I am running because Dearborn Public Schools shaped my life, and I want every student to have better opportunities to succeed. I am a DPS graduate, former high school educator, mother, attorney, and three-time University of Michigan graduate with degrees in law, public policy, and liberal arts. My work in the classroom, court, and public policy has focused on education, civil rights, literacy, and expanding opportunity. These experiences give me a practical understanding of K-12 education and the policy, governance, and accountability issues affecting both DPS and Henry Ford College.
My top priorities are improving academic outcomes (especially literacy), supporting and retaining excellent educators and staff, and ensuring safe, modern, well-resourced schools. I would support evidence-based literacy instruction and early intervention, strong professional development, competitive compensation and respectful working conditions. I would also expand mental health services, special education, arts, athletics, career and technical education, dual enrollment, and pathways connecting K-12 students to Henry Ford College, skilled trades, college, and careers.
Equity requires looking at access and outcomes, rather than simply treating every school or student identically. I would review data on staffing, class sizes, academics, discipline, special education, English-language services, mental health, extracurriculars, technology, and facilities to identify disparities and direct resources where needs are greatest. I would strengthen multilingual family engagement, enforce protections against discrimination and bullying, and ensure students of every race, income, background, immigration status, sexual orientation, and gender identity can learn safely and access meaningful opportunities.
I support clear anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies that protect every student, consistent reporting and response procedures, and regular staff training in prevention, de-escalation, restorative practices, mental health, and recognizing harassment. Schools should have counselors, social workers, behavioral-health professionals, and other trusted adults available before problems become crises. Discipline should be fair, age-appropriate, and focused on keeping students connected to school, with trained non-armed professionals responding to situations that do not require law enforcement.
I would support a district-wide policy limiting cooperation with ICE to only what the law requires, protecting student privacy, restricting disclosure of immigration-related information, and training staff on how to respond to enforcement activity. Families should receive clear, multilingual guidance on emergency contacts and student pickup or guardianship plans. If a student’s parent is detained or removed, schools should promptly connect affected students and classmates with counselors, social workers, psychologists, and community mental-health partners, with trauma-informed support available as needed.
I am running for School Board because I am a proud Dearborn Public Schools graduate, a parent of a current student, and someone who believes every child deserves a safe, modern, high-quality learning environment. As an attorney, I bring experience analyzing complex issues, advocating for families, and providing responsible oversight. As Chairman of the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce and a Board member of the Dearborn Education Foundation, I have worked with educators, families, businesses, and community leaders. I understand the Board’s responsibility extends to both K-12 and Henry Ford College, and I will focus on student success, supporting educators, strong parent partnerships, responsible budgeting, and preparing students for college
My top K-12 priorities are safe and modern schools, supporting our educators, and strengthening the partnership between parents and schools. First, I will prioritize responsible investment in aging buildings, including HVAC, roofs, and other critical infrastructure that directly affects learning. Second, I will focus on recruiting, retaining, and supporting excellent teachers and staff by listening to their concerns and ensuring resources reach the classroom. Third, I will promote meaningful parent engagement, transparency, and communication so families have a real voice. Every decision should be measured by one question: Does this improve opportunities and outcomes for our students?
Every student, regardless of background or circumstance, deserves to feel safe, respected, supported, and given a genuine opportunity to succeed. I would examine student achievement, discipline, attendance, and access to advanced courses and programs to identify disparities and ensure resources are reaching students who need them most. I would support strong English Learner services, tutoring, special education, counseling, and academic intervention while expanding access to advanced, career, and extracurricular opportunities. I would also listen directly to students, parents, and educators from diverse communities and ensure district policies protect every student from discrimination, harassment, and bullying.
School safety must address both physical security and a school culture where every student feels safe and respected. I support clear, consistently enforced anti-bullying and harassment policies, confidential reporting options, prompt investigation, and meaningful follow-up with families. Staff should receive regular training on recognizing bullying, de-escalation, mental health concerns, and emergency preparedness. Schools should also strengthen counseling and student support services, regularly review safety procedures, and build positive relationships among students, staff, parents, and law enforcement. We must address problems early, hold students accountable appropriately, and ensure families know their concerns will be taken seriously.
No child should have their education disrupted because of fear about a parent’s immigration status. I would support a clear district protocol, developed with legal counsel, to protect student privacy, verify the legal authority of any enforcement request, and ensure staff know how to respond while complying with the law. Families should be encouraged to maintain updated emergency contacts and caregiver plans in case a parent is unexpectedly detained. For affected students and classmates, I would ensure immediate access to counselors, social workers, psychologists, and trauma-informed support. Our responsibility is to keep students safe, supported, and learning during an extremely difficult family situation.
