Candidate Q&A: Amanda Whitmire for MPUSD.

As part of the 2022 election season, the Weekly asked candidates for several offices to answer questions about some of the issues by email. For the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District board of trustees, three candidates are running unopposed: Bettye Lusk in Area 3, Maiaika Velazquez in Area 4, and Amanda Whitmire in Area 6.

For Area 2, there are three candidates: David Bacon, Tom Jennings (the incumbent) and Joseph Williams.

Bacon, Lusk and Velazquez did not respond to the Weekly's questions. Whitmire's responses are below.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing MPUSD in the next four years, and why are you the best candidate to address them?

The biggest challenge we are facing right now is teacher recruitment and retention. We lose about 125 teachers every year — that’s 20% turnover. When asked why they are leaving, many say that they love working in the district and would like to stay, but can't afford the cost of living on the Monterey Peninsula. High teacher turnover harms the district in several ways. First, our students —especially our most vulnerable — thrive in a stable environment.

Second, processing this many positions every year puts a tremendous strain on our Human Resources staff, and costs the district money.

Finally, high levels of teacher turnover make it much more difficult to implement our vision of offering equitable, culturally relevant, high quality instruction. Our teachers work extremely hard to build pedagogical skills grounded in equity and social and emotional learning. Veteran teachers help train our newer teachers, and the turnover puts a strain on building this vital culture of practice. We need to be able to recruit and keep our teachers.

As a trustee, I support existing programs that have been successful in boosting retention, like our Alder Teacher Residency Program, as well as advocate for new ideas that have helped in other districts, like building teacher housing.

How often do you currently attend MPUSD board meetings, and how would you rate the current board’s performance?

I attend every board meeting and am currently serving as Board President. I also watch board meetings in other districts, and have opportunities to engage with school board members from across the state during California School Boards Association (CSBA) trainings.

Based on what I’ve seen and experienced, we are a very high-functioning board. We are collaborative, respectful of each other, and united in our mission to move MPUSD forward. We get things done.

How would you rate Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh’s performance, grade A-F?

PK Diffenbaugh is an outstanding superintendent. He is thoughtful, capable, genuine, and dedicated to our district. He has built an amazing leadership team in his cabinet, and the positive impacts of this group are evident across every aspect of district operations. I give Dr. Diffenbaugh a solid A.

What is your vision to help students make up for learning loss after pandemic closures?

This is such a huge challenge because the needs are so varied. When Covid hit and we began to understand the implications of the pandemic, we informally adopted a guiding principle: care over content. This was not to downplay the importance of learning, but a recognition that we need to take care of students, teachers and staff as whole people before moving on to issues of curriculum and process. We were all forced to confront the very base of Maslow's hierarchy of needs: are our families housed and fed? Are we safe from harm? As we return to a new normal, we slowly move up the hierarchy: are we restoring a sense of belonging and community in our schools? Are students gaining confidence and working toward self-actualization?

My vision is that our schools offer students the opportunities they need as individuals as we recover collectively. That we offer a place to belong for students who have struggled with isolation. That we offer students who are farther along in their recovery chances to explore and excel. Our teachers and staff are fantastic. As we get students through the social-emotional challenges brought on by the pandemic, the learning follows.

What should MPUSD do about school resource officers going forward?

We have not had SROs on our campuses since 2020, when Seaside PD and Monterey PD pulled funding for officers. I support this.

The current board certified an EIR for the stadium lights project at Dan Albert Stadium that is now being litigated. Is there anything you would have done differently on that project/process? For current board members: Is there anything you would say as advice to your peers on the Carmel Unified board who are about to face a similar decision?

Our current board certified an EIR for a new multipurpose sports field and weight room, as well as visitors bleachers, a press box, PA system and lights for the Dan Albert Stadium.

To my colleagues at CUSD, I am so sorry. It is highly likely that you will be sued by a very small minority of vocal neighbors who insist on putting their own self-interests ahead of the needs of students and the community. Your good faith efforts to make adjustments to the project have only resulted in more demands. Project opponents have tacitly shown you their hand, and it’s time for you to move on from trying to satisfy their endless privilege. My advice to you is to keep your focus on the students and what they need. Your job is to advocate for them. If you believe that the CHS stadium project is in their best interest, and that the EIR offers an effective analysis of impacts, stand fast in your support.

What should the board do to address declining enrollment in the district?

Most of the factors driving declining enrollment are outside the control of the school board. While a shortage of housing has driven the cost of living on the Monterey Peninsula so high that families are leaving, this is an issue across the state of California. We can have a direct impact on local housing stock by building our own workforce housing, and by leasing district land for development of affordable public housing, but so much more needs to be done. We need community support for medium- and high-density infill development. We need our cities to offer pre-approved ADU plans, just like Salinas recently did. We need employers to pay a living wage. Declining enrollment is a symptom of a larger problem, and we need to address it as a community for our community. 

Who is your proudest endorsement?

I am so proud to have the support of Wendy Root Askew. Wendy has been a mentor to me since I joined the board. As I’ve watched her grow into the role of County Supervisor, I’ve been so inspired by her steadfast commitment to fighting for her community. It is an honor for me to have her support.

Who are you supporting for Area 2?

Tom Jennings.