Published in the October 10 – 23, 2018 issue of Morgan Hill Life

Enrique Navarro-Donnellan

I am a son of immigrants and the first-born of my family in the U.S., a nine-year resident of Morgan Hill with a younger brother attending school in the district, and part of two underrepresented demographics in voting circles — Hispanic-Americans and millennials. I am running to insert the footprint of both demographics into the decision-making process. It is the young for whom the district is meant to serve, but the young who incidentally cannot vote on matters impacting them. This motivated me to run for school board, and to pursue the following policy vision:

1) School choice. There is a possibility a new board could emerge hostile to charter school education. If elected, I will be your fiercest advocate for educational freedom.

2) School safety at all campuses. In light of school tragedies nationwide, we have an obligation to design future campuses and retrofit existing ones to meet CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) standards. If elected, I will pursue every opportunity to recruit school resource officers, create single-entry conditions, and mitigate opportunities for tragedy.

3) Academic Achievement. According to the Santa Clara County Office of Education, only 50 percent of MHUSD students meet or exceed standards for English language, and only 40 percent meet mathematics standards. This is unacceptable and will be at the forefront of my priorities.

As the youngest candidate, I am closest in age to the experience, mindset, and life stage of current students. I come from an omni-educational experience. I attended a traditional public elementary school, a private parochial middle school, and a public-charter high school. I understand the operational dynamic and merits of all school types. I completed my bachelor’s degree with honors at SJSU, and a master’s of public policy at Pepperdine University. I’ve experienced the importance of high-quality education and academic achievement and aspire to apply my fresh knowledge toward improving outcomes for all. I humbly petition you for your vote this November.