Candidate for
Board Member; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District

The Mountain View Los Altos School Board has voted unanimously for 8 years in a row. In my experience as a board member in the private sector, healthy boards of directors do not agree unanimously that often, especially 100% of the time. Engaged board members initiate action of their own or on behalf of their constituents; they do not simply vote affirmatively and unanimously on each and every action put before them by the school district's superintendent year after year.

An effective school board actively manages their subordinate, the district superintendent. The board does not act as the superintendent's rubber stamp. The board offers a powerful, safe (retribution-free) avenue for residents, teachers, and students to point out problems with their school district. Our local school board is comprised of 5 elected community members whose duty, among others, is to meet willingly with any resident or stakeholder to discuss issues of concern to them. A healthy school board is comprised of people who have kids attending district schools, providing board members with daily feedback on what's going on in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in other school programs.

I have two sons, including one who just graduated from MVHS and one who is a freshman. I have been a close observer of the school district for the past 4 years and will continue to be for the next four.

I also have 9 years of board experience in the private sector to bring to bear on the MVLA board, and served as CEO of a $40 million company with over 450 employees. If you want to improve our school district, you must choose people for school board who will think critically and independently, and will meet with constituents and then champion their legitimate causes at the board level. To choose the person you know, or your friend, isn't doing the school district any good; you need to determine which of the candidates will bring scrutiny and leadership skills to the board--our local high school students, teachers, and parents deserve no less.

I support term limits for school board members just as we have at both Los Altos and Mountain View city councils. This is a critical objective to ensure that the board is regularly reinvigorated with fresh, new perspectives and eliminate the "incumbent advantage" in such important local elections. Board members in neighboring school districts have a tradition of retiring after their children have graduated. Term limits will also prevent board members from viewing this position as their principal retirement activity for decade after decade.

Kids in our two high schools are under way too much stress, much of which can be reduced or eliminated. Nearly 1 out of 6 juniors surveyed had contemplated suicide. Rather than simply add more and more AP classes to our curriculum, we need to look for ways to reduce stress.

Latino students and other under-achieving kids have been getting a bad deal for too long. Talk of "narrowing the achievement gap" has been going on for decades. New board members will bring fresh ideas to fix this problem faster.