Priorities
Keep Students Safe
I am committed to ensuring that students, teachers, and staff at all Newport-Mesa’s schools are kept safe. This commitment to safety has earned me the support of the rank-and-file Fire Fighters and Police Officers who risk their lives serving the residents and families of Newport Beach.
Students cannot learn and teachers cannot teach if they spend their time at school in fear. The School Board must protect our schools from threats of violence coming on to our campuses, and students who bully others or disrupt their classrooms must be properly disciplined.
Revive Academic Achievement
The Newport-Mesa Unified School District was once the best public school district in Orange County. This is sadly no longer true. 40.52% of Newport-Mesa’s students are not proficient in English, and 51.86% are not proficient in Basic Math.
The School Board needs to make reviving academic achievement its top priority. Our schools must return to the fundamentals of education that have a long history of proven success. By doing this we will prepare all students to become productive members of our society in the rapidly changing economy of 21st century America.
Protect Taxpayers
The taxpayers of our community fund the Newport-Mesa Unified School District with minimal State funding. Accordingly, the School Board must be held accountable to the taxpayers of our community, who fund the schools whether they have children in school or not.
The School Board’s top spending priority needs to be investing in students and their classroom teachers. We can do it without raising any taxes. In the last five years, student enrollment has fallen 13.59%, the number of teachers employed has been reduced 1.15%, yet school district administrative staff has jumped 36.71%.
Defend Parents Rights
Parents are the most important people in any child’s life and should always be involved in every aspect of their children’s education. Our schools function best when they recognize parents as essential partners to be empowered rather than obstacles to be avoided.
No parent can fulfill their fundamental role as a protector and decision-maker for a minor child when our schools are withholding vital information from them. Parents have both the right and responsibility to know about all aspects of their child's school experience, including health concerns, behavioral issues, and matters of identity development.
Represent Newport Beach’s Values
Newport Beach is a special place and the jewel of Orange County. It is a place where families thrive and success is celebrated. Unfortunately, the majority of the Newport-Mesa School Board no longer represent the values of community. Instead, they are beholden to the career politicians in Sacramento, resulting in a decline in standards in our school district.
