We have decades of research on how children who feel connected, seen, and supported are children who are ready to learn.

Yet too many students (and their families) have had negative experiences with school discipline, or find themselves penalized by outdated grading and assessment practices.

I will support teachers who wish to implement grading for equity practices, and encourage educators to train in trauma-informed teaching. I support GUSD’s adoption of the Learning for Justice Standards. It is 2022, and we must be teaching our children using the best available tools and content.

GUSD supports PBIS and Restorative Practices. It is part of the Board’s mission to make sure each and every student is supported, even when they make mistakes (especially when they make mistakes).

As a Board member, I will ensure that schools are actually practicing positive behavior methods rather than punishing children with no way to repair harm. Students who are victims of bullying must truly be supported.

I will make sure there is an audit of disciplinary practices district-wide: Which children are being disciplined in GUSD? How is surveillance video being used (or not) to investigate conflicts?

Having concrete data will allow each school site to ensure equitable practices. GUSD currently spends $1 million annually to put School Resource Officers on campus, but we continue to have safety breaches on campus, fights, and students reporting bullying. This money may be better spent on counselors. 

My commitment to class size reduction will also have benefits for school behavior. It is very hard to manage a class with nearly 40 students, no matter how skilled the teacher is.