Campaign email: jonathan@votejonathanbriggs.com
Age: 34
Employment: Policy manager, America Forward.
Education: Master of Science in Education, Johns Hopkins School of Education
Why are you running for the school board?
I am running for the school board because I believe that every child deserves access to a fair, equal and transformative education experience. What I learned while in the classroom was that if we want to see real change in our education system, then it will take dedicated leaders with the knowledge and “know-how” working as strong champions for change. I believe our education system is broken in many ways, and I would like to bring my unique experience – both as a classroom teacher in some of our nation’s toughest schools, and as a policy professional – to represent members of my community, including parents, teachers, students and schools.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
As a former teacher and near-peer mentor, I have committed my life’s work to becoming a strong champion and advocate for education equity, including being integral in spearheading Illinois’ first ever Children’s Advisory Council, crafting equitable legislation that addresses the opportunity gap that persists in public education (while working for a member of Congress), and developing sound recommendations for the DC Mayor Education to improve its Safe Passage Program. I believe these experiences will support me in representing students, parents and teachers, and in being a sounding board for change.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
I most admire the great (former South African president) Nelson Mandela. I believe his strength of character, and his ability to persist despite insurmountable odds, is truly inspiring. It was clear that in many ways the odds were stacked against Mr. Mandela; he was even a political pariah at one point – with an over-27-year prison sentence that would cause the toughest of us to quiver in fear. Despite all of that, he took every setback and made it a comeback, and that is the type of leader that I aspire to be. Most importantly, he didn’t do this alone, but with a community that supported him and fought alongside him.
What is the most important issue facing your school board, and what would you do about it if elected?
I think the biggest issue facing the school board is addressing the learning gap that persists in Prince George’s County Public Schools. The pandemic has exacerbated an already strained learning environment, and students’ academics have been most impacted. If I were elected to the school board, my first day in office would be taking stock of our budget. There is a surplus of funding that is coming down from the Biden-Harris administration to address learning loss at the state and local level. I would want to ensure that we were addressing students’ learning needs by identifying where the steepest gaps exist and then allocating funding to address those needs in partnership with the CEO.
How concerned are you about school safety, and what if anything should be done to improve it?
I am very concerned about school safety. The steady uptick of gun violence in schools is alarming, and it is having a significant impact on student mental health. I believe a proactive step to begin to address school safety in the long run is investing in more mental health resources for students, that includes school psychologists, social workers and partnerships with local organizations that provide mental health resources. Additionally, addressing the teacher shortage can ensure that there are reasonable class sizes, which will help teachers develop more engaging relationships with students.
Do you have any concerns about the way history is taught in your district’s schools, and if so, what are they?
I think history should be inclusive of many different perspectives, which includes the perspectives of marginalized groups. This will support students’ ability to think critically about the implications that historical events have had on different communities and how it impacted them. This also provides students with a richer and fuller understanding of our shared history. I believe students should be exposed to diverse perspectives, authors, and content, and it is schools’ and educators’ responsibility to provide students with a well-rounded education. Ultimately students should be challenged to think critically in the classroom, which will prepare them for the rigor of our future.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries, and if so, what kind of books should be removed?
I think books that provide students with a better understanding of the world around them, in an academic sense, should be largely available for students to consume. If I were to disagree with any book being in a school library, it would be a book that does not serve to provide students with an academic and well-rounded understanding of the world around them. I am a firm believer that any book that challenges a student’s perspective is a good opportunity for them to ask questions and investigate the subject matter further to become more knowledgeable about it.
