"When we meet the needs of students who require the most support, we raise the standard of education for everyone."-- Ankur Patel
Last Friday, Ankur Patel became the final candidate to qualify for the LAUSD School Board election and will face incumbent Nick Melvoin in June. With only two candidates in the race, this is now a winner"'take"'all election.
All challengers were provided with six questions to introduce themselves to voters. These are Patel's responses:
1. What is your current occupation?
I have served as the Director of Outreach at the Hindu University of America since 2023. Before this, I served as the Director of Advancement from 2019 to 2023.
After earning a B.S. from UCLA in 2007, I taught English for a year in South Korea and six months in Beijing. I then earned my M.S. at CSUN in 2014, during which I served as Reverend James Lawson's Graduate Assistant for a semester in 2013.
After being a student activist, I ran for LA City Controller in 2013 and LAUSD BD3 in 2015.
Yes, I have proudly worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District in multiple roles. From 2015 to 2018, I served as the School and Community Coordinator for LAUSD Board District 3 Member Scott Schmerelson.
I also worked as a Substitute Teacher from 2018 to 2023 working across dozens of schools, mostly at Olive Vista Middle School in Sylmar. I had multiple long-term assignments, taught over 100 days in each of the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years, while being an active member of UTLA.
My wife Mitsu and I don't have any children yet, but I attended LAUSD schools from K-12, including Chatsworth Park, San Jose, Portola, and North Hollywood High School, where it was my privilege to graduate from the wonderful magnet programs offered by LAUSD.
My two younger brothers attended Chatsworth Park, Lawrence, and Chatsworth High School.
We are a public school family and will send our future children to LAUSD schools.
Quality public education is one of my core values. I have benefited from the great public education I received, and I want to pay it forward.
I'm running because I believe in strong public schools as a public good, and because education is the great equalizer. Every child, regardless of zip code, income, ability, language, or immigration status, deserves a high-quality public education.
Right now, our system isn't living up to that promise. We can only turn things around if we protect and invest in public schools, not hollow them out.
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