Why I'm Running Now
The purpose of our public school system is to provide our students with a world-class education and help them to grow into stand-up participants in our society. Rocklin has established a reputation for great schools and it is reflected in the real estate market because it remains a desired school district for parents to enroll their children. This is not guaranteed though when poor decisions are made. In recent years, I watched the current board trustees of Rocklin Unified make decision after decision which was not in the best interest of students.
Rocklin Unified School District has already featured in far too many local, state, and national news stories for policies and incidents that reflect poorly upon the students and our community.
Rocklin needs a leader who will center the students in decision making, who is supported by the teachers of Rocklin Unified, and who is a dedicated community member.
Taxpayer Dollars
The current board is holding excessive financial reserves in funding while asking the residents of Rocklin to approve a new $288 million dollar bond that voters will be paying as a tax for years to come. I'll right-size the financial reserves so Rocklin residents are not subject to unneeded tax burden.
Legal Costs
Legal risks and expenses are piling up under current board leadership. Every dollar spent on legal battles is a dollar not supporting the education of our students. I'll make decisions that direct funds to improving educational outcomes rather than paying for lawyers.
Curriculum Compliance
Our current board has delayed new curricula for our students without explanation, wasting taxpayer dollars, and leaving our students with outdated lessons. I'll work to fast-track these approvals so our kids are prepared for their next step.
Personal Beliefs
The city of Rocklin continues to grow each year in size and diversity. A board trustee should never make decisions which put the development of students second to personal beliefs which are not reflective of the full community of Rocklin. When a trustee will not put students' education ahead of their own personal beliefs, they are not the right match for the job.
Staff Relations
In the past, the RUSD board maintained a professional and collaborative relationship with the staff of RUSD. In recent years, a wedge has been driven between the working relationship of the board and staff leading to tensions between the two. And it nearly led to a strike. Student-learning should not be impacted by broken relations between elected board members and career staff.