Issues

Full funding for schools to reduce class size and to avoid staff layoffs. Research shows, and my own teaching experience supports, the idea that lowering class size increases student achievement.

Empowering teachers to teach accurate history and science without fear of recrimination, opposing book bans, and increasing teacher diversity to provide role models for students who otherwise might not experience this.

Opposing for-profit charter schools within district boundaries.

What Do I Seek to Accomplish?

Promote diverse hiring.

Promote academic freedom with clear and open processes for textbook and library book

adoption (which I have been working on) as well as providing robust options for parents

or families to opt out of specific lessons without impacting other families’ right to

exposure to potentially controversial or uncomfortable topics.

Make for a more open and transparent governing body by revising board bylaws to allow

for agenda items to be added more easily and to ensure that major decisions by the

board are fully vetted with the entire community before they are enacted.

My Approach

While I think a trustee must be fiscally responsible, I would want to explore every possible alternative including shifting funds from other areas, lowering the 4.5% minimum reserve in GUHSD when needed (state law calls for a 3% minimum in districts ike ours), applying for grants and other available monies and as an absolute last resort cutting non-classroom and site staff reductions.

Lowering class size would be paramount. Promote retention of highly qualified and motivated teachers with competitive pay and health packages. Provide rich and high quality professional development driven by teachers’ needs. Also, serious consideration to limiting cell phone/smart phone use in the classroom, which would reduce distractions and competition with teachers for students’ attention and focus as well as reducing online bullying. Several states and California districts have shown some success with student cell phone restrictions.

GUHSD Trustee Area 1

Chris Fite currently represents Area 1 in the Grossmont Union High School District, advocating for teachers' rights and community engagement.