Candidate Q&A

If you have kids – Do they attend or have they graduated from IPS schools? If not, where do/did they attend?

I have three children and they all attend IPS Eliza Blaker 55.

What prompted you to run this year?

I am interested in running for three reasons, 1. I am concerned with the future of IPS for my children and all the children that attend because I have a strong belief in the value of public education, 2. I have seen the shift in the political landscape at the postsecondary level and I believe I have the expertise to make a positive impact on the board because of my experiences, and 3. I was asked to run by trusted members of my community. They have witnessed how I helped navigate challenging situations in our school community and asked me to serve them at a district level.

What is the most pressing student needs issue facing the district? How will you address it?

I believe there are several pressing student needs issues in the district, especially when we factor in equity and how different students require different resources. What I will say for this question is students need stability overall. Students should be able to consistently attend school without the fear of losing their community of peers and teachers. They should experience a strong community that they can trust to educate them and keep them safe. Children thrive off routine, yet with the various choices in IPS and the financial challenges that require cutting staff, the children lack that routine and stability. I plan to address this by supporting the cultural shift required for families to view the IPS schools in their community as the best options for their families. I also plan to advocate alongside the teachers union for more resources to keep high quality teachers. IPEC will also need to consider what changes must occur at the district level to manage the financial constraints. A strategic vision for the future must be implemented that accounts for the shift in school age children attending schools. IPS requires a longterm strategy that is developed with the support of community members. My background makes me well positioned to support the development of that strategy.

What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?

My teaching philosophy is rooted in humanism and the holistic education of children that incorporates their lived experiences. Therefore, I cannot currently say one area of focus. I think all children require a well balanced education that incorporates humanities and physical education. For example, if I were to say we must focus on literacy, one could interpret that as a focus on reading. However to me literacy could include math because of financial literacy, or health courses because of health and wellness literacy. Literacy could also include art because interpretation and context is a major feature of how we consume and create artworks. Art also connects to music in that way, if you take those two specialties separately. I want to see a district that can educate children as entire beings, not ones to be tracked into particular professions.

As Indianapolis education begins this new phase with the addition of IPEC, how should the board approach its relationship with IPEC?

Once IPEC has established governing documents, goals, and future directions, my hope is that they will dictate how to approach the relationship with IPS. IPEC as an organization was deemed necessary by the state legislature, therefore, it is not IPS’s responsibility to shape the relationship. The corporation is a regulatory requirement, and IPS should meet the requirements as determined by the law.

Do you support the IPEC referendum and the rate? Why or why not?

Yes, I support the referendum. No, I do not support the rate. I do not believe the rate is commensurate with the scope and the needs of IPS. However, I realize IPS is in a financial position where the referendum is necessary regardless of the rate provided. I would like to see more evidence of need from the charter public schools to justify the split of referendum funds.

IPS recently made budget cuts and will need to make more cuts even if the referendum passes. What will be your approach to budget cut decisions? Are there other ways IPS can bring in money beyond the referendum?

My understanding is IPEC is to support the management of transportation and operations for IPS and other charter schools in Indianapolis. Therefore, it would mostly be under IPECs purview to bring in more money to benefit IPS beyond the referendum. If this is not the case, we need to question the purpose of IPEC. Once elected, I will work with IPEC when necessary as well as work with the IPS foundation to advocate for and determine other funding sources to support the needs of IPS.

How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?

Community engagement is an essential feature of being an elected official. Just like I run my campaign, I will maintain the communication systems I’ve already developed to interact with the community once elected to the board. I believe transparency is necessary, so I plan to share information about policy decisions, how to access policies and practices, and how to weigh in on new decisions. I want the community to see their voices highlighted in the decisions, and when that is not possible, I want to make them aware of the choices and why we had to choose differently.

Outside money to fund campaigns has been a huge factor in previous IPS school board elections. Will you accept any donations from outside special interest groups? Why or why not?

I will not accept funds from special interest groups that do not align with my values. I am running a grassroots campaign that prioritizes communities over wealthy corporations. More specifically, I do not align with corporations that see themselves in competition with IPS that would strip funding away from the district to serve different outside interests.