Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide
Name: Chani Beeman
Current job title: Retired educator; disability accommodation consultant
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: Appointed to Riverside Human Relations Commission, Riverside Community Police Review Commission, Riverside Charter Review Commission 2019, Mayor’s Bipartisan Forum
City where you reside: Riverside
Campaign website or social media: www.Beeman4RUSD3.com, beeman.4.rusd.3 (Facebook), beeman.4.rusd.3 (Instagram)
How can the school district best meet the needs of all students, including those learning English, those who need mental health service, those in special education programs and those from low-income backgrounds?
Effective communication is a key to meeting student needs. When parents know what behavior expectations are being taught at school and understand what services and programs are available at school, they are better able to hold their student accountable to those behavior expectations and to participate in the available programs. Likewise, when educators hear directly from parents, the school is better able to focus on and address student needs on their campus. Our district provides an electronic communication portal, which can be convenient for those who have access to technology and are comfortable with electronic communication. Teachers and administrators must try to identify the communication gaps that are based more on access barriers than (lack of) interest.
Empowering school principals to work with their faculty and staff in identifying and establishing the resources necessary to address the specific needs of their school. This will provide “on the ground” level attention that education requires. One size does not fit all. Student needs vary from campus to campus. Likewise, school principals must be held accountable for the effectiveness of those resources in addressing the academic achievement as well as the health and well-being of their students.
Some school districts have adopted transgender notification policies to notify parents if a student says they are transgender. If your district has such a policy, do you support or oppose it? Why? If yours does not, would you support or oppose such rules? Why?
I do not support transgender notification policies and would not support one for RUSD. School districts are required to follow and enforce state nondiscrimination laws, which include gender identification. Proponents of transgender notification policies are attempting to create battlegrounds at the school level when the proper arena to effect the change they seek is at the state level. Transgender notification places campus educators in a policing role that is counterproductive to the supportive, trust relationship necessary for effective education and student wellbeing. The number of cases potentially requiring notification are nominal and out of proportion to the level of political strife created by these politically motivated efforts. The involved student and their family are better supported by decisions based on the individual situation rather than a one-size-fits-all policy. Overall, our students and families are better served when public attention is focused on boosting student achievement.
What is the biggest issue the school district faces, and how would you address it?
Test scores. Overall, more than half of our students are failing to meet state assessment standards: Less than half, 45.5%, are proficient in the English Language Arts; less than a third, 31.7%, are proficient in math; and barely a quarter, 26.6%, are proficient in science. Looking deeper into the data, race continues to be a factor in low test scores with White students scoring 62.1% and 50.5% proficient in English and math respectively, while Hispanic students scored 39.5% and 25.0% proficient in English and math. African American scores were lower still at 41.2% and 21.7%. Science proficiency test scores demonstrate similar gaps among racial/ethnic groups. Improvement in test scores post pandemic have fluctuated annually by 1 to 2%. Student achievement is too low and stagnant.
We must identify best practices for teaching students good study habits and how to organize themselves, and then teach them to all students. Some of these practices already exist in our district but are narrowly focused on students in programs such as AVID, International Baccalaureate and various honors programs. Widespread communication of these practices and expectations must also be shared with parents so they can be reinforced at home.
Why would you make a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities within the school district?
My long history of community engagement has allowed me to work on tough issues at the grassroots level with the neighborhoods and leaders in this trustee area. In addition, my civic service including the Mayor’s Bipartisan Forum, the City of Riverside Human Relations Commission and the Riverside Community Police Review Commission provides me with longstanding experience in this community. I am currently chairperson for the RUSD Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee for Measure O, giving me insight to RUSD procurement and financial practices.
I am a retired education professional with nearly 30 years of experience. I worked 17 years at Cal State San Bernardino as a classified staff member and as adjunct faculty. I was eventually appointed by the president as the first ombudsman. Subsequently, I worked 10 years as an administrator for Riverside Community College District as director of diversity, equity and compliance. I have experience as classified staff, faculty and administration in education.
I have earned the reputation as an effective listener and respected guide to practical solutions. My unique skill set allows me to see problems from various viewpoints and an ability to build agreement on tough issues. I will be an experienced and productive voice on the school board.
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