We received 4 completed questionnaires, from Toya Groves, Beatriz Leyva-Cutler, Priscilla Myrick, and John Selawsky. There are 2 seats available.

Your Name: Toya Groves
Address: 66th street, Berkeley 94702
Email:

1.  Motivation -- Why did you choose to run for this office?  What is the compelling reason to run against the incumbent, or if you are the incumbent, why should you be re-elected?  How are you different from the other candidates?

 I have chosen to run for BUSD School Board, because I passionately and genuinely care about the plight of education for all students.  Currently, there is a huge disparity in the education of African American, Latino, and student categorized as economically challenged.  According to BUSD accountability report, African American youth represent 31% of the population, Latino youth represent 16%.  In all subjects African American and Latino youth are overwhelmingly deficient in meeting standard proficiency requirements.  In a city where equity compliance is promoted and set as a standard of intention, this seems absurd.  It is absurd that there are battles over warm water and cool water pools when huge populations of youth are not adequately educated, and therefore not prepared for the world that awaits them after high school.

 I am running against John Selawsky because I believe it is time for a change.  I will bring new and fresh ideas that will positively affect, budget, and policy. I am different from other candidates, because I represent a population that is most commonly isolated from school reform initiatives and city politics.  I am a single mother of three children in three different schools in Berkeley.  I recognize the plights of parent and teacher. I am familiar with and directly affected by school assignment policies and alternative education disparities imposed by socio-economic disadvantages, gentrification, and disenfranchised communities.


2.  Priorities -- What do you believe are the main priorities for the School Board?  What are some specific tasks (e.g. specific legislation, policies, etc.) you intend to accomplish while in office?

With the onset of huge budget cuts passed down from our state government, I would argue that clever and insightful financial policies should be in place to off set the impacts of such cuts. Collaborations with community based organizations and local colleges are now essential to maintaining our high standard of education.  It is now time for public school and city government to come together to directly support community based agencies that are successful in educating and inspiring to all youth.

3.  Qualifications -- Please give a brief summary of your background and qualifications for the office of School Board.  What is your background in managing, monitoring, and controlling organizational budgets?   See Resume attached.

4.  How do you see your role as an individual board member in the governance of the district?  

I am a student and parent advocate.  I can relate on many realms to working and struggling parents.  I am a teacher and a youth advocate.  I will advocate for policies that support teachers, parents, and students.

5.  Define what equity means for the Berkeley public schools and the children who attend our schools.

We need to really assess this image of equity that BUSD portrays.  Just as in schools across the country, African American, Latino, and poor youth are still not proficient in all subjects, Berkeley is no different.  BUSD staff all though diverse in many ways does not demographically represent its student population.  I think this is a direct reflection of low proficiency in our Black and Latino Students.  When analyzing test scores, drop out rates, and suspension data, equity is not apparent because the majority of students with low test scores, high drop out rates, and high suspension and expulsion hearings are either African American or Latino.  As a school district we need to once again find new ways of addressing equity in regards to the students we contact.  We need to find our way around policies that are not maintaining the mission and intention of our schools.  It is time to reconnect with the past that invigorated us to be the first school to offer an African American Studies Department and to address whole heartedly steps to truly diverse schools.  Community and schools must work together with the intention to motivate, embrace and inspire ALL students to learn and love the earth and its many people.

Looking at Berkeley Technical High and the low level of support it receives from Berkeley High also represents the inadequacy in equity for students.  B-Tech is a school for students with behavior problems and credit deficiency as determined by Berkeley High School and the Board of Education. B-Tech is compromised of primarily African American Youth from Berkeley.  All the staff at B-Tech are genuinely concerned and ultimately helpful to their students, yet the students feel isolated and forgotten about from Berkeley High.  Berkeley Technical represent the ineffectiveness of diversity policies in Berkeley.

6.  Land-Use Issues -- How do you see your role as a trustee of BUSD vis. a vis. district and city land-use issues?   Do you have any experience in land-use issues and the community and neighborhood involvement process?   What is your knowledge of local and state land-use regulations, for example CEQA?

