Cam Juarez

Who’s running for TUSD Governing Board in 2016?

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Today was the filing deadline for those interested in serving on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board.  7 people filed by the 5 p.m. deadline, so here’s the cast of candidates to choose from in the November 8th general  election.

This is a nonpartisan race for 3 school board members (unpaid volunteers). The three incumbents are Kristel Foster, Cam Juarez and Mark Stegeman, all running for re-election.

In alphabetical order from last name:

–Kristel Foster,current incumbent, elected in Nov. 2012, Program specialist – Language Acquisition Dept. at SUSD, www.fosterfortusd.com

–Cam Juarez, current incumbent, elected in Nov. 2012, Community Engagement Coordinator at Saguaro National Park, as well as their Public Information Officer, parent of son at TUSD school, https://www.facebook.cTUSDGovernigBoardMemberJuarezom/

–Betts Putnam-Hidalgo, community activist & part time teacher, ran before in 2012 and 2014,  parent of son at TUSD school, https://www.facebook.com/standwithbetts/,http://www.betts4tusd.net/

–Lori Riegel, political newcomer, Development Director for Arizona Children’s Association, Ph.D candidate in Educational leadership, daughter is graduate of University HS (TUSD school), www.lorifortusd com

–Brett Rustand, political newcomer, insurance company broker & executive, 3 children at TUSD schools, www.rustandfortusd.com

–Rachael Sedgwick, political newcomer, former teacher, 3rd year law student at UA School of law, https://www.facebook.com/sedgwickforschoolboard2016/?fref=nf, http://www.sedgwick4tusd.com/

–Dr. Mark Stegeman, current incumbent, elected Nov. 2008, re-elected 2012, Associate Professor of Economics at UA, www.stegeman4tusd.com

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Final vote tally for TUSD Governing Board election

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Pima County Elections Division finally finished up tallying the provisional and early ballots for the 2014 General Election. Here’s the final count for the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) governing board race, which was a 9 way race for 2 nonpartisan seats.

Long term incumbent Adelita Grijalva has prevailed and had been leading since election night (November 4, 2014).  The results for the 2nd seat has been close as indicated by the final tally, with incumbent Micheal Hicks winning re-election by 517 votes.

Newcomer Jen Darland (parent/activist) who came in 3rd had received many union endorsements (including Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce) and from the Arizona Daily Star and Tucson Weekly newspapers.

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TUSD candidate forum: What about standardized testing? (video)

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by Pamela Powers Hannley

Standardized testing to evaluate students, teachers, and schools is a nationwide hot button issue. Educator and author Diane Ravitch— once a supporter of No Child Left Behind, testing, and charter schools– now tours the country speaking out against high-stakes testing (like the AIMS test). From her Wikipedia page…

High-stakes testing, "utopian" goals, "draconian" penalties, school closings, privatization, and charter schools didn't work, she concluded. "The best predictor of low academic performance is poverty—not bad teachers."[7]

Ravitch said that the charter school and testing reform movement was started by "right wing think tanks like the Heritage Foundation," for the purpose of destroying public education and teachers' unions.[8] … Of Education Secretary Arne Duncan's Race to the Top program, Ravitch said in a 2011 interview it "is an extension of No Child Left Behind …[,] all bad ideas." She concluded "We are destroying our education system, blowing it up by these stupid policies. And handing the schools in low-income neighborhoods over to private entrepreneurs does not, in itself, improve them. There's plenty of evidence by now that the kids in those schools do no better, and it's simply a way of avoiding their – the public responsibility to provide good education." [Emphasis added.]

How much testing is enough? How much is too much? Here the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) board candidates' opinions on standardized testing in the video after the jump. This is the sixth video from the Drinking Liberally
TUSD candidate forum on September 26. To view all of the videos in this series,
go to my YouTube channel.

TUSD candidate forum: What about recess and PE? (video)

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by Pamela Powers Hannley

OK, I know. The elimination of recess and physical education from our schools didn't get as much media attention as removal of some other programs, but in a country of fatties, they're just as important. 

As obesity rates among US children and adults climb, it's only common sense to find funding and time in the school day for recess breaks and physical education.

Hear the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) candidates' opinions after the jump. This is the fifth video from the Drinking Liberally TUSD candidate forum on September 26. To view all of the videos in this series, go to my YouTube channel.