Ana Vasudeo
Ana Vasudeo is the Berkeley Unified School District board president and a BUSD parent.
“I am running for re-election because our schools face critical budgeting decisions that will require difficult conversations in the next few years,” Ana Vasudeo says on her campaign website. “Having these conversations will take experience and I believe that my continued service on the School Board is necessary to ensure that we keep equity at the forefront for all learners as we make these important decisions.”
In her four years as a BUSD board member, Vasudeo established the Berkeley Unified Safety Committee and the District-Wide Safety Coordinator position and worked with state leaders from the California Latino School Board Association to draft a resolution in support of school safety. Vasudeo also managed the hiring of a district-wide Spanish Language Parental Engagement Specialist and worked with BUSDs Safe Routes to School partners to create safe routes for pedestrians and bicyclists near BUSD school sites.
Vasudeo’s current priorities for improving BUSD include ensuring financial transparency and accountability, maintaining safe schools, closing the opportunity gap for vulnerable learners, and creating safe and sustainable transportation for all students and education workers.
“In my four years on the School Board, I have fought for our children’s safety, worked to safely reopen schools with a strong public health focus, advocated to increase safety on our campuses, and focused on closing the opportunity gaps for our most vulnerable students,” Vasudeo states on her campaign website.
Vasudeo did not respond to the Jacket’s request for an interview.
Abdur Sikder
Abdur Sikder is currently the Lecturer Faculty Representative for the computer science department at San Francisco State University. Sikder is a BUSD parent and has educational experience all around the world.
“Dr. Abdur R. Sikder, a dedicated educator and an advocate for sustainable development of our community, brings an unparalleled international perspective to his candidacy,” states Sikder’s campaign website. “His educational journey spans from Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, to the U.S. … Dr. Sikder combines academic excellence with a global outlook. His distinguished teaching career at several world renowned universities, underscores his cross-continental living and teaching experiences, providing a unique perspective shaped by diverse cultural, political, and economic systems.”
With over a decade of experience as a tax consultant and financial planner in the Bay Area, he strongly supports abolishing the student loan system. Sikder’s main campaign points include working towards empowering youth, advocating for free preschool, community college, and four year degree education policies, ensuring equitable funding to public schools, incorporating ethical education into school curriculums, and partnerships with private companies for practical vocational training and apprenticeships.
“His advocacy for free high-quality public college education, universal healthcare, and peace reflects a comprehensive vision for the future,” said Sikder’s campaign website, “Dr. Sikder, a proud dad of two University of California graduates, is committed to positive changes … A staunch proponent for empowering American youth … he intimately grasps the challenges facing our communities today.”
Sikder did not respond to the Jacket’s request for an interview.
Norma J.F. Harrison
Norma J.F. Harrison is a retired school teacher. Harrison is a member of the Peace and Freedom party and identifies as a communist.
“I’ve seen over and over the futility of the constant, always unsuccessful reform efforts,” Harrison states on her campaign website, “We’re still left with school. The reforms do not, cannot, begin to rectify the inadequacy that school is, the role it plays in our singly-minded society directed at continuing our Owners’ profiteering by our labor. The problem is school itself.”
While working as a school teacher, Harrison came to believe that school makes children unhappy. Harrison believes that school is one of the main problems with education.
“It’s this whole thing about the place of school for people, people don’t like it. People don’t like school,” Harrison stated, “People have submitted themselves into a state of amnesia by forgetting how bad school was, because now they have to put up with a job and a job is a very alienating experience. I just wanted people not to be in such pain.”
Harrison is also a strong supporter of abolishing age segregation in schools. Her campaign's main focuses include eliminating oral and written exams, ending “age segregation”, and advocating for equal voting rights.
“I want to get rid of age segregation in schools,” Harrison said, “I want people to be out there doing things, and children don’t get to be that way. So I don’t want people to have to suffer the frustration of not doing relevant activities among the community.”
Laura Babitt
Laura Babitt is a current Berkeley School Board member and director.
“I wanted to help BUSD align its budget with its priorities, especially in areas like closing the achievement gap, expanding access to career technical education, and improving mental health resources. The motivation came from my experience as a parent advocate and the desire to elevate the work I had been doing to the next level as a board member,” Babitt said.
Babitt’s priorities include increasing efficiency, reducing bureaucracy, and addressing the achievement gap. She supports “outcome-oriented budgeting,” ensuring that the school board’s budget is focused on student achievement. Babitt aims to improve after-school programs, special education services and math and reading curriculums to better prepare students for the future. She also encourages strong family involvement in student learning to foster a supportive education environment.
“I focus on what I call ‘outcome-oriented budgeting,’ which ensures that our budget is aligned with student success. I want to improve after-school programs, special education services, and our math and reading curriculum. These areas are essential to meet the needs of today’s students … Addressing the achievement gap requires high expectations for all students, cultural competency, and family engagement … I believe in a strong partnership between parents, teachers, and students to create a support system that leads to success,” said Babitt.
To stay connected with the community, Babitt holds monthly office hours and participates in listening sessions to gather feedback. She plans to expand town hall meetings and use technology for Q&A sessions to increase transparency and communication with the community.
Jen Corn
Jen Corn is the current Director of School Improvement in Oakland. She has worked for thirteen years in BUSD schools as a teacher and principal.
Corn’s approach to academic achievement emphasizes closing achievement gaps and promoting equity through improved core classroom instruction. She advocates for culturally relevant, high quality education for all students. Regarding school culture and climate, Corn aims to foster inclusive, anti-racist environments that affirm students with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ students, while also building strong partnerships between schools and families. For systems and structures, Corn stresses the importance of stability, supporting educators with well-functioning systems, and ensuring fair compensation so that teachers can continue to live and work in the community.
“(When it comes to) academic achievement, I focus on equity and closing the persistent gaps we see in Berkeley schools. I believe the best way to do this is to improve core classroom instruction, ensuring (that) every student receives a high-quality, culturally relevant education. For culture and climate, I think about belonging; creating anti-racist, inclusive schools that affirm students with disabilities and LGBTQ students. It’s also about building strong partnerships between schools and families. For systems and structures, it’s about stability. Schools need well-functioning systems that support educators, and we need to pay teachers what they need to live and work in our community,” said Corn.
Corn highlights her experience as a K-12 educator and her identity as a lesbian as vital aspects of her candidacy for the School Board. She aims to increase the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community and draw on her background as an educator to identify areas for improvement within schools.