I recently became involved in land use policies when the Ashby Flea market was almost sacrificed for Affordable Housing and Commercial Development.  This battle attempted to wedge between groups that usually advocated together.   I was elected co-chair of the Ashby Bart Task force as essentially a secret advocate for the flea market.  I sat amidst architects and land developers and learned I was alone on this board because most members were hand selected by a land developer SBNDC and basically either for moving the market or building upon it.  I watched as cultural value, historical landmark, and environmental impact policies were pushed aside in the name of Green Money.  I argued that the flea market was one of the last accurate representations of  Historic Berkeley it beheld the first revolutionary visions for green environment and love for mother earth , socio-economic viability and up-liftment for all, and the teaching of cultural integrity and diversity. During this experience I became familiar with CEQA and rallied to use historical landmark preservation and the cultural impact policy of CEQA to defend the flea market as a valuable “open space” necessary for the healthy environment of the community.

7.  How would you balance the needs of the school district with the needs of neighborhoods and community?  Please comment on the warm water pool controversy, the Derby Street playing field/farmers market controversy and any others that you are familiar with.  

I support the revitalization of the warm water pool because it minimizes pollutants put to the air.  I also like the idea of it being a communal place on the BHS school campus. I support all policies implementing more green areas in Berkeley for our youth and community to use.

8.  Have you supported the past BUSD bond and parcel tax measures?  What are your opinions about these measures?  Have you voted in every Berkeley election in which you were qualified to do so?  If not, why not?   

9.  How committed are to BUSD’s nutritious, fresh, and organic food program, given the current food service budget deficit?

We are what we eat!!! I know that our youth will continue to grow mentally and physically so long as we maintain our desire to feed them healthy pesticide free food.  My children love the salad bar, so I do.  It is essential for BUSD to collaborate and support community based organizations and groups that have community organic gardens.  I think Berkeley’s Gardens could help to counter the deficit. It is essential for BUSD to communicate with other green and environmental agencies within and without the city to create new ideas.

10.  “Achievement Gap” – The “achievement gap” has been an issue in Berkeley for a number of years.  Please give us your thoughts on why this issue exists, and how it could be addressed.

The Achievement Gap has been an issue for everyone for many years.  Being a teacher in Oakland enabled me to figure out clever ways of inspiring youth to learn.  Tragically many of our brightest children are masked behind low self esteem, socio-economic barriers, and mental and emotional trauma.  As educators we must be qualified to effectively deal with these issues if we wish to close the achievement gap of our youth.  The youth of today are confronted with very unique and devastating circumstances that it is imperative that our system of education begin to tackle these issues rather than placing blame on parents and society as a whole.  We need to recognize the fact that when  “No Child Left Behind” was implemented and the demand for credentialed teachers was put in place many effective and great teachers where not credentialed, were forced to find other careers and move outside of public education and into community based organization and charter schools.  This not only impacted the diversity of our schools but also made room for teachers who lacked the cultural competency to deal with those youth on the low end of the achievement gap.  Thus we created a school staff that did not demographically reflect the student population, teachers who held a B.A. or M.A. degrees in specified subjects from great colleges were forced to return to school or opt out all together. Therefore we need to find a way to make sure our students and teachers reflect each other demographically, culturally, and economically so that student can relate and welcome the passing of knowledge.   

11.  Endorsements – Who has endorsed you so far?  Who do you expect to endorse you?



12.  Campaign Funding – How much money do you currently have for this race?  How much money do you plan to raise?  Where will the money come from?

I am not a politician.  I am a community member and advocate who will rally for support from Berkeley Citizens who are often left from government policy.  I am new to campaigning so currently I do not have any money to campaign. I am putting together my campaigning funds as we speak.

13. Anything Else?  -- Is there anything else you would like us to know about you?

I would love to be endorsed by the Green Party of Berkeley, because I would love to bridge the gap between low income communities and environmental awareness.  I love working for BYA because involved in our wrap around services is an urge for environmental awareness and green living.  We take youth from urban areas and considered high risk with Juvenile records and teach them the basic fundamentals of healthy bodies via organic food, healthy communities via litter abatement and organic gardening, and encouraging love for nature via our landscaping programs.  They literally eat and harvest what they grow!