No Kids? No Problem.
Why Portland’s Schools Desperately Need Voices Like Mine on the Board.
Portland Public Schools (PPS) belongs to all of us. Yet the first or second question board candidates still hear is, "Do you have kids in PPS?" That's understandable; parents have front‑row seats, but it can also overlook that 3 out of 4 households supporting PPS don't have school‑aged children.
"It takes a village." Schools are the heart of our neighborhoods, the foundation of our democracy, and crucially, funded by everyone, regardless of whether they have children attending. We, Portlanders, parents, and non-parents, all of us benefit from well-managed, effective schools that produce educated, capable citizens. Highlighting board members' parental status can leave out:
Neighbors who cannot have children.
Parents who have endured loss.
Those waiting to adopt.
Portlanders priced out of parenthood.
Residents whose kids are grown.
Parents with school-aged children elsewhere.
Households that chose a different schooling path.
Young professionals, empty‑nesters, renters, seniors, retirees...
The rising number of Portland's households without school-aged children.
We're in this together. And by "we," I mean all of us. That broader, village‑sized mindset is precisely why I'm running. Every biography tells only part of the civic story; what matters is whether a candidate shows up with the skills and the vision to serve the whole district, not just the slice that mirrors their household today. So, let me put my own biography on the table and show you how it fits into the bigger equation. I've benefited from privileges I didn't earn; that obliges me to fight for others who aren't handed the same head start. Thus, I believe a life worth living is fundamentally about humility and investing in the well-being of others, especially when one doesn't have a direct personal connection. To me, public education is one of those investments.
Is "kids‑in‑PPS" a loyalty contract? Parents' stop-gap heroics fill PPS personnel and budget gaps. But life happens: families move, go private/charter, transfer to the suburbs; what's true today is not guaranteed tomorrow. A board director with strategic leadership chops and an obsession with analytical diligence, but no kids, is just as structurally tied to district outcomes. Our future social wellness, city prospects, and upward mobility rely on PPS performance now, outlasting near-term parental attachment.
Is "kids‑in‑PPS" proof of priorities? Over the last 20 years, innumerable candidates have touted decades of PPS personal attachment and political know-how as proof they'll fix PPS. But many of these candidates were/are the active voice of party politics, endorsed by the same lawmakers and entities whose policies use school funding as bargaining collateral. If decades of experience and insider access haven't delivered change, why keep electing the same type of people? Voters deserve board directors who will interrogate everyone in Salem, Metro, MultCo, and City Hall, and not coordinate their talking points. When PPS finally demands a public audit of the QEM gap, will every board member challenge their longtime allies or buffer them?
Is "kids‑in‑PPS" correlated to strategic ability? Direct parental involvement with PPS can build a deep familiarity with school operations. But is operational understanding a sufficient or meaningful qualification for practical strategic governance? PPS is a +$2 billion enterprise and employs +8,000 people who carry out those same duties and responsibilities. Consider the possibility that PPS would benefit from a board with more experience leading large organizations and system independence. A heavy focus on day-to-day operational issues solicits micromanagement, not governance and strategic thinking (audits, monthly bond tracking, zero‑based budgeting, multi‑year liabilities). Decoupling from personal investment may help shift the board from reactive to proactive (managing bonds, addressing poor student performance, preventing fiscal crises).
"Will you make PPS better for everyone?" I prefer to answer this question, it’s bigger picture and requires thought, because the implications are vast. Caring for other people is compassion; fighting for their prospects is citizenship. Public education belongs to the whole community. Our board only reaches full power when we elect civically invested neighbors with a whole‑city stake and the enterprise‑scale skills to fight for every student. A better PPS is a choice at the ballot box. If you've ever wondered if one vote can change a school system, this is your moment to find out.
Above all else, VOTE. No matter who you're for, be heard. Ballots are out. Mark and mail them by Tuesday, May 20th.
