SE Valley Times

Moms for Liberty has endorsed Shana Murray in her race for a seat on the Gilbert Unified School District (GUSD) Governing Board. Early voting began on October 9 and extends through November 1 for the November 5 general election.

In a candidate Q&A with the Arizona Republic, Murray said in order for GUSD to be the top district in Arizona, students must be able to succeed both socially and economically, and "for that to occur, it needs to be more than the 'three R's' and passing some tests. Every student needs to learn that success is a choice, not measured merely by income but by the combination of happiness, contentment, achievement and social responsibility."

Asked in the Q&A about the importance of supporting students who are not proficient in English, Murray said, "the ability to effectively communicate in English is a prerequisite to success. And, given the scores in our state, it is a much bigger challenge than merely providing extra support for children who do not know English."

GUSD Governing Board members would also play an important role in teacher recruitment and retention. Murray said she would meet with teachers to discuss areas of success and areas of struggle, and would assess these to determine which goals can be addressed immediately and which goals are more suitable for the long term.

As Murray explains in the Q&A, school counselors can be a valuable asset to students who are struggling, but they must be accountable to  parents and the Governing Board for their work. "As a parent, I would want to know if my child saw a counselor and for what reason. As with anything else, they need to be properly vetted and monitored throughout the school year. Counselors who stick to doing their job of supporting students and staff and not veer off course can be a great asset to a school." 

In the Q&A, Murray reveals that she has been a teacher for 13 years and holds masters degrees in teaching and in leadership and administration. She and her husband Devin have two children, both of whom attend school in the Gilbert Public Schools system.

Per the GUSD Governing Board's website, the Board comprises five members.

Moms for Liberty is a parental-rights-in-education advocacy group founded by Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich, two former school board members. According to their website, "Moms for Liberty is dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government."