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- How important do you believe excellent public schools, early-childhood and lifelong learning programs are for our community? Give specific examples.
I believe that every resident of SM deserves to send their children to a school that properly prepares them for positive participation in society. I view a school as a community within a larger community. We must nurture this unit as delicately as we nurture the other aspects of our lives. Without the structure and guidance of primary and secondary schooling we will produce adults that are not prepared properly for society.
- To what degree do you feel that protecting adequate funding for our school district, its programs, early-childhood education and after school programs is a community responsibility? Please elaborate.
We must focus on increased after-school programs. These are not new ideas, but we must take them more seriously. Enough really is enough. To have a functioning and successful society we must start with a basic right to learn and to express ourselves.
- What priority would you attach to ensuring adequate funding for our schools, after-school programs, and early childhood education in development of the city budget?
It is the Òholder of the purse stringsÓ that should view this educational debacle as one of its top priorities. It is imperative to look at the immediate effects of a successful educational system, as well as the long-term effects. I feel adequate funding for the latter is critical.
- Are you familiar with and do you fully support the agreement negotiated for the City for the agreement negotiated for the City to provide funding to the School District?Ó What was your role, if any, in crafting or passing this agreement?
None
- In the upcoming January 2007 City-School District contract discussions, do you intend to support the maximum $1 million-dollar increase indicated in agreement, provided that city revenue benchmark increases have been reached? Under what circumstances would you not be willing to do so?
I would support the increase however I feel it would be prudent for me to meet with the parties involved and further learn the intricacies of the proposed plan.
- If the SMMUSD 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 support crisis funding to the District even beyond the City-School District funding agreement?
Yes.
- Please provide specific examples of how you have supported the district and the education of our youth?
I was active with PEP LA (Peer Education Program of Los Angeles) ÒTeens education multi Cultural Teens with AIDS EducationÓ. Additionally, while attending Crossroads I participated in many community service educational activities. Any finally, in college was a respite worker working closely with autistic children. I was raised in a family in which my mother is a 27 year teacher at Crossroads and my father with LAUSD in the special education department. Education was always paramount in my upbringing.
- How have you shown leadership to ensure adequate city funding for our schools?
I have not been involved in school funding issues as of this writing.
- As a council member, what kind of leadership will you show to address school funding?
I believe we as a council must open the lines of communication by appointing a council member to act as a liaison when issues of funding are discussed. We act as unit on the issues that unit us. It is clear that the current City Council must continually be pushed by devoted educational activists and community members for the critical funds needed to reinforce the crumbling foundation that is known as our educational system.
- 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!
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