Former youth coach Kyle Pitts runs on accountability and student pathways

Kyle Pitts calls himself a reluctant candidate.

“I’m not a political person, man. I hate politics,” Pitts told the Ledger.

Pitts is running for the open District 1 seat on the Blackford County Schools board. He faces Melinda Huber in the Nov. 3 general election. The seat opens when incumbent Jimmy Lytle’s term ends Dec. 31. Lytle did not run for re-election.

Pitts is listed as a Republican on the county’s candidate notice. He ran for the same seat in 2022. He spoke with the Ledger for the following article.

Why he is running

Pitts said the district’s money is not his main concern. “It’s more of the moral stuff that’s going on in the schools,” he said. He referred to them as “moral and accountability issues” and said “there are a lot of inconsistencies.”

For example, he said the guidance office should stay neutral on cultural issues. “Our guidance office should be as neutral as can be and a ‘safe place’ for all students and staff, regardless of any of our beliefs,” he wrote.

“Our schools are not a place for this kind of stuff. Let the parents raise their kids on how they believe and live their life; our responsibility is to educate and place our students in the best possible position to succeed in life,” he wrote.

Students on a college-credit track

Blackford High School students can earn associate degrees and certificates before they graduate. Pitts wants more students to finish those programs and start careers sooner.

He said many families have come to him after those plans fell apart. He said the district owes students who put in the work a fair chance to finish what they start.

Recess and discipline

The Ledger asked Pitts about discipline in the lower grades, such as making students walk laps or taking away recess, which research has shown doesn’t correspond with building behavioral compliance.

He called himself “a little bit more old school.” He said raising children is a parent’s job. “I don’t want them there to raise my kids,” he said.

He wants more physical activity during the school day at every grade level. “Younger kids should have multiple recesses because kids are not built and created to sit at a desk all day and do book work,” he said.

He called that “an easy fix.”

Following the handbook

The school board votes on the student handbook and updates it every year. Pitts said administrators do not follow it.

“Accountability is a big thing,” he said. “Accountability and consistency is key to success, and following the handbook the school board votes on and amends needs to be followed,” he wrote.

Supporting teachers

Pitts said teachers have one of the most stressful jobs. “Even though it may seem like I’m beating them up, they have one of the most stressful careers,” he recognizes.

He said pressure from the state to meet standards has limited how teachers can teach and how often they can use creative projects. “We must continue finding ways to support our teachers and administration to keep them excited to teach,” he wrote.

Coaching and business

Pitts coached local youth for about a decade. He said he and other parents turned the boys basketball program around, starting with last year’s seniors when they were in fourth grade. He stepped away from coaching three years ago, after coaching eighth grade.

He said the players taught him as much as he taught them. “They taught me a lot—their drive to win and never give up, and when you lose, it’s how you respond,” he stated.

Pitts said he built a business from the ground up. “Some people think I’m successful because I’ve run a successful business and started from the ground,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’m any better than anybody else.”

How he would serve

Pitts said he sees the district’s disagreements as differences of perspective.

“It probably doesn’t seem like it, but I truly believe we have some great people working with students in our system and are blessed to have them,” he wrote. “I don’t think anyone means anything malicious—it’s just a difference of perspective. Do any of us have all the correct answers? Absolutely not! But we must continue working together to better the environment for learning.”

The race

Pitts' opponent for the District 1 School Board seat is Melinda Huber who is a career educator. She is listed as an independent on the county’s candidate notice and says she is a registered Republican. She works as an elementary school counselor in Huntington County Community Schools.

Ledger invitations

The Ledger offered every county-level candidate on the November ballot that's competing for their seat a chance to talk about their campaign.