“Public education is one of the purest democratic principles and functions of our local and state government. It’s not just about providing education, but one grounded in the rich culture and histories of the world that will help us support our future generations. It is why I worked toward my Doctorate and have been part of CPS my entire career.”
Not one size fits all
Children are individuals with unique talents, abilities, and needs…they deserve to have a school or schools that will build their capacities, not restrict them! Neighborhood, selective enrollment, magnet, charter schools, training academies, colleges and universities, and trade schools serve all the children in Chicago. A balanced approach is necessary to support the individual unique talents, abilities, and needs of all CPS students.
Some decisions require Local Control
When I’m elected I will never forget my roots as a neighborhood HS teacher and my 8 years serving on the LSC of my childrens’ school. The Board will need to make many decisions, but I firmly believe in local control by principals, teachers, and the community to support their students. I know first hand and have seen how it unfolds in schools.
Strong Independence
I am not affiliated with any local or state elected officials or union. I firmly believe no good idea can come from a single source and requires a triangulated view. If elected, families, students, taxpayers will find that my views, answers, or ideas will come from a combination of research, whether academic and experiential or from the community by listening to parents and teachers. My responses will have a paper trail.
Budget
We need to have hard conversations here and understand our neighborhood schools can’t be neglected. This does not mean impacting the schools that are already the beacons of our City. I know we need more money to improve schools, but we cannot resort to increasing the annual property tax levy to the max as an automatic. As a Board, we have a fiduciary responsibility to the community, children and taxpayers that the money we receive is not wasted, is accounted for, and goes toward advancing student achievement (academically and social-emotionally).
Mental Health
We can’t achieve anything if our students are not in a safe environment, in a good head space, and are nourished…ask any teacher or parent out there! We live in a beautiful, diverse, vibrant district and yet we all experience our daily lives differently. By building a truly inclusive community with educators, clinicians, and doctors, we can create a place where children and families heal, feel safe and supported, and thrive. Children can’t learn if they are focused on how they will get home safely or to school on time. Our students can’t learn if they are feeling bullied inside school or because of how they identify or their religious affiliation. Our students can’t learn if they are always worried about the next social media post and what might “ping” next on their cell phones.