MY PRIORITIES
Strong Neighborhood Public Schools
Each public school should be a resource-rich nucleus of the communities it serves. In order to address all the needs of LAUSD students, our schools need to be fully staffed with full-time counselors, psychiatric social workers, librarians, nurses, supervising aides, and paraprofessionals.
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Vaccination & Health
The safety and health of students, educators, and all school staff are of utmost importance and cannot be gambled. I support LAUSD’s COVID vaccine policies because our schools are safer with enforcement of science-based requirements for vaccination and protocols proven to prevent infection and sickness during this deadly pandemic.
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Equitable, Sustainable Funding
I will continue to work hard to achieve overdue investment in students of today and tomorrow like my son and thousands of other Angelenos. Our LAUSD public schools have been deprived of funds for decades, and it’s time to fix that inequity and pay up. State tax policy, including Prop 13, drastically restricts investment in public services. I will work to ensure that corporations pay their fair share of taxes so that public schools and other public institutions have the resources to serve all the people.
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Charter-School Accountability
I will apply commonsense standards of transparency, equity, and accountability to charter schools. The pattern of fraud, money laundering, and self-enrichment by some charter-school operators hurts all kids and local communities who need every dollar devoted to classroom learning. Asserting basic standards of openness, nondiscrimination in selection and retention of students, and good governance is essential to restoring trust of parents and the public. Protecting the rights of charter-school teachers, students, and families from malfeasance, exclusionary tactics, and unscrupulous misconduct requires better oversight of district charter schools.
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Small Class Sizes
Full state funding must be provided for class- size reduction, including funding for construction of appropriate classrooms. Class-size reductions should reflect appropriate curriculum development and additional support personnel. I will continue to advocate for class-size reduction initiatives with state and federal lawmakers and to make real the goal of smaller class sizes in strong neighborhood public schools.
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Reimagining School Safety
Many dollars currently spent on school police can be better invested in classrooms. As mother of a pre-teen son, I believe re-examining police presence, patrol tactics, and punishment practices would not only improve the educational experiences of students of color, but also positively influence our families, communities, and life outcomes. The school-to-prison pipeline starts with criminalizing kids. I will break this fixation and restore the focus on safe pathways of opportunity.
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Green Space & Environmental Justice
I believe green spaces significantly benefit children’s physical, mental, and social development, from infancy into adulthood. Angelenos are the most park-deprived people in America, especially in Eastside communities, despite new opportunities for exercise and recreation along the L.A. River. I will make equity in access to green space a priority by expanding the greening of our schools and other advances for environmental justice and health equity.
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African American Student Achievement
I will protect and defend the rights of Black students to receive an appropriate and equitable education in a safe, welcoming, and affirming learning environment. I support investment in counseling and mental-health services to address racial trauma and its impact on Black students and educators. Continuing the professional development of teachers and school leaders on how to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of Black students is essential. Another goal worth investing in is the preparation, cultivation, and mentoring of culturally relevant educators.
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LGBTQ+ Equity
I believe our district schools can make more progress to protect the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ students. Having worked in the office of a trailblazing, openly LGBT Board Member, I know the difference that outspoken leadership for LGBTQ+ students and families makes in overcoming denial, stigma, bullying, and discrimination. I take that mission personally. I will prioritize making ALL our schools welcoming, supportive, inclusive, respectful, and safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students.
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Early Childhood Education
The immediate and long-term cognitive benefits of a high-quality early education, including preschool, are unquestionable. I know firsthand the enduring, positive impacts of early education, and it will be my priority to provide improved access for all parents.
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Student Mental Health
The COVID-19 pandemic has set back the mental health and social-emotional well-being of many students. I want schools to be able to provide and students to have ready access to qualified psychiatric social workers and mental-health resources to address this trauma.
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Fulfilling the Promise of Special Education
I will advocate for the full funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to provide more effective services and expand opportunities for special-education students.
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