Education

I'm a product of Santa Monica Schools. I attended Madison, Lincoln, Samohi & SMC. For my collegiate career I ventured to UCLA and then to LMU. I never left the Westside! I was a teacher at St Clement's Elementary School, a coach at Crossroads High School and worked for LAUSD at Crenshaw High School, Hamilton High School & Lincoln High School among others.

Santa Monica Schools prepared me well for the challenges in my life. I received a stellar education, had the best teachers in California and always felt the support of our community. I lived on the playgrounds of our schools when the classroom day was over. A well rounded education filled with Music, Art & Physical Education is so crucial to each child's development. Exposure to the great universities in our area as well as the ability to guide teens into valuable trades should be part and parcel of the mission of our schools.

I want our city's public schools to aim even higher. Let's reverse the trend of some parents to shun our school district and send their children to private school. Our public schools are our great melting pot. They must offer a better, more complete education than the private schools in our city. Let's provide a superb education to all children in Santa Monica through the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.

I'm so proud of my education, proud of helping others as a teacher and know how important a great, well rounded education is to a successful life. That's why I support our city's partnership with the SMMUSD. Our symbiotic relationship with our city's schools cannot be overstated. Our property values remain high because of our community's support of the schools our children and teens attend. Santa Monica's families are enriched by attracting the best and the brightest teachers to our city schools and to Santa Monica College. Our schools are world class and our students who attend them will be ready to lead the world.

Both Santa Monica College and the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District deserve our unwavering support. There is one caveat. Vigorous discussion of the issues, by both parents and students, in our schools must be encouraged!