A genuinely inclusive school system is one where diversity is not only acknowledged but celebrated, where every student sees their identity and experiences reflected in their education. We should foster a school system where the discussion of topics advanced by the Black Lives Matter movement, the school system’s gender-inclusive guidelines, the erasure of Palestinian identity by excluding it from the history books, and the crimes of settler colonialism, are separated from the notion of controversial issues. Our safety and security is guaranteed only when we guarantee safety and security for all students.

What we see today is the selective application of inclusive acts with lip service given to some students but not others based on their identities. We see our elected officials using race and LGBTQ rights to advance corporate welfare and launder corrupt reputation. All the big talk about fighting against book banning by Moms for Liberty and standing up against white supremacy to protect Black rights has been rendered hollow given the school’s system lack of collective response to the climate of fear created by white supremacy shrouded with Zionism. Inclusivity needs to be intentionally and actively practiced for ALL students, especially when it is difficult and politically unpopular.

Unfortunately, the school system currently falls short of this ideal. This is evidenced by the way the school system and county responded to October 7 - the collective statements of condemnation - versus the deafening silence since then as Apartheid Israel and America with the help of the West bring down unimaginable pain and suffering on thousands of people. Almost every jurisdiction in the US has displayed this shocking level of hypocrisy and racism. The school system actively censored and discouraged walkouts by students and failed to curb the climate of fear that many teachers face.

Inclusivity in practice means ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, feels safe and supported, particularly those who may feel marginalized by the existing system. This includes fostering an environment that upholds gender identity without stigma or the need for parental consent for affirming student names and pronoun requests, and one where the curriculum presents an honest depiction of history, free from censorship or whitewashing.

Building an inclusive school system is the cornerstone for creating a society that values and uplifts every individual. It is about transforming our schools into places where the fear of retribution for advocacy is replaced by the celebration of diverse voices and where every policy and action taken by the Board of Education moves us closer to this goal.

Our school system's budget has long been a facade of “full funding”, which is far from the reality. The budget often reflects what the County Administration dictates, not what the schools truly need, giving the false impression that the schools receive "everything" requested. This misrepresentation leads to a decline in the level of service, teacher and staff reductions, increased deferred maintenance, and cuts to critical programs, including those vital to Special Education.

The maintenance of effort (MOE) funding purportedly provided by the county is based on the previous year's budget, which does not reflect current service levels or account for program cuts, making it misleading to consider MOE as adequate funding. This systemic underfunding not only hinders our ability to meet the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future’s $60,000 minimum starting salary for teachers by 2026 but also fails to address the financial challenges of living and working in Howard County. There is also a question whether enrollment count should be the only metric used to determine the budget. Level of service should also play a major role.

Moreover, underperformance in schools predominantly attended by children of color is a pressing concern. A truly inclusive school system would address disparities by improving teacher-to-student ratios, particularly in these schools. Not only is the Gaza genocide impacting Palestinian American students and families in our school system, the bombs and other military equipment funded by our taxpayer dollars take away from our schools. Howard County alone sends $4 million plus to Israel. We could hire at least 66 teachers earning $60,000 for that money. Note that there are no Federal laws that allocate dollars to local communities for school funding. However, we as a community should demand that our government stop sending our taxpayer dollars to kill children in other countries. Rather, we as a community should keep our taxpayer dollars at the local level to build our schools to educate our children.

As a Board member, I will push for a budget that truly reflects the needs of our school system, ensuring equitable, quality education for every student and fair compensation for our educators.

My commitment is unequivocally towards mitigating school overcrowding and eliminating dependency on trailers through the construction of new educational facilities. This mission will be aggressively advanced by seeking supportive legislation at both state and county levels, capitalizing on my established record of advocacy in these arenas.

The core of my campaign lies in the responsible and transparent procurement of funds for school construction. Given the complexities and potential long-term encumbrances associated with Public-Private Partnerships, my inclination is towards the utilization of school bonds. These instruments offer a clear, accountable funding source, reflecting our communal ethos and providing a stable foundation for educational growth.

In my previous role on the Spending Affordability Advisory Committee, I developed a nuanced understanding of fiscal policies which I will employ to critically assess revenue streams and expenditures concerning the county’s educational development. This includes meticulous scrutiny of zoning and land use decisions, which are instrumental to the quality and funding of our education system.

I am driven to ensure that our fiscal policies are not just supportive but are specifically tailored to elevate the Howard County Public School System. My position on the Board will be utilized to endorse policies that reinforce school financing, thus guaranteeing that our schools are equipped to deliver the highest standard of education.

Our school district faces a critical challenge with capacity, which is evident in the reliance on 129 relocatable classrooms at elementary levels, 53 at middle schools, and 56 at high schools (2023 numbers). These trailers are not just a temporary fix; they pose significant health and safety risks, with reports of mold and lack of robust security features found in permanent buildings.

