Email: karlasilvestre2018@gmail.com
Website: https://www.karlasilvestre.com/
Age: 50
Employment: Montgomery College, Director of Community Engagement
Education: Master’s of Education, University of Pennsylvania
Why are you running for the school board?
I am running for reelection to the Board of Education because I can use my experience having served on the board the last three years to help our school system learn from the lessons of the pandemic and be an even better school system than ever before. I am running to ensure that all of our students, regardless of where they live, are truly ready for college, the workforce and community. I work in higher education and this gives me a unique perspective to see the full educational spectrum from pre-K to post-secondary education to the workforce. Finally, as the only immigrant and Latina on the board, it is important that this large segment of the student population is represented.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I am the current vice president of the Board of Education and serve as the chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. I have two decades of experience in community engagement, workforce development, education and youth development. I hold a master’s degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania, with a focus on teaching English to speakers of other languages (ESOL). I have two daughters. One is a graduate of MCPS in 2020 and one is in 10th grade. I work in higher education and this gives me a unique perspective to see the full educational spectrum from pre-K to post-secondary education to the workforce. I also know Montgomery County community issues very well.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
Former (Montgomery) County Executive Ike Leggett. Mr. Leggett has been a role model for me and inspired me to run for office. He is a humble leader committed to doing the best for our community. I worked in the Leggett administration for five years, and I observed his leadership style. He was not the stereotypical politician. He was introverted, which I could relate to. I realized that I, too, could be an authentic leader, as he was. At the same time, he was effective in managing county government and bringing people together toward a common goal. Mr. Leggett continues to serve our community through his leadership role in the Blueprint For Maryland’s Future.
What is the most important issue facing your school board, and what would you do about it if elected?
Recruiting and retaining the best talent. We had a national teacher crisis before the pandemic, which has now been exacerbated. We have to recruit and retain the best talent to work with our students. Great teachers and principals change lives and transform schools. Because of the teacher shortage in this country, we have to be proactive to recruit the best talent. We also must strive to have a workforce that reflects our community. We can do that by growing our teacher workforce from the current MCPS student population, which is diverse and multilingual. We must also work to ensure that our students with the greatest needs have experienced and effective teachers and school leaders.
How concerned are you about school safety, and what if anything should be done to improve it?
Two commonly cited issues around school safety include serious incidents at schools like weapons, as well as fighting/behavior. Our school system has initiated many wellness programs from restorative justice, wellness centers in every high school, telehealth, social workers in every high school and other wellness practices. All of these efforts are designed to address root causes of negative behaviors and create positive school cultures. Our work on the board is ensuring that these resources are being implemented well and are reaching the students that need them the most. The issue of guns in our schools is a larger community concern that must be worked on with our local elected leaders.
Do you have any concerns about the way history is taught in your district’s schools, and if so, what are they?
The history curriculum follows state standards and for decades has integrated multiple perspectives from historically marginalized voices. In addition, teachers receive support to deliver anti-bias and anti-racist curriculum that engages students in inquiry focused on learning historical truths, developing critical literacy skills and taking informed action. The school system is working on ensuring that students from all backgrounds can see themselves reflected in what they are learning. I am in full support of these practices.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries, and if so, what kind of books should be removed?
Montgomery County Public Schools has a team of professional staff that review materials that are purchased for school libraries. In the event that a parent or staff question the appropriateness of a book, an ad hoc evaluation committee is convened to reevaluate materials whose appropriateness has been questioned. These staff are experts in their field with years of experience. This is a robust process that has worked well for our school system.
