A vocal advocate for our schools

In 2018, my son graduated from Santa Fe High School. The quality of his education was the primary reason I ran eight years ago for school board. As a former community organizer and small business owner, we needed and still need an advocate on our school board and a diversity of nonacademic backgrounds to enrich our school initiatives.

These productive eight years have served to strengthen my belief that education is the foundation of our democracy, that educational paths must provide an opportunity to every child to realize their talents and calling, and that our state’s economic success depends on dealing head-on with issues of child wellness, equity and public education funding. These are the reasons I am running for reelection.

As an oversight body, our board has prioritized transparency, putting difficult discussions on the agenda and authentically engaging with administration, staff, teachers, parents and our community. Through this collaborative process, our schools have successfully improved graduation rates, proficiency scores and teacher pay. We created the Engage program so aged-out kids can become high school graduates. The Early College Opportunities school creates skilled trade pathways for kids who might otherwise drop out. The 5-year-old Education Technology Note funds digital and technological instruction, the best in the state.

I personally have taken on the role of advocate for my students and parents, organizing a teach-in to defend fact-based science standards, creating the “Snow Day” of protest, standing up to the National Rifle Association and advocating every session at the Legislature. Recently, I have been working on preventing school closures, introducing anti-vaping legislation with our state school boards and the American Cancer Society, and examining the housing crisis for our students, families, teachers and staff. In the next four years, our focus should be: Maximizing student wellness: Increasingly our kids struggle with learning, behavioral and health challenges. We must increase social workers, guidance counselors and other wraparound services.

Protecting equity: The quality of teaching and learning, educational opportunities and district services must be the same for every child throughout the district, regardless of ZIP code or school demographic. Closing schools is only addressing the symptom of income equality, not a long-term solution.

Increasing safety: We need student, family and community-friendly safeguards to protect our facilities as well as procedures that do not increase the daily fears that our children already face.

Ensuring financial responsibility: Our public schools are a $270 million-a-year company, and we must maximize funds toward our teachers, services and classrooms.

Harnessing innovation: We must increase our arts programming embedded in our core subjects. Data shows truancy rates go down, proficiency rates go up, and the student “happiness index” soars.

Defending advocacy: I will continue to be a vocal advocate on the board and in the Roundhouse for our kids, teachers and schools.

Keeping authentic collaboration: Our board is an oversight body for our electorate, and we must demand accountability and transparency. Too often, “civility” means quieting the voices of reason and dissent in the face of inequity rather than meaningful collaboration.

Building on our successes: My opponent states our district has been weakened, but the data does not reflect this statement. Overcoming the Susana Martinez debacle with resilience, tenacity and resolve has strengthened our district. Thank you to our superintendent, board, staff, teachers, parents and students for succeeding despite our challenges.

My record reflects a foundational integrity to always do what’s in the best interest of our kids, the dedication to our students and our district, and the institutional knowledge and record of achievement that we can build upon together. Let’s get started!