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: Linda Lunn
Current job title: Murrieta school board member, Trustee Area 4
Incumbent: Yes
Other political positions held: None
City where you reside: Winchester
Campaign website or social media: www.elect-lindalunn.com, Elect Linda Lunn (Facebook), lindalunnformvusdschoolboard (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?
The mission statement of Murrieta Valley Unified School District is to inspire every student to think, to learn, to achieve, to care. By addressing every student as an individual, not by a group label, our outstanding staff seeks to meet the needs of all students, including those learning English, those who need mental health services, special needs students and those from low-income backgrounds. I spearheaded the creation of the Partnership for Thriving Students and Families (PTSF) that led to our wonderful parent groups like Measure BB Citizen Oversight, Career Technical Education Advisory, Military Support Advisory and School Site Council, African American Parent Advisory Council, Latino Parent Advisory Council, Special Education Parent Advisory Council, District English Language Learners Parent Advisory Council, Workplaces Readiness Council, Curriculum and Instruction Council, Supporting the Whole Child Council, Visual and Performing Arts Council, Expanded Learning Opportunities Council and District-wide PTA groups. I actively participate in (listen to) each of the parent groups listed above. I work with (listen to) families) each and every day. My commitment to parent involvement and choice in every aspect of their student’s education speaks for itself.
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?
Unfortunately, on a 3-2 vote, a forced outing policy was adopted by the MVUSD board of education, in violation of California state law. I voted against violating California state law with this policy. In the ensuing 13 months since this adoption, it has never been enforced, the district has been served with a Califorinia Public Employee Relations Board violation/investigation, the California Department of Education has sent a letter of warning of possible litigation and the district has incurred tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees dealing with the problems the adoption of this illegal policy has caused.
What is the biggest issue the school district faces, and how would you address it?
The biggest issue facing MVUSD today is how we are going to move into the future of rapid city and enrollment growth without the additional funding that a proposed facilities bond would have provided for (with no tax increase), had the community been allowed to vote for it. Two trustees, Pardue and Vandegrift, refused to let this vote to go on the ballot for our families to vote on. Those two board members took away an entire community’s right to vote. We are now looking at re-drawing school boundaries, potentially busing out of boundary and possibly year-round school or going to a split schedule. It’s terribly unfortunate for our community and has set MVUSD back close to a decade on plans to respond to the well-documented and visible growth the city is going through. High performing schools lead to strong property values and a strong local economy. High performing schools attract top-notch employees. MVUSD is the single largest employer in Murrieta and open positions are highly competitive and easily filled. Will that be the situation when our schools are overcrowded? I am committed to righting this wrong and will fight for our students, families and staff to have the fantastic school district they deserve.
Why would you make a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities within the school district?
In the seven years I have served on the board, MVUSD has become the No. 1 school district in Riverside County, achieved a top 2% ranking in California (California Exemplary School) and top 2% in the nation (source-Niche.com). Under my leadership, we now have 13 California Distinguished Schools, nine Gold Ribbon schools, five California School Board Association Golden Bell Awards, five California Purple Star Schools. Clearly, we are doing a great many things right for positive student outcomes. I represent every child within our wonderfully diverse community by attending multiple events each the week (sometimes each day!) where I learn what really matters to our students, families and staff. The information I gather informs every decision I make as a board member and focuses on meeting the needs of each and every student, not just the ones whose families believe or look like me. Additionally, I take advantage of the multiple training, learning, community engagement and advocacy opportunities open to all board members. I advocate for students several times a year as a delegate for the California School Boards Association (CSBA) at both the state and federal level. I am active in local service organizations and work with our city council members on projects throughout the year that promote community and family engagement.
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