Recent Voting Record
In the February 25, 2025 Board meeting, Board members voted to close 3 schools.
I voted NO.
The three schools affected were:
Ramblewood Elementary - historically one of the top academically performing schools in ELA and Math in the FMSD.
Los Arboles Literacy & Technology Academy - one of the few model schools in Santa Clara County with a full inclusion Special Education program; many school teachers and administrators from other schools in the County regularly visited Los Arboles to learn what a successful Full Inclusion Sped. program looks like.
McKinley Elementary - one of the original schools in the FMSD, it has its roots go back to 1913, but its current building was built in 1967.
Additionally, George Shirakawa, Sr.School transitioned from PK-8 to K-6.
After much public outcry about that transition plan, and that of closing the three above-mentioned schools, I voted for us to relook at the schools individually, and to make a plan, using the data and the comments/information from the respective schools' parents/community members to adopt in lieu of the closure/consolidation plan originally voted on (which I voted NO). The other Board members voted NO on that idea I put forth.
I voted NO. Sen. Dave Cortese sent FMSD a letter (and a representative of his office read the letter in person at the Board meeting before we voted on the Closure/Consolidation recommendation), and pleaded with FMSD NOT to assess and/or sell the properties where the 3 schools are located as well.
Councilmember Bien Doan, District 7 San Jose, also pleaded with the FMSD School Board at an open-to-the public community meeting before the vote, to NOT close the 3 community/neighborhood schools which so many families depend on, and most relatives walk their children to and from their neighborhood schools. He recommended (as I agreed and recommended, too) that we look for alternatives "outside of the box" instead of flat-out school closures.
In the Board meeting prior to this Board meeting, the other Board members voted to reduce the number of Social Workers for the entire FMSD to 2 eliminating the other Social Workers from the other schools (in prior years, we had at least 1 social worker and wellness center at each school in the FMSD).
Parents, teachers, administration, and community members always praised FMSD for having a designated Social Worker at each school to help meet the social/emotional needs of all of our students. I voted NO. The other Board members voted YES to lay off the other Social Workers!
In the Board meeting immediately following the Feb. 25, 2025 Board Meeting (where it was voted to accept the Closure/Consolidation plan), the Board members voted YES to hire a property assessment team to assess the value of the properties of the schools being closed for future sale or lease. I voted NO.
I have ALWAYS stood up for Parents' Rights, for the FMSD Children's Education, and for doing what's best for the Community and Neighborhood Schools!
My voting record shows it!
