YANG: I AM AN ENGINEER WHO CAN SOLVE PROBLEMS

Q: What in your background makes you the best candidate for this job?

A: In February 2020, I was a part of a medical mission to Togo, West Africa. I was the only engineer, system architect to be exact, among a team of doctors and nurses. So what was I doing there? This being the beginning of COVID-19, a doctor from our team offered a class on handwashing: 30-second washing with a good lathering of soap. As he taught, I spoke to some local attendees and discovered that they didn’t have consistent running water. To fundamentally solve the problem, I started working with engineers to build a system where hand-washing water may be sanitized and reused for washing. Another doctor noticed many cases of dysentery, and recommended boiling water. As I spoke with the villagers, I discovered that firewood was scarce and they could not afford to boil water. To change that, I purchased and tested an energy-efficient wood stove that could use excess heat from cooking to boil water. The third doctor was a physical therapist and she noticed that the local girls carried heavy items on their heads, straining their necks and backs. She offered an excellent class on how to relax neck and back muscles. I, on the other hand, began working with engineers on an A-framecarrying device that would help spread the load.

I am an observant engineer with an eye at solving problems. Sometimes, bureaucracies need fresh perspectives and solutions. And I will bring that perspective.

Q:

Tony Thurmond has been criticized for not playing a more central role during the pandemic. How would you have led during it? What would you have done differently?

A:

California is a big state, and every school district is different. In the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I would have, working with the staff, outlined multiple options, i.e., for urban, suburban and rural schools. Each school district could then opt for the path most suitable to its situation. For each of these options, the state could offer a combination of technical support and financial resources, as well as guidelines to protect student privacy, and ensure accountability. Also, the state would provide adequate support to meet the needs of low-income kids and single-parent kids.

Q:

Awareness of California’s persistent achievement gap and concerns about student and teacher mental health have been heightened during the pandemic. What, specifically, would you do to address this?

A:

Teachers’ mental health is very important both for their effectiveness teaching as well as for teacher retention. We should provide some guidelines for local districts to work with local nonprofit organizations, including religious institutions such as churches and temples, to offer private and in-person consultation. Teachers need someone to talk to from time to time. At the state level, we could build a volunteer network of veteran teachers, retired teachers and mental health professionals, and offer a hotline for teachers who may need to talk to someone who can understand their needs.

Q:

California is facing a teacher shortage, which was only made worse during the pandemic. What is your specific plan to address this?

A:

We need to encourage more people in trade and industries to become parttime and full-time teachers. For example, current and retired accountants could be