Furthermore, the allocation of $2 million for additional relocatable classrooms in the 2023 Howard County Capital Budget, and the continued investment of $1.5 million annually, is a stark reminder that our approach to managing school capacity is misaligned with the actual needs and growth of our student population. This misalignment has resulted in stark disparities in travel times for students and overcrowding in various parts of the county.

This situation has been exacerbated by a failure to anticipate the correlation between residential growth and school capacity, leading to a staggering deferred maintenance backlog exceeding $500 million. Compounding this is the county's oversight in not collecting sufficient funds from school surcharge legislation, resulting in a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars that could have been invested in our schools.

Lastly, it is not clear whether the school system has implemented best practices from lessons learned after the pandemic. For instance, the benefits of regular testing for COVID/Flu and promoting masking measures based on certain objective metrics could help reduce student and staff absences thereby improving educational outcome and reducing county costs in terms of employee benefits. Also, as our water supplies become increasingly prone to various risk of contamination, what are we doing to mitigate the impacts.

My platform commits to rectifying these issues by pushing for proactive planning and budget allocation that ensures our schools are not just sufficient in number, but safe, healthy, and conducive to learning for all students. It's time to prioritize our children's educational environment and bring our facilities into the 21st century.

As a Board of Education candidate, my platform is centered on reforming our school transportation system to reflect our community's need for transparency, safety, and efficiency.

First, the revised Policy 5200, which suspended bus services for nearly 3,500 students without public input, requires significant changes. This policy change failed to consider the diverse needs of our student population, leading to increased traffic congestion and safety risks. My goal is to restore bus services, ensuring no child's education is hindered by lack of transportation.

Second, I will address the concerns raised by the School System’s Transportation Service Delivery Plan/School Start Time Initiative report. The merging of start time shifts with bus contract changes lacked a clear rationale and transparent communication, as evidenced by the report's admission of minimal stakeholder pushback. I firmly believe in the importance of robust public engagement in such critical decisions.

Third, where was the technical oversight at the beginning of the Zum contract execution? The record shows that Board members did not demand adequate time to perform their oversight obligations. Why? HCPSS paid tens of thousands of dollars for consultants to develop new routes. How do we know they are good if Board members didn't ask questions about the route optimization? These are the sorts of evaluations I performed as a member of the Spending Affordability Advisory Committee.

Lastly, the contract's execution with Zum and subsequent service inconsistencies have shown the risks of relying on a single bus operator. I propose that HCPSS move toward owning and maintaining its own bus fleet. This will not only enable direct control over transportation services but also prevent a monopoly situation, which could lead to a stronger negotiating position for contractors like Zum, potentially increasing costs and reducing service levels.

Moving toward a school-owned bus system would increase accountability and help establish good-paying union jobs for our community members.

My vision includes leveraging my advocacy experience to push for legislative changes at the county and state levels. This will ensure adequate funding and support for a self-operated bus system, thereby minimizing external dependencies. While no solution is without its challenges, I am committed to exploring all options to provide a stable, long-term answer to our transportation issues.

In response to the transformative impact of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) on the global job market, our school system needs a comprehensive strategy to prepare students for the future workforce. With automation expected to displace 85 million jobs while creating 97 million new ones by 2025, according to the World Economic Forum, it's crucial that our education system adapts to equip students with the necessary skills to thrive in this evolving landscape.

Our school system should integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and coding education across all levels, recognizing the importance of digital literacy and problem-solving skills in the age of automation. Not all children will grow up to be coders, nor will they need to. However, we are entering an age where coding literacy will be part of a basic competency requirement similar to reading, writing, and math literacy.

At the same time, we should emphasize the development of soft skills such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration, which are vital in a job market where human empathy and emotional intelligence are irreplaceable by machines. This in conjunction with the development of automation proof trade jobs.

The inclusion of ethics in technology within the curriculum to prepare students to make responsible decisions and understand the broader implications of technological advancements is critical. Expanding Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs will offer practical skills in emerging industries, while fostering a culture of lifelong learning will ensure students can adapt to new roles as the job market evolves. The school system needs to address the increasing prevalence of using AI Large Language Models such as ChatGPT to complete homework assignments.

Partnerships with industry are essential to provide real-world experience, and enhanced guidance counseling will help students navigate future career paths. Investing in education technology research and development will further personalize learning and improve outcomes.

The school system should work to create an educational environment that not only prepares students for the challenges of automation but also empowers them to excel in the future job market. This approach is an investment in our students' long-term employability and success, ensuring they remain competitive and adaptable in a rapidly changing global economy.