(WSVN) - Debbie Hixon, who lost her husband in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, will now be on the Broward County School Board.
Hixon won the race for the District 9 seat over Jeff Holness.
“You know, we have a great school system, but we can improve,” Hixon said.
For more than three decades, Hixon has been shaping young minds in Broward County.
“I’m just excited. I’m full of energy, and I’m ready,” she said.
Hixon said she is confident her qualifications make her a perfect fit for the seat on the school board.
“I’ve been around the county the last few years recruiting for our magnet program, and I’ve made really good, authentic relationships with parents, students and staff at schools across the county,” she said.
Hixon’s husband, Chris Hixon, an athletic director and coach was killed in the attack that took place in February 2018.
Chris, unarmed, confronted the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, moments before he was shot and killed.
“He was bigger than life. He was someone who was a protector. He was my life partner. He was the father to my sons,” Hixon said.
Since the shooting, Hixon has traveled the country as an advocate for stronger school safety measures.
“If that hadn’t happened– you know, the last two and a half years I’ve really been a strong advocate for school safety on a national level,” Hixon said.
School safety is on the top of Hixon’s list, not only in the fight against gun violence but also in combating COVID-19.
“We need to also let our teachers make mistakes and then not just give up on it but to be able to practice and work on how they make those things better,” she said.
As e-learning becomes the norm, Hixon said she wants to look closer at smartphone app-based programs and explore different ways to engage students, teachers and parents.
“E-learning is not for everybody, and we have to figure out how do we bring learning to them virtually if it’s not through the computer,” she said. “There has to be other ways. I do think we need to look into that.”
Hixon said it is her passion that helped her win.
“I love the system. I love the students. I love the people that are in it,” she said.
Hixon is the second person on the Broward School Board who has had a loved one killed in the Parkland shooting.
Lori Alhadeff, whose daughter was one of the victims, joined the board in 2018.
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