Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
Nothing is more important for the future of Chicago than improving our Public Schools.
Why are you the most qualified candidate?
I have extensive experience in the financing of education and am a proven education problem solver.
What is the biggest issue facing your specific school board district?
The 4th District has good schools. District 4 residents support the improvement of schools in other districts but are concerned and will object to any actions that are detrimental to schools in the 4th.
How has your district been impacted by the shuttering of CPS schools?
As residents of Chicago, people in the 4th District share the pain that school closings have inflicted.
How have your district’s schools been impacted by students who are new arrivals to the U.S. and how should CPS best accommodate those students and families?
The 4th District has some of the most diverse student populations in the city. In some schools dozens of languages are natively spoken. CPS should support and take advantage of the head start that immigrants bring to the study of multiple languages.
How do you believe the school board should handle the looming fiscal crisis at Chicago Public Schools?
CPS spending should prioritize classroom spending, shift the funding of Teacher Pensions to the State as every other District in the Illinois does and only spend what it has on current operating expense.
A moratorium on closing CPS schools is set to expire in January. Should CPS consolidate more schools?
As the student population of the city ebbs and flows the physical infrastructure needs will also change. The uproar and pain that school closings have should be weighed very carefully against the minimalist "savings" that are projected and more importantly realized when schools are closed.
What is your position on closing selective enrollment schools?
I am opposed to closing selective enrollment schools.
What is your position on charter schools?
Charters are part of our current system and should be allowed to continue to operate if they perform. The assessment of charters should be similar to the assessment of regular CPS schools. If any type of public school is not performing, support and improvement should be planned. The timing of Charter renewals for schools that are operating well should be extended to a minimum of five years cycles.
Is your campaign being supported by the Chicago Teachers Union?
No
The Chicago Teachers Union wants the district to focus on retrofitting schools with equipment that will battle the effects of climate change. Is spending money that way right now a good idea with the massive deficit the district faces?
Schools obviously should have operational HVAC. CPS's primary focus should be improving student achievement not solving Global Climate Change.
What is your biggest priority and what do you hope to accomplish on the Chicago Board of Education?
My goal is to bring focus and resources of CPS to student academic achievement. The Board should ask the CEO to make further efforts to dramatically improve the level of third grade reading.