Eli Tirado

As a father of three and a grandfather of nine, I'm deeply concerned about the quality of their education and the "non-sense" that put's them in the middle of adult issues.  Bonita Unified has historically enjoyed a strong reputation for traditional academic achievement, but recent cultural shifts and state policies, such as AB 1955, have prompted me to seek a position on the school board.

The idea that teachers and administrators could be empowered and legally protected in withholding critical information from parents about their child's social  and mental health, or affirming gender transformation  before adulthood is, to me, unacceptable.  Any guidelines that encourage educators to intercede in life changing issues without involving parents are troubling.  It feels as though our schools are becoming more like mental health facilities trending towards the Community School model, rather than places of learning.  I believe it’s time to reverse this trend and refocus on what truly matters in education....academic success.   Building a foundation of knowledge that helps our kids compete in the real world. 

 

I am confident we can do better.

My primary objective as a board member of the Bonita Unified School District, will be to represent the interests of the voters in my district who see student academics as the primary role of the school and the teacher, leaving the parenting at home with the family.  If our students graduate with the best education possible, they will be better equipped to deal with and overcome the complexity of their personal choices as an adult.  This is what I understand is the parent expectation.