Platform: Equity
1.) Expediting the distribution/increasing funding for period products, promised by the Board for 2025 (but the sooner the better for the 1 in 5 girls who do not attend school due to period poverty)
2.) Improving mental health and wellbeing: we need to use PROACTIVE vs. REACTIVE supports and interventions for students
3.) Reforming health curriculum to engage students by discontinuing the use of scripted content repeated in both middle and high school —down to the same exact Google Slide— and replacing it with a more proactive curriculum that ensures students have the information and resources they need to thrive
4.) Improving school lunches and Free and Reduced Meals Program (FARMS) considering the BOE only spends less than 3% of the budget on student meals - it's quite frankly astonishing that we spending millions on bus tracking software and creating new school year calendars when a lot of students are fed junk food
How do we do this?
While talking about these issues is important, as a student advocate I have also been fighting for legislation to accomplish these goals. Some of these bills that I support include:
HB0119
Full supporter for the Primary and Secondary Education - Comprehensive Health Education Framework House Bill. We need students to be aware of family life and disease prevention, mental health awarness, the LGBTQ+ community, and have access to directly impactful information that ensures their wellbeing and safety beyond just in schools.
MoCo
Bill 33-22
Strong advocate for affordable housing legislation to require the County Executive to submit a housing feasbility study prior to completeling certain capital projects. Sponsored by Councilmeber Andrew Friedson, I testified in front of the Montgomery County Council to help pass Bill 33-22 to ensure that all students have access to affordable housing. My interest in advocating for educational equity goes hand in hand with advocating to make sure we all have a bed to sleep in at night.
SB0121
Full support for the More Opportunities for Career - Focused Students Act of 2023. Not everyone is on the same pathway to a 4 year university, etc.. and we should have these avenues to other career opportunities avaliable and ready for us.
COMAR 13A.03.02
Supporter of the COMAR 13A.03.02 Health Education, advocating for reform of health education to include more proactive and inclusive currliculum vs. reactive, selective content and program goals.