Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
I am running for the school board so that every student across our district can go to a fully resourced school where they feel welcome and safe. I’m running to be a voice for working and immigrant families to ensure opportunity and access for all our students, no matter where they live or where they come from. I am running to protect our schools and students from attacks by the federal government. And I’m running against corporate and outside interests that want to extract money from our public schools instead of investing in our students by making the wealthy pay their fair share.
If I am elected to retain my seat, I will continue advocating for my existing top priorities on the Board:
- Increasing funding for CPS
- Prioritizing neighborhood schools, and
- Improving student mental health
Every child at CPS should be able to walk to a fully resourced school. Too many schools are over-crowded, lack adequate mental health professionals, and have a lack of arts and extracurricular programming. We must advocate in Springfield to ensure that the legislature delivers on their commitment to Evidence-Based Funding (EBF), and that the legislature considers new revenue options that make the wealthy pay their fair share so our schools get the funding our students deserve.
Are you in support of the most recent CPS budget that relies on uncommitted state funding?
I joined with a majority of the CPS Board of Education to reject a budget that would have laid off teachers and staff that support special education students. I instead voted to approve a budget that maintains funding for classrooms. The amended budget increases the dollar amount that would come from the state — funding that could be approved as soon as the fall veto session.
The State of Illinois has a constitutional obligation to fully fund its schools in Chicago and statewide, and for many years it has not fulfilled that obligation. Historically, the Board has let the State off the hook by cutting the budget to accommodate their lack of action. In voting yes, I am proud to stand with a coalition that is putting the General Assembly on notice that cuts are not acceptable, and we will not pass a budget with harmful reductions that will impact students until every possible avenue for additional funding is explored.
How will you work with CPS officials and staff to balance the district’s budget?
In 2017, the State passed the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act (EBF), a law which asserted the state’s responsibility to fund public schools and established standards to fully fund schools by 2027. According to the state’s own metrics, it has not met these full funding levels for Chicago and for many other school districts statewide. Any effort to “balance the CPS budget” must acknowledge that the CPS deficit is a product of the state’s inaction. I am willing to work with all stakeholders to ensure we fully fund our public schools, and that we make responsible and transparent budget decisions. I will always make budget decisions informed by the input and experience of CPS officials and staff, as well as parents, students, community members, local elected officials, and more.
Other than the budget, what is the single biggest issue facing Chicago Public Schools?
The number one issue I hear about from students and young people in my district is mental health. Students and staff are experiencing tremendous amounts of stress and trauma due to overcrowding, lack of resources, displacement, community violence, and the attacks on our immigrant families and friends. We know that offering a high-quality education means being responsive to the emotional and mental needs of our students, and all we need to do is listen to what they are telling us directly that they need. I believe we can expand access to mental healthcare and wellness resources for our students through partnerships with community organizations and other city departments, trauma-informed curricula and frameworks, peer mentoring programs, and more.
What is a top issue for students, schools and families in your specific school board voting district?
District 3A is an incredibly diverse district, and one that is home to many immigrant families, including in the neighborhoods of Logan Square, Hermosa, Avondale, Albany park, and more. The Trump Administration and ICE’s attacks on our immigrant neighbors have been devastating, and since 2016 I’ve been involved in Know Your Rights and school watch efforts to protect our immigrant families. What I’ve heard repeatedly from my district is that they want elected leaders who are going to go above and beyond what is expected of them to fight for our communities, which is a standard I am happy to be held to as a Board Member.
If you accept campaign contributions from special interest groups, how will you maintain independence from those donors?
I come to my service on the Board as a CPS graduate, CPS mother, and an involved community member. I make all decisions in coalition, hearing about differing viewpoints before I cast a vote. I am willing to work in good faith with anyone that supports full funding for our schools, and the success and well-being of every student. I do not accept funds from charter school interests or corporate PACs.
How can current board policies and procedures be improved?
A struggle I have had as a board member has been the fact that we are constantly reacting to one crisis after another, especially in the midst of a budget crisis . This has made it difficult for the board to focus on common goals that enrich the student experience or increase student achievement. I look forward to improved communications within the first fully elected board that can help us focus and find consensus more effectively.
How should CPS and the board work to address declining enrollment?
If we want more families to choose CPS for their students, we have to demonstrate to them that every CPS school is fully resourced and offers the types of programs their child needs or wants. We must work to address the affordability crisis in our city that is pushing families out of the district. We need to support policies that increase access to affordable housing and other supports for families to keep them stable in their neighborhoods. The solution to declining enrollment is more investment, not less.
Do you foresee a need to close some district schools?
Schools are community hubs, and closing schools has not led to better outcomes. A recent University of Chicago study actually found increased gun violence in neighborhoods where schools have been closed. We can address the underlying causes of low enrollment without causing massive disruptions in the social fabric of our local communities. Investing in our neighborhood schools will reverse the trend of low enrollment and will ensure that every child has an excellent school.
Should CPS implement AI in its classrooms? What, if any, guardrails should be put in place?
We want to help students meet our digital age with the tools they need to succeed, including access to computers and the internet. While AI can be useful, the role of our schools is to teach students to think critically and independently, and to develop fundamental skills without relying on artificial intelligence. I believe that students should be taught to understand the impact of AI, but I do not support its widespread use in CPS classrooms.
The board currently includes one Honorary Student Member. As the board has recently tripled in size, should that number be expanded?
Yes, I fully support additional student representation on the board. The voices of students are critical to decisions about public education.
How will you be responsive to student-led issues?
As a parent mentor and arts educator, I have always been committed to lifting up the voices of students and parents. I have heard loud and clear from our students that access to mental health support is a huge priority and I am working to address that concern. I am also committed to working side-by-side with community partners that organize young people to create forums in the community to hear from students I represent. As a Board Member I remain committed to bringing student concerns from my district to the full board.
Did you attend Chicago Public Schools? When/Where?
I attended Monroe Elementary and Lane Tech High School.
Have you sent your children to Chicago Public Schools?
Yes, my son currently attends a Chicago Public School.
Have you ever served on a Local School Council? When/Where?
I served on the Monroe Elementary LSC from 2018-2022.
Have you ever worked for Chicago Public Schools?
I have not worked for the Chicago Public Schools, but I have worked in CPS schools as a parent mentor at Schurz High School. I am currently a CPS Board Member.
What neighborhood do you live in?
Logan Square