Why I'm Running

Effective school boards lead as a united team, each from their respective roles, with strong collaboration and mutual trust. 

We can:

1. Panel a commission of students, educators, administration, board and community members tasked with creating measures to reduce the chances of future strikes.

2. Create more concrete working relationships with parents and community stakeholders.

3. Restore public trust in public schools by increasing transparency among the administration and board.

Our schools aren't being fully funded by the state and federal governments as promised. Due to the fact that we live in a relatively blue part of the state, we must focus on building alliances with school board members in outstate Minnesota where funding is less readily available.

•  Special education funding from state and federal sources could reduce the district's budget burden that currently has to cover the shortfall.

• Request independent audits of MPS' budget and spending.

• Ensure charter and magnet schools are required to provide the same level of services that our public schools deliver.

• Provide pay equity and longevity for our Adult Educators.

We are in a budget crisis and there are no easy solutions.  However, when that sentence is spoken, how many of us immediately turn to “budget crisis”. We can create the community schools we desire.  

We can:

1. Removing corporate mentality from district offices and reintroducing a community-oriented approach.

2. Vetting the flow of information coming from the administration.  

3. Enact more oversight of the administration and their cabinet.

4. Ensure our budgetary priorities are ones that more reflect our values as a community and city.

Our curriculums, programming, and professional developments can provide culturally responsive teaching methods that reflect and respect the intersectionality of every one of our students. 

Implementing culturally responsive methods will:

• Center student voices and concerns

• Honor BIPOC experiences 

• Bring visibility to Indigenous People and traditions 

• Protect transgender and non-binary students

• Provide opportunities for students to connect their learning to their own lives and how they can use that information to take action

Over the past several years, MPS has been losing not only BIPOC families, but also their teachers.  Our BIPOC staff now have Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist (ABAR) protections embedded into their contracts.  This is a good first step towards addressing the needs of our current BIPOC staff as well as becoming more responsive to the specific complexities of teaching in our society and the toll it can take on educators of color.  

A Commitment to Aligning & Sustaining Resources:

RECRUITMENT

1. Dismantle the current process in how job descriptions are created and interviews are conducted.

2. Strengthen protections from 'last-in-first-out' and seniority layoffs.

3. Where are we looking to find BIPOC educators?  We can grow our own!  Who do you know that could make a positive influence on the lives of our students?

RETENTION

Once employed, our BIPOC staff need support.  Some initial steps we can take are:

1. Increase the number of ABAR mentors.  Two mentors covering the entire district is nowhere near sufficient.

2. Provide affinity spaces for BIPOC educators to brainstorm, collaborate, and receive emotional support.

3. Increase opportunities for BIPOC support staff and community members to become teachers. 

District Map with Attendance Areas and Walk Zones <Click Here>