain more knowledge and better serve our county.

What’s something your district is doing that makes you hopeful for the future?

Our schools have a lot of great programs. In high school, there are many programs that help students figure out what they want to do after they graduate with a multitude of activities and classes they can take to guide them.

Getting to know

Profession: Executive director of the Paducah-McCracken County Senior Center. Graduate student, working on a master’s in business administration from Murray State University.

Hometown: Riverside, Calif.

Spouse: Husband Ben Thompson, sixth-grade social studies teacher in Crittenden County

Children: Two daughters, Natalia, 9, and Mia, 3

Favorite subject in school: Social studies

Hobbies: Running and yoga. I’m more energized if I am taking care of myself.

Book recommendation for board members: “My Beloved World” by Sonia Sotomayor, the memoir of our first Latina Supreme Court justice.

Interesting fact: After I graduated from Murray State, I was accepted into the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Va. It was a 10-week program, and I left at seven weeks. I see it as a personal failure. I had worked toward that all my life. But I’m proud to have been accepted into one of the most difficult officer training programs in the world, especially being a woman. It tested my fortitude and my strength, not just physically but mentally.