Lafayette School Board District D
Indiana public schools are governed by school boards whose members are elected in Tippecanoe County. These board members establish the direction, set goals and define the structure of their school district by adopting policies through the authority granted to them by the state legislature. Powers the boards retain are related to property, facilities, personnel, salaries, transportation, school lunch, educational materials and supplies, levy taxes, budgets, insurance and much more. They are accountable to the public.
Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.
-
Oscar Trujillo, Jr.
(Non)
Why are you running for school board?
What suggestions do you have for mitigating the impact of state and federal cuts on local school finances?
How should schools address the increase in students with mental health concerns?
What is or should the school district be doing to address student and staff safety issues within the schools of your corporation?
How do you believe your district should handle the challenge of technology like social media and AI?
I'm running for school board to represent educators and multilingual learners in our district. I volunteer in multiple capacities, and urge anybody running for school board to start there. I've built sweat equity in our buildings, developed relationships in our corporation, and haven't forgotten what it takes to be an educator in LSC.
1) Ring the alarms to the public. Public schools are being strategically dismantled by our elected legislators. Uncapped public monies as vouchers for private schools this year, and operational revenue sharing with charter schools starting in 2028 (despite less requirements and less transparency for charter schools) are 2 things that will shock a lot of community members. All of this on top of a continued decline in investment in Hoosier education for the last 20 years. 2) Seek partnerships. There are entrepreneurs and companies who would love to partner with the local schools. They understand the benefits of supporting public schools, but they need a medium and plan to support our schools.
Mental health is a serious concern that requires licensed professionals in severe cases. The state of Indiana needs to provide support for families and students. Schools currently try to create safe environments in their classrooms and buildings. One thing schools can do is invest in teacher development as the teachers work as mediators, role models, counselors, and coaches in the hallways. Doing this well requires an investment that our legislators should budget.
LSC has an annual meeting with the Lafayette Police Department to maintain a positive relationship. I'd like to see our School Resource Officers (SRO) officers attend training alongside our educators regarding applied educational neuroscience (AEN) so they receive the same training and have an opportunity to build relationships with the teachers they're protecting. We currently have the privilege of having SROs who have been in buildings and around the corporation for many years - I remember some of them from when I was in high school. But we won't always have established SROs and staff.
Follow the science to the best of our ability and educate our students and families. This is an area I would like to learn more about, but I'm generally wary of social media use and AI. LSC has joined many school corporations in a lawsuit alleging social media companies unsafely targeted teenage users. Ideally, we can educate families and students regarding negative impacts of social media on the developing brain. Similarly, clear AI guidelines would be helpful for teachers, students, and families.
To make a selection for a candidate you must first find your races. Would you like to find your races now?
You have already selected the maximum number of candidates for this race.
You must uncheck an existing selection before making another selection.