On the Issues
The current BSD Board has done an incredible job balancing the budget and improving equitability across Boise's 50+ schools. I will continue to support a fiscally-sound, transparent budget, academic rigor and college and career readiness initiatives, and a strong team of stakeholders to lead the district through thick and thin.
As a School Board Trustee, I will include more voices in decision-making for our schools. I believe that it's time to reopen public comment at school board meetings and board members should better connect with student councils and teachers to understand multiple perspectives on how to run our schools. Here are issues that are near and dear to my heart as a student and Boise community member.
Attending a student-led event discussing issues facing Idaho's youth, including mental health struggles.
Across the country, the pandemic and other factors have contributed to a decisive decline in student mental health. Boise's schools need additional resources to adequately support students during critical times in mental and physical development. As a trustee, I'll fight for more counseling personnel and school psychologists for our students, and I'll make sure that mental health is a keystone conversation in the classroom. Learn more here.
Defending our teachers' right to teach at the Lt. Governor's Indoctrination Task Force, August 2021.
Boise Schools has the best teachers in the state. We should treat them as such. As educators are under attack by extremists statewide, it is vital that we defend our teachers' right to teach. I'm pro-union and pro-teacher, and I support the Quality Education Act (Prop 1). On the Board, I will fight for livable wages for all BSD staff and make sure that teachers have a seat at the table when making decisions regarding curriculum and governance.
I took this photo of the sunrise during first period. The sun should be up when school starts.
Students agree, teachers agree, parents agree: junior high and high school starts too early. A plethora of published science has shown that starting schools before 8:30am is detrimental to students' mental and physical health and limits academic performance. But in Boise Schools, junior high starts at 7:55am and high school at 7:45am. As a trustee, I'll work to transition our schools to an empowering, science-based start time and give students more flexibility over their schedules. Learn more here.
Students from all 4 traditional Boise high schools fighting for clean energy | Source: Boise State Public Radio
Climate change poses a major risk to students' health and wellbeing. As one of the largest polluters in Boise, it's time Boise Schools take leadership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency. With a long-term sustainability plan, we can save millions of taxpayer dollars each year and reinvest in resources students need most. Learn more here.
Students marched for climate education at the 2022 Earth Day rally for climate justice.
I learned about climate change during a single, two-week unit in 7th grade Earth Science. Boise Schools has been a leader in ensuring students are prepared to face the climate crisis, but we can do more. Climate change is the most important issue facing the world we are inheriting. We need vertically- and horizontally- integrated K-12 education on the causes, consequences, and solutions to climate change to adequately prepare students to face the problems of today and tomorrow. Learn more here.