Vote Jon Robinson for Madison School Board
Madison Parent & Alum Supporting Public Schools
“Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.”
John F. Kennedy
more about me and my positions
Q&A for an article in the Arizona Republic about school board candidates
Can you introduce yourself please? How long have you lived in Maricopa County, what do you do for a living, and any additional information about yourself you think voters would like to know about you?
I grew up near Bethany Home and 5th Avenue after moving here from Pennsylvania in 1975. My father was an actuary and my mother was a stay-at-home mom. I am a product of the Madison School District, and spent my K-8 years at Madison Park, Simis and Meadows. I later attended Brophy College Prep for high school (class of 1988). After graduation, I moved to Tucson where I attended the University of Arizona and obtained my BS in Mathematics. I also attended Arizona State University for my MS in Information Management. With the exception of my time in Tucson, I’ve only lived in the Madison District. I built my career in Information Technology and am employed as a technology and business strategy consultant, helping companies achieve business value through technology solutions.
I am also the proud father of a Madison 3rd grader. It’s been a wonderful experience being part of our school’s incredible community. Over these last few years, I’ve watched my child make new friends, create memorable experiences, and learn how to be part of a team with Madison sports. My wife and I have also made some great new friends in other parents we have met along the way. Recently, we welcomed a new family member: Stacey, a kitten who I found and rescued while out knocking on doors gathering signatures in June.
Do you believe in the 2020 election results?
Yes. I believe the 2020 election was fair and the results were accurate.
Based on the limitations and powers of a school board member, what’s your platform?
If elected to Madison School Board, I see my role as one of service: to my community, our teachers, my fellow parents and, most importantly, our kids.
I am committed to supporting our teachers, administrators and support staff to the best of my ability. Many teachers are struggling with the increased demands placed on them; some are even leaving the profession because of this. It’s no secret this is a big problem in our country as teacher shortages have reached their highest levels ever.
This summer, school districts across the state reported teacher shortages in the thousands, mostly affecting grades K-6. This has led to larger class sizes, as well as teachers and staff being pulled from other positions to temporarily fill open slots. Even substitute teachers are in short supply. It’s not just teachers, but after-school programs are also struggling to fill positions. These programs are critical for parents that need after-school care for their kids. Some schools have had to limit enrollment due to staffing shortages, leaving parents scrambling to find another form of child care.
Also at the top of my list is school safety: I want to ensure our children are able to learn in a safe and secure environment — this world is a wildly different place from when I was a Madison kid. After what happened in Uvalde, it was hard not to think about 'what if.' This means continuing to have conversations with administrators, teachers and experts about what we can do to keep our children safe; it means analyzing and reanalyzing what we are doing now and how we can improve safety protocols at our schools.
Something else that I am very interested in is social and emotional learning. While learning the fundamentals — reading, writing, math — is important, children are struggling emotionally, especially after COVID-19. We have the opportunity to help teach our kids how to manage their feelings so they can tackle whatever life might throw their way. Staff need the tools in order to support kids who are struggling with behaviors that distract or interfere with either the learning process, or the safety and well-being of other children at our schools.
Lastly, I want our kids to have the skills to succeed in ‘real life’. I was recently talking to an educator about a class taught at Madison Meadows that focuses on budgeting. Skills like this go a long way once these kids are out of school and in the workforce. I would like to look at the possibility of making more of these types of classes available to our students.
We have a lot of work to do, and I will do everything I can to move my district in the right direction, while navigating the many obstacles placed in front of us, as well as look for sustainable solutions.
What do you believe to be the biggest issue impacting K-12 students in Arizona?
Right now, I think a big issue is the Arizona Legislature, itself. While I deeply respect this body and those who serve in the legislature, it concerns me that certain lawmakers have villainized teachers and public education. I think referring to teachers as 'educational terrorists' as one state senator did earlier this year is not productive. Public education desperately requires bipartisan support and solutions. I’m sure many of us have heard the expression ‘If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem’.
We need our lawmakers to come to the table with a collective goal of funding our schools and giving public education what it needs to succeed. As a parent, it’s hard to watch laws being enacted that will ultimately hurt public school children and their ability to have a robust education. Why is it acceptable to be at the bottom when it comes to funding for public schools? Why is it acceptable that teachers and other staff are leaving the profession with no bench of trained educators willing to take their place. I love my state, but why are we OK being at the bottom when it comes to education? Real problems demand real solutions.
How will you navigate the challenges regarding national rhetoric spilling into local schools related to critical race theory, social-emotional learning, LGBTQ inclusion, and equity issues?
