Candidate for
Member of the Board of Education; Los Angeles Unified School District; District 1

I am running for School Board because the community asked me to and because I want to be a part of the solution in helping to create stronger and healthier schools across Los Angeles.

I believe my extensive background and deep understanding of the social and economic barriers to a quality education that low-income students face, such as gangs, poverty, learning English, and living in foster and single-parent households is important when making policy. And it's that empathy, that gives me the tools to help close the achievement gap. All of those barometers and measurements are crippling in District 1 and I know that it's important, and I think I'll be able to make a difference in board decisions that reflect adequacy of resources as opposed to equal resources when some children need more than others.

The neediest children, regardless of what district they are in, should receive more resources because it benefits the entire school district. However, there should also be a plan that measures the outcome. When you pay attention to the ones with the greatest need, you always, eventually advantage the rest of us who thought we had no need at all.

I strongly advocate a "zero tolerance for dropouts" policy because if students are dropping out in third or fourth grades, administrators need to understand the causes of school abandonment to understand how to stop it. If you reduce the dropout rate to zero, the rest of us have less to fear and it all begins by laying a foundation at the elementary school level.

As a former mathematics teacher, I believe the curriculum should go beyond memorization by teaching students early on how to formulate ideas and apply fundamental math and writing skills and concepts, beliefs that are aligned with Common Core principles. In time this philosophy can help curb unemployment and other societal issues by providing students with the skills and education to compete for jobs in a global marketplace.

Our schools need to help parents become more involved by encouraging them to share parenting tips, techniques and strategies with each other, which will eventually lead to healthy habits in the home and success at school.

I don't vote on the side of anybody. I vote on the side of what I think is appropriate and best for children for the circumstance. I have been a long time supporter of teachers. I think teachers need additional support, resources, reasonable wages and benefits, professional development so that they can execute the various new reformed curricula and teaching methodologies that are to be implemented.