I am running to continue unfinished work: empower students, support educators, and keep our schools strong. Dearborn students deserve a board that puts academics first and answers to families. I am a Fordson graduate, a University of Michigan–Dearborn and Wayne State alumnus, and a father of two Dearborn Public Schools students. Appointed in 2019 and elected in 2020, I have served seven years on the Board of Education, including as Board President, and as a Henry Ford College trustee and board chair — with the utmost integrity and honesty. That dual service means I see the full path, from early literacy through college. I will keep pushing proficiency, teacher voice, special education, and fiscal accountability.
My top K-12 priorities are academic proficiency, support for teachers, and accountable leadership. We should get back to basics: strong reading and math, less device distraction in class, and clear goals the public can track. I will keep demanding honest data, faster help for students who are behind, and a culture where educators can speak up without fear. Continue to listen to parents and neighborhoods; tie spending to student outcomes, not slogans. Special education and English learner progress stay front and center; those systems only work if the board watches them closely and follows through.
Equity means every student can actually learn — not a slogan for some kids and an afterthought for others. Everyone in our schools should be respected. No student should face discrimination for who they are, where they come from, or how they learn. I will keep pressing for early literacy, on-time support when a child is behind, special education that actually delivers, and parent access in the languages families use. Inclusive opportunity is measured by who can read, who stays on track, and who reaches college or a skilled trade. The board’s job is to fund that work, check the results school by school, and fix what is failing kids.
Safety is climate plus follow-through. I brought a board resolution on anti-bullying and to recognize National Bullying Prevention Month so we name the problem in public. We need to be consistent, hold everyone accountable, and use best-practice restorative practices that repair harm without letting misconduct slide. I would encourage student-led trainings and expand initiatives like Care to the Core so peers help set the tone. Staff still need training to stop harassment, including online, and reports should be closed with families. Every student should have an adult they can go to. The board must fund this and verify it happens in every school.
Schools are for learning. When I was Board President, I made sure our staff were trained to handle a possible ICE presence in our schools so the first duty is always the child. I support policies that keep campuses focused on students: collect only the family information the district needs, follow that training if officers appear, and make sure a student is never left without a pickup plan if a parent is detained. Counselors and social workers should be ready that same day for the student and for classmates, in the home language when needed. I would back family communication, community referrals, and trauma-informed care. Our duty is the child in front of us.
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I am running because Dearborn Public Schools shaped my life, and I want every child to have even greater opportunities. As a proud DPS graduate, current Trustee, and Board Vice President, my dedication runs deep. In addition to my role as Deputy General Counsel with a JD/MBA, I have direct educational experience as an adjunct instructor, tutor, and mentor. As Executive Director of Jawqa Vocal Ensemble and a member of the Dearborn Arts and Culture Commission, I see how the arts build youth confidence and discipline. This background allows me to deliver sound oversight, protect resources, and keep the focus on student success.
My top priorities are raising literacy and math proficiency, expanding arts and career pathways, and retaining exceptional teachers. As an adjunct professor and tutor, I know students excel with early intervention and personalized attention. I will champion evidence-based reading programs and small-group academic help. Education must also inspire the whole child, so I will advocate for robust arts programming, dual enrollment, and direct pipelines to Henry Ford College and regional careers. Finally, we must support our educators with competitive compensation and respectful working conditions so great talent remains in Dearborn.
Equity means meeting students where they are and removing unnecessary hurdles. Having mentored and tutored students from diverse backgrounds, I know uniform solutions fall short. I will champion stronger English Language Learner services, multilingual parent outreach, and the removal of fees for extracurriculars and advanced classes. Every student, regardless of race, background, identity, or income, deserves a safe and dignified environment to learn. I will carefully examine district academic and resource data to ensure funding, staffing, and classroom interventions flow directly to the schools and students with the greatest needs.
Effective safety requires secure facilities and a healthy school climate. We must maintain updated building access controls, clear emergency procedures, and comprehensive staff training. Culturally, we need enforced anti-bullying policies with confidential reporting channels that parents and students can rely on. From my community work with youth and arts programming, I know constructive creative outlets build empathy and reduce conflict. When behavioral issues arise, schools should pair fair accountability with counselors and social workers so students learn from mistakes while classrooms remain calm and focused on learning.
Classrooms must always remain secure spaces centered on learning. Drawing on my legal background, I support strict policies that protect student and family records under privacy laws and train staff on legal protocols if enforcement agents seek school access. We should help families keep designated caregiver and emergency contact forms current so children are never left stranded. When family separation occurs, trauma impacts entire peer groups. I will ensure our schools mobilize bilingual counselors and social workers to provide immediate, trauma-informed care so classmates can process fear and grief in a safe setting.
