Why I am a candidate for Orange County Board of Education, Trustee Area 3
Raised in Southern California, I always knew I would be a teacher. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara, I began my teaching career and have taught in three public school districts. I continued my education and earned a master's degree in public policy from Claremont Graduate School and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from UC Irvine and CSU Fullerton, serving as an advocate for quality public education.
I have been married to Dr. Daryl Watkins for 28 years, a leadership coach, an author, an F-18/A pilot, and a Navy veteran. After leaving the military, Dr. Daryl Watkins founded Leadership Development and Research Consultants and continues to serve as a professor of leadership at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Together, we have raised three sons and have shown that family values and a strong sense of purpose can go hand in hand.
Inquiries welcome!
Public schools play a central role in developing and sustaining our democracy and providing value for the community. Young people spend critical and cognitive, and social years in school, learning about themselves, others, and the world. I advocate for excellence in public education for all students to receive a high-quality education that prepares them for their future.
Equity and equality are two different concepts that are often used interchangeably. Equity in education does not mean everyone gets the same thing; equity means everyone gets access to what they need. So, how can we create equitable education opportunities, narrow the gaps, and improve student learning? There are many opportunities for greater inclusion and equity in public schools.
National and local officials have introduced a wave of academic censorship. Some actively promote banning specific topics, terms, and concepts under the guise of “protecting” students. Educational censorship has implications for the future of learning and teaching. Book bans, censored identities, revisionist history, and the resulting outcomes do not construct quality education for all students.
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