I think it’s unfortunate that these issues have become highly politicized. Partisan agendas have no place on a school board.
When it comes to critical race theory, I think it’s important to note that it is not taught in the Madison District. That said, we have students who come from diverse backgrounds and experiences and that should be celebrated. It’s important to me that Madison remains a place that teaches and exemplifies tolerance and acceptance. I will support methods that help our kids to navigate their emotions, and have empathy for those around them who might be struggling. I am committed to supporting diversity, equity and inclusion in all of our schools so our children can learn in an environment that’s free from bullying regardless of their race, sexual orientation or gender identity. I want our children to be well-informed and armed with the knowledge and life skills they need to become productive members of our society.
How do you think the state should support public education? Do you believe in expanding school vouchers?
I believe the state needs to provide more than just 'adequate' funding to public education. If we are serious about improving public schools then we have to invest in our schools. Investing in our schools leads to more staff (teachers, aides, counselors/social workers, etc.), smaller class sizes, and increased access to tools and technology, all of which greatly support the education process. If our plan and hope is for our children to receive the best education possible, then we have to walk the walk — we must invest in public education. If we do, our entire state will reap the rewards of a well-educated society. Remember, Arizona is continually at or near the bottom in teacher salaries and per-student funding, yet our state keeps trying to take more away. The math doesn’t add up.
I believe in the original use and plan for vouchers to help children with disabilities and their families to be able to find the right place that meets the needs of those children. I do not believe in universal voucher expansion that allows any parents to take money from public schools to be used toward private and/or for-profit, schools. Parents already have the option of school choice. Public school funding should not be used to offset the cost of private schools. This is yet another attempt by our state leaders to defund public education. We should be looking for ways to put more funds into public education, not continue to take from it.
The other issue I have with vouchers is the lack of accountability. Recently, an article was released by The Republic detailing the almost 6,500 people that have applied for vouchers after the program opened in August. It was reported that 75% of those that applied had no record of having a child that attends a public school. This is a prime example of what is wrong with the universal vouchers that were pushed in order to help people get out of failing public schools. The vast majority of people that will receive these dollars are already attending private schools. This universal program will do nothing but harm by continuing to pull money from public education which is already suffering from lack of adequate funding.
How do you plan to address teacher, education professionals and school nurse shortages?
This is a very important issue that seems to be getting worse over time. Because of lack of funding, teachers have been asked to do more and more each year. We are seeing first year teachers leaving the profession after one year, teachers are taking an early retirement rather than continuing on, and many other critical positions around schools are going unfilled.
My district recently approved a pay increase for all school positions, and while this is a step in the right direction, there is a long way to go. We need more dollars in order to bring in more staff to start to alleviate the load we are placing on educators and staff. We cannot continue to burn them out. Funding (or the lack of it) is just one issue: We are seeing teaching positions that normally are easy to fill go unfilled based on teachers being fearful of parent backlash. Social Studies is one such example, as politicized issues like critical race theory have put this class and its curriculum under the microscope. I understand some parents are concerned about what is being taught in the classroom and I encourage them to volunteer in the classroom, reach out to the teacher, and talk to their kids.
We’re not just losing our teachers. Districts across the country are experiencing shortages of staff across the board. Everything from school aides, to after school program workers, to key positions like librarians and nurses go left unfilled. We need to ensure our schools are safe, competitive with pay, and supportive of staff in order to attract the people we need.
If elected, I will work with my fellow board members to address these issues and come up with solutions, while continuing to provide a top-notch education and ensuring fiscal responsibility.
Several schools in the Valley need long-term repairs and updates. What is your plan to fund renovations?
In my own district, I would want to first understand the outstanding issues we face — which schools are in need of repairs, which are due for updates, and what has been done so far to prioritize those needs? We should start by focusing on those issues that are a direct threat to the safety or overall well-being of our children.
The State of Arizona is constitutionally bound to maintain our public schools. Unfortunately, the programs in place to support this have been defunded over the years or so process-ridden that it can take years for repairs to be finished. If we’re unable to get the funding from the State to complete the necessary work, we can ask our district community to approve a bond to fund these projects. We’ve been lucky for a while now in the Madison District as all of our asks on bonds or overrides have passed. This mechanism is suited to serve districts in more affluent parts of our state where taxpayers can afford it. Unfortunately, this leaves districts in less affluent areas in a much worse situation.
We need to push the Arizona Legislature to release more funding and loosen the restrictions on getting needed repairs done in a timely manner. We need to fight to get our State back to doing their part that is not only needed, but a constitutional requirement.
