Budget
We have been told that our district is in a budgetary crisis, but the district also used bond money to renovate Ocean Shore School immediately before closing it. There is a whole wing of new classrooms that have never had students in them, and possibly never will. It is clear that if there is a budget shortfall, mismanagement of the budget is one of the reasons for it. Unfortunately, a detailed budget is not available to the public; the one we can access combines multiple expenses into single line items, obfuscating the actual details. Budgets and related documents for a public school district should be available to that public.
Funding
I believe the district should be investigating all potential sources of funding. The San Mateo County Office of Education has some grant resources already available, and we should utilize those to their fullest potential. In addition, I believe the district would benefit from having a dedicated grant writer. The role of a grant writer would be to research grants the district might qualify for, and then write and submit applications for those grants. A grant writer would also seek out grants from private philanthropic groups or education based nonprofits. Pacifica School District is in one of the most prosperous regions in the world, but it remains one of the lowest funded school districts in the Bay Area. The board should be asking themselves why that is, and how to fix it. That is an issue I would press if elected.
Board Access and Transparency
Board meeting minutes, from both the closed and open session, should be available to the public, via the district website, within 48 hours of each meeting. If a notetaker is not available for the meeting, the board should utilize a dictation software, such as the one built into most modern word processors, to take notes. AI dictation should not be used, for data security reasons, and because there is no need to pay for an AI to do what existing dictation software can do already.
Labor
I am a pro-union, pro-worker candidate. Unions keep workers safe, healthy, and paid a living wage. Any labor negotiations in the district must include representatives from all the relevant unions. Whether that is negotiations with the Teachers and faculty for salary or changes in the classrooms, or negotiations with trade unions to build and maintain the schools, we must guarantee that workers have a voice and a seat at the table.
Flock and ALPRs
I am strongly opposed to Flock and other forms of automated surveillance in our communities. There is currently a Flock camera pointed right at the entrance to Sunset Ridge, which means that every family is under surveillance when they drop off their kids. It means that camera is scanning the faces of our children, and running them through AI facial recognition databases. Flock is building a record on them before they even get to middle school. It takes only one bad actor with access to Flock to put those families and children in real danger. Flock does not belong in our communities, and especially not near our schools.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
I am opposed to the use of Generative AI (GenAI) for the creation of art, writing, or media of any kind. In a school setting, such tools can seriously damage a child’s ability to learn. When students use GenAI to write essays for them, they do not learn how to write essays themselves. For the same reason that we teach algebra without a calculator, we must teach reading, writing, music, and art, without the use of GenAI. Analytical AI tools are not the same as Generative AI tools, and often have practical uses and benefits. However, there are very limited cases where Analytical AI would be used in a K-8 school setting, and so I do not believe there needs to be an exception made for them. There should be no AI in schools.
Book Bans
Banning books is wrong, and counter to the goal of fostering curiosity and conversation in the classroom. Children should be encouraged to read, because it builds their language skills and is good for their mental health. Whether that is comic books, kindle downloads, or listening to audiobooks, we should be helping children read more, not restricting their options. There will always be judgement calls to be made about what is appropriate content for what age, but that is something we should trust our teachers and parents to decide for their students.
Transgender Kids in Sports
All children should be encouraged to play sports. If distress about gender is preventing a child from playing sports, and that distress can be lessened by playing on another team, then the child should play on the team that is most comfortable to them. Pacifica School District is a K-8 district; we don’t have high school athletes trying to get scholarships. Transition at that early of an age is purely social, and kids compete at a similar level prior to puberty. Every child can learn important lessons about teamwork and physical fitness when they are included in sports. No school board anywhere should be stopping kids from playing.
