ISSUES + PLATFORM
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ANTISEMITISM
Taking a stand.
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SPECIAL EDUCATION
Holistic enhancement.
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PARENTS + STUDENTS
Putting you first.
TAKING A STAND AGAINST ANTISEMITISM
Antisemitism has no place in LMSD. Unfortunately, we have seen incidents of hate in our schools, and the response has not always been strong enough. I will push for:
Enforcement of Anti-Hate Policies
LMSD already has policies against antisemitism and other forms of hate speech, but right now, those policies are not being enforced. We need to make sure that they are consistently enforced so that all hate is met with real consequences.
Accountability & Consequences
Hate incidents must result in clear, consistent consequences, along with a learning step. First offenses: fair discipline and education. Repeat or severe cases: more substantial penalties. Every case should conclude with a brief written summary, ensuring that rules are applied consistently each time.
Specific Reporting
We should create publicly accessible dashboards that allow people to see if hate incidents are decreasing and hold the board accountable. A quarterly, privacy-safe dashboard would display the following information: the number of reports, incident categories (e.g., slurs, symbols, online harassment), resolution status, average investigation length, and assigned educational interventions.
Safe & Inclusive Schools
Students should feel secure and respected in their learning environment. We should teach students, at the appropriate age levels, about antisemitism and other forms of hate, bring in trusted partners for practical workshops, give quick support to any student who is targeted, and show everyone simple ways to speak up safely. New students and staff will start with a short orientation that outlines our standards. Our schools say they are “no place for hate”; let's make sure that's actually true.
Enhancing Special Education
LMSD has some of Pennsylvania’s best special education programs, but many families struggle to access them. I will work to:
Cut Through Bureaucracy
We need to make special education services more accessible to families who need them. I will accomplish this by implementing a 45-day deadline for evaluations, assembling rapid response teams to prevent bottlenecks, and ensuring that IEP teams are granted the authority to add or change services on an IEP rather than having to run everything through upper administration.
Expand Resources
We need to ensure that students receive the individualized support they need to succeed. We should stop spending money on avoidable fights and put it straight into students: more classroom aides, proven reading help, useful technology tools, coaching for organization and study skills, stronger mental health services, and earlier planning for life after high school. We should use multi-year budgets so that effective support isn’t cut and staff receive ongoing training.
Advocate for Students & Parents
Parents should not have to fight to get essential services for their children. I will advocate for more parent involvement in the IEP process, rather than being presented with outcomes to either rubber-stamp or fight. I would also work with the Committee for Special Education to make sure that parents' needs are being met in the district.
Decrease Litigation
LMSD currently spends approximately $1 million per year on its legal firm, Wisler Pearlstine, with even more being spent on compensatory education, parent legal fees, and other settlements. This is absurd; indeed, taxpayer dollars should not be used to fight taxpayers in court. I would advocate for switching the district's legal counsel to one that is less adversarial with families, while at the same time encouraging mediation over litigation.
putting parents + students first
School board policy should be guided by those it affects most: students and their families. That means:
Cultural Change Among Faculty, Staff, and Administration
I would promulgate a culture within our schools and administration that prioritizes LMSD's commitment to what is best for each student and their family, rather than what is easiest or most convenient for the faculty, staff, and administration. We should also eliminate the concept of administrative convenience from our lexicon.
Listening to Families
We should provide families and students with tangible ways to be heard, including regular open forums (not just during crises), a simple website form for submitting ideas and tracking progress, student panels that can add items to the agenda, and concise, plain-language summaries after decisions that explain how feedback was used.
Focusing on Student Needs
We should add a short “student impact” note to every major policy or budget proposal. It should clearly state how it will impact learning, safety, student well-being, fairness, and how we will assess its effectiveness. We should track key numbers for different student groups (grades, discipline, access to advanced classes) and step in quickly when gaps appear. Habit, or the notion that “we’ve always done it this way,” should never outweigh what actually helps students.