Activist Toolkit

1. What motivates you to seek this office? What skills, experiences, and perspectives would you bring to the Board, and why would those contributions be valuable to District 201?

As a life-long resident of Cicero, my biggest motivation to run for office is the opportunity to give back to my community. I see a reflection of myself in these students because not too long ago I wore the same uniform. If elected, my hope is that students and community members alike will see someone on the board who has gone through similar experiences and truly feel represented. Furthermore, I believe I am the leader that is unafraid to hold fellow board members accountable for their actions. I believe we should implement grading policies that will challenge and benefit our students. Since my time in high school, I have protested the change in grade policy that has increased passing rates at the expense of academic standards. Those who know me, whether it have been during my time as Student Trustee at the University of Illinois Springfield, or as a Policy Advisor for State Representative Lisa Hernandez, know that I am not afraid to speak up for what I believe in and I will work tirelessly until I have achieved favorable results.

2. What do you think makes an effective School Board Member?

An effective school board member should first and foremost have the community’s best interests in mind and actively work to keep an ear to the community. In addition, an effective Board Member is characterized as someone who is willing to engage in healthy dialogue with the local board members, whether it be other school boards or local governments, and community members in order to reach the best solutions.

3. When in your experience have you had to balance competing interests? What process did you use? What did you learn?

[Candidate did not answer.]

4. What does transparency in government mean to you? How would you put it into practice?

Transparency should be at the forefront of every governing body. In order to ethically serve the community, it is important for the board to discuss pertinent issues and challenges facing our schools with the community. This means sharing bad news, as well as good news. This allows for accountability among the board members. In order to be transparent, I will urge for the monthly board meetings to be held at a reasonable time, that accommodates the needs of the working class family and also accommodates to those that need translation. A goal of mine is to make sure information in the school’s monthly newsletter is easy to understand, and translated into Spanish.

5. In what ways have you sought to better know and understand the concerns and needs of residents outside your demographic group (specifically the demographic groups of race, religion, ability, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status)?

I think that is what makes Cicero, Berwyn, Lyons, and Stickney such a beautiful place to live in. Living in such a diverse community means that we need to be extra attentive to the needs of different groups within our community. This goes back to school board meetings. We need community input! During my canvassing efforts I have made it a personal goal of mine to speak with as many residents in different areas outside of areas that I am familiar with so I could learn more about what the needs of those students in different areas around our community are.

6. Some have advocated for a shift from policing and surveillance in schools toward restorative justice, mental health, and supportive services in schools. Do you believe in these approaches? If so, how would you move this work forward?

I fully support a shift toward restorative justice, mental health, and supportive services in schools. Policing and surveillance alone do not address the root causes of problematic behavior. It is the responsibility of leaders within the school to provide students with the appropriate support services to help them perform their best.

7. As more of our local discourse happens in social media, what is your view on how local elected officials should communicate with and respond to constituents? How will you engage with the breadth of the community, and not just the voices that are loudest or easiest to find?

Social media is a valuable tool by which local elected officials can connect with more constituents. Nonetheless, it is important to engage community members through multiple outlets including door-knocking to raise awareness on issues, posting flyers in public spaces, and attending community events.

8. How should the District assess its policies and progress with respect to special needs and the achievement gap? As a Board Member, what metrics will you use to determine whether the District is succeeding?

Speak with teachers to assess the needs of all students. Current metrics already in place can already tell us where we are performing low in and that is when we need community and teachers, along with the administration to come up with creative and unique solutions that cater to the needs of the students in our community but also challenge our students to perform at their very best.

9. How can the district act to support social and emotional learning for students?

Speak with teachers to assess the needs of all students. Current metrics already in place can already tell us where we are performing low in and that is when we need community and teachers, along with the administration to come up with creative and unique solutions that cater to the needs of the students in our community but also challenge our students to perform at their very best.

10. How will you support budgetary decisions that better account for differences in student and neighborhood needs and resources? Will you prioritize reinvestment within our schools that primarily service Latinx and African American students?

My co-candidate Esteban has brought such an important issue to the forefront of our campaign and that building resiliency through trauma-informed practices and Adverse Childhood Experience awareness. This is something that I knew very little about prior to the campaign but it has truly opened my eyes to the importance of being able to cater to the needs of our students. I want to make sure that all our students regardless of their past or current situations at home, can come to school and feel a welcoming and warm environment.

11. How do you strive to decolonize education? What work have you done personally and professionally to support this process?

Vote in favor of budgetary decisions that better account for differences in student and neighborhood needs and resources. With the state’s new legislation, I want to make sure that every dollar we spend is for the benefit of our students and their needs. I am tired of administration using tax dollars frivolously and constantly ignoring the needs of our students. I will prioritize reinvestment without our schools that primarily service Latinx and African Americans.

12. What have been your most useful sources of information about secondary education? Have you found any research to be particularly informative?

During my time as a Policy Advisor with State Representative Hernandez, I was in charge of creating an outline for an internship opportunity that would encompass the work and teachings of Cesar Chavez. This would allow for a different side of history that is rarely talked about in our schools. Let’s invest not only in traditional learning environments but also extra-curricular like the Junior States of America that exposed me to different groups of students from all over the country.

13. Please list the three largest donors to your campaign by dollar amount contributed.

$500- Eduardo Robles
$300- Jose Leon
$270.38 Edwin Robles

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[The above answers were supplied on 3/18/19. It may be possible to find more current financial information at the Illinois Sunshine website. Illinois Sunshine is also a useful resource for identifying past contributions by individuals to political candidates and committees in Illinois.]