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Tabrian, Joe- Detroit Public Schools Community District

Are you an incumbent?

No

Brief Intro of Candidate

I was born and raised in Detroit. I attended Malcolm X Academy from grades 1st - 8th. I then attended University High School in Ferndale. After high school, I enrolled at Western Michigan University where I planned to pursue an education degree in Secondary Education with a major in English and a minor in Political Science. But I eventually had to change my degree plan because there I did not have the support I needed to complete my student teaching. I graduated from Western Michigan University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. I then moved back to Detroit after the tragic death of my younger sister to gun violence. In September 2019, I started working as a reading interventionist at the George Washington Carver Academy in Highland Park where I worked until the COVID-19 pandemic started. I am currently employed as a Mail Handler with the United States Postal Service.
I am a long time advocate and activist for public education, affirmative action, immigrants rights, union rights and civil rights. I began my activism when I joined BAMN at the age of 11 years old. My first campaign as a young leader in Detroit was organizing to defeat the anti-affirmative action ballot initiative (Proposition 2) in 2006. After the passage of prop 2 , I continued the fight for equality and public education. On May 1st 2007, I organized and led a walk-out of middle school students to stop 50 DPS schools from being closed, which saved Malcolm X Academy from closing that year. My organizing efforts landed me and other youth leaders on the cover of the Scholastic magazine. Fighting for public education has always been a passion of mine. I have stood in solidarity with teachers of DPSCD since the DFT strike of 2006, where I joined the picket line with the community and teachers to fight for better wages for Detroit teachers, and books, supplies, and smaller class-sizes for Detroit students. As a student at University High School in Ferndale, I fought for equal quality education for myself and other Detroit students who were being recruited and bussed across district boundaries. The Ferndale district was skimping on the education of Detroit students while using our per-pupil dollars to provide more resources and opportunities for Ferndale students in a separate school. As a gay student, I also advocated for establishing a Gay-Straight Alliance at University High School.
My work fighting for public education later motivated and inspired me to become an educator myself. As I entered my education courses and joined the Michigan Education Association as an “Aspiring Educator” I quickly understood that a teachers working condition is the same as a student's learning environment; if one is not right the other will not be right either. I went on to organize other education college students at WMU to join the MEA Aspiring Educators (a membership category open to future educators, formerly known as Student MEA). The Aspiring Educator chapter at WMU went from non-existing to 30 active members under my leadership. I organized events on campus for the education community to enhance the teaching profession with speakers such as Diane Ravitch and Dr. Christopher Emdin. I was elected in 2017, as President of the MEA Aspiring Educators and was appointed to serve on the National Education Association Aspiring Educators Advisory Committee. As President of the MEA Aspiring Educators, I made the (500 members) organization stronger and by the end of my term in office conversations were starting to happen around whether or not student