Running for office was never really something I thought of as possible. I鈥檓 too mercurial to speak sagely with people with whom I fundamentally disagree. I mean, I can nod and say, 鈥渉mm, that鈥檚 interesting,鈥� without rolling my eyes too hard, but then I run away and call my friends who offer rehabilitative support. I do believe that most people are good and that we can meet in the middle most of the time, but there are some subjects I鈥檓 too entrenched in to be persuaded. But, I am good at supporting people who I believe do good work and compromise about issues without compromising their values.
Four years ago, when David Garcia ran for governor, I campaigned for him鈥攎y first time going door-to-door to try to persuade people to do something. I had thought this kind of work would be impossible for me too. I don鈥檛 like to answer my door or my phone, so the idea that I should be the one calling or knocking seemed antithetical to my being. But, here鈥檚 the trick about canvassing鈥攙ery few people actually answer their door. You can leave literature for your candidates on their porch and then run way. After being ignored by so many, you actually get excited when someone answers, and you can talk to them about the upcoming election and make sure the door-answerers plan to vote. They always say they will. And I believe them.
I鈥檝e been knocking on doors for Kristine Pavlik and Erik Sather who are running for FUSD school board. It鈥檚 a non-partisan, fully-volunteer position. Back East, school board members are paid a reasonably salary, but with many districts in the education-funding starved West, it鈥檚 only those who are truly committed who are willing to do this work.
It鈥檚 easy to campaign for people who you know are willing to work on behalf of students. Plus, sometimes you meet people like the older woman I met who was having her morning beer and placing football bets. Her dog was very small and very protective. The three of us are friends now.
I鈥檝e known Kristine since she served on the Parent Teacher Organization at Puente de Hozho. She, who has three kids and a full-time job, managed to make every meeting. I made every third. Maybe. I ascribed my inconstant attendance to my job and kids. Kristine didn鈥檛 make excuses. She knows as much about Arizona education policies as the authors of those policies know. And she knows how they affect students. This legislative season, our 鈥渞epresentatives鈥� did a number on education鈥攎aking laws about what could and could not be taught, what rules school boards and schools had to follow, and finding new and improved ways to scoop out funding from public schools. Kristine Pavlik can speak to each of these issues鈥攁nd in ways that advocate for students.
Erik Sather, who also has kids in public schools, and, full disclosure, is married to me, is running with Kristine. His platform is similar to Kristine鈥檚: advocate for students, advocate for teachers, advocate for parents, stop the bulldozing of public school funding and promoting the amazing stories of the work happening at FUSD. These good stories include: students who received full rides to Ivy League schools, have won athletic championships, have built robots and solar-powered machines, have learned to speak Navajo, have taken dual enrollment classes in English and/or Anatomy and Physiology, have won the Poetry Out Loud statewide contest and who get forty-seven emails per day inviting them to apply to their colleges.
As I鈥檝e written before, charter schools and vouchers are hard on public schools. They scoop out funding and then point at the big hole in the ground and say, 鈥渓ook, there鈥檚 a no funding in that big excavated hole鈥濃�攃reating a perpetual cycle of scooping and pointing, pointing and scooping.
But as much as the state legislator, the governor who is sadly not David Garcia, and some others who are running for school board may want them to, Erik and Kristine and countless parents, students and teachers, are not giving up. In fact, they鈥檙e digging in鈥攃reating more and better programs, finding new ways to teach dynamically and responsively and bringing more energy, creativity and hope to this already-incredible school district.
I don鈥檛 know if it鈥檚 possible for you, dear reader, to canvass with me. I too thought it was impossible but it really is kind of fun. And, if that does prove impossible, I hope you can spread the word about two incredible school board candidates. Oh, and don鈥檛 forget to write the City Council candidates names in the blanks. Although Pavlik and Sather may be tricky names, their names are already on the ballot. The good news is for City Council It鈥檚 easy enough to spell House.