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- Why are you running for School Board?
I want to ensure that future generations have the same opportunities I had in our school district. As a former student of our school district, former classified staff, director of a youth-serving agency and life long resident of Santa Monica, I provide a personal connection and needed perspective on the School Board.
A quality public education is the most effective tool to reconcile social and economic inequalities. As the first male in my family to graduate from high school and enter a four-year university, I know that the doors of opportunity open with access to excellent public schools. I completed my MA. Degree and returned to my community to serve as Executive Director of a non-profit agency serving the youth of our community. It was the support of my family and the many teachers and caring adults that I encountered in public schools that have made me what I am today. I am running for re-election to continue providing hands-on leadership and accessible representation to the students, parents and workers of this great district. I want to work to make our schools a model for the nation.
- What has been your personal involvement with education in our community?
I have first hand knowledge of the workings of our school district from the perspective of a student, employee and school board member. My history of service to our school district started in 1990 when my peers at Santa Monica High elected me student body president. Since then, I completed an MA degree in Public Administration from UT Austin. As a college student I advocated for public schools and education reform in the legislative bodies of Texas and California. Also, throughout my college years, I always returned to speak in classrooms at Santa Monica High and John Adams Middle School about the importance of a college education.
From 1998 to 2000 I worked as an Outreach Specialist at Santa Monica High. I have also served as Co-chair of the Race and Discipline Task Force, Co-Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee on Equity and Equality in Education. Also, as founder and executive director of the Pico Youth & Family Center I continue to provide after-school support services to students and our schools. Since being elected to the School Board I have worked with parents, students and staff to develop policies and programs that have supported the work in the classroom that has led to gains in academic achievement. In addition, I serve as liaison to the Financial Oversight Committee and the Health and Safety DAC. I believe that the community has had the opportunity to see that I am a leader that is committed to supporting our youth and to ensuring that every student in our district reaches his/her highest potential.
- What makes you stand out among the other candidates? What special attributes, talents, and abilities will you bring to our district?
I am the only School Board Member that can say that: 1. I am a product of our school district 2. I am a former employee our school district 3. I founded a youth center that serves our youth and provides jobs for our community 4. I have management and programmatic experience as Executive Director of the Pico Youth & Family Center. In addition, I am the only elected official who lives in the Pico Neighborhood. I am a coalition builder and I see my role on the school board as an opportunity for me to give back to the schools that have given me so much. Since becoming a father I have matured and really want to build bridges to bring our community together with the goal of moving our school district forward. I believe that my background and experience will assist me in reaching this goal.
- What do you feel is the number one challenge facing our schools today?
The State of California is 41st in the nation in per-pupil funding. Our students deserve better. While on the school board I have taken a hands-on approach to addressing this problem. When our schools faced lay-offs and cutbacks that would have destroyed the progress of the past 20 years, I was the first board member to ask that the parcel tax be for $225. This action led to millions of dollars being invested in our public schools. I walked precincts and organized volunteers to pass Measure EE and Measure S. I joined the PTSA and CEPS in Sacramento to confront Governor Schwarzeneger's agenda that curtailed public school funding. Furthermore, I stood with CEPS leaders and parents on the front steps of SM City Hall to advocate for more than $6 million dollars to our school district. If re-elected I will continue to be an advocate for the public school system that has given me so much.
- Are you familiar with and do you fully support the agreement negotiated for the City of Santa Monica to provide funding to the School District? What was your role, if any, in crafting, supporting or negotiating this agreement?
Yes, and we need to ensure that the City Council keeps their word on the adjustments to increases in City tax revenue. I supported the agreement by making calls to our leaders and organizing parents to attend the City Hall speak out for the agreement.
- If the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District faced a budget crisis brought on by circumstances outside the District's control, such as by funding cuts from the State of California, would you be willing to advocate for crisis funding from either of the cities beyond the City-School District funding agreement?
Yes, supporting our public education system is the best investment we can make.
- Although standardized test scores show increasing improvement in our schools, significant differences among economic and cultural groups still exist. What can the District do to continue the overall success in academic achievement while significantly closing the achievement gap?
A quality public education is the most effective tool in reconciling social and economic inequality. That being said, the Òacademic achievement gapÓ between student groups is the most pressing civil rights issue of our time. Now more than ever, our quality of life depends in great part to our competitiveness in a global economy. Our failure to prepare all students for the demands of a multi-cultural, high-tech, knowledge-based economy will undoubtedly have detrimental effects on all facets of our society.
The road to excellent public schools is equity and equality in education. In 2001 I co-Chaired the districts' Strategic Plan on Equity and Equality in Education. We developed a set of recommendations that have guided the district in its effort to provide an empowering learning experience for all students. I supported the creation of the Equity Fund that will re-distribute resources to our schools of greatest need. Finally, we need to hold high expectations for all students and provide a rigorous curriculum with after school and summer support services for students who need them. I want to serve as an example to students who come from low-income backgrounds that through hard work anything is possible.
- What is your view of the redesign of Samohi? What do you think should be future priorities for Samohi?
I supported redesign from its inception. Despite the complaints and the pressure I received from those who opposed redesign, I voted to implement the house system at Samohi. I did this because we needed to address the fact that too many students were falling through the cracks. I feel that we need to focus on building community at Samohi. We need to stay the course of reform but we must inculcate collective decision-making from this point forward. As a former student of Samohi, I care deeply about its future development. I think we need a public relations campaign to highlight the good work of our students and faculty. Finally, we need to build on the diversity of our school. Provide more opportunities for student leadership and cultural awareness so that we can come together as one community.
- What are your views on the district Gift Policy/Equity Fund? What is the value of using a student-weighted formula in the distribution of funds? What changes do you think would improve the implementation of the Gift Policy at our schools?
I supported the gift policy/equity fund because I believe that we must care about all students and not one student should be left behind. We cannot have an honest discussion about the need for this policy without discussing the disparities of class in our society. Education is the great equalizer if we provide equal opportunities for students to develop as learners. I also believe that we need to do a better job of educating our community on the real needs of our diverse student population. We need to create new partnerships with our local businesses and colleges and universities to expand our progress beyond preK-12. We need a P-20 Education Coalition and I plan to deliver this to our community in my next term.
- What are your thoughts about how the district and school sites can encourage involvement and participation from families who have felt disenfranchised from their local school communities?
We need to revamp our community liaison/parent liaison model. Parents should be trained to give presentations to other parents on how the school system can serve them. We need a public relations campaign that supports this effort.
- Do you endorse Measure BB, the Santa Monica-Malibu School Safety and Repair (Bond) Measure on the November 7, 2006 ballot and will you actively campaign for its passage?
Yes and yes. As in the past, I will continue to be an advocate for our students and schools.
- What is a priority concern you might have regarding the district that has not been raised?
I will sustain the progress we have been making by finding ways to reduce class size. I will continue to advocate policies and programs that will raise student achievement across our district, with special emphasis on our schools of greatest need. If re-elected I will work to ensure that our teacher's and staff are respected and given an opportunity to influence the decisions that they will ultimately implement. I will continue to build a sense of community and a culture of accountability in our school district. I will use my position to promote unity and build bridges of communication between our diverse populations. Finally, I want to develop a district-wide recycling program, promote progressive student discipline policies, review the effectiveness of the middle school concept, support music and the arts and advocate for the building a new high school in Santa Monica.
For more information visit: www.vote4oscar.com or call 310-922-5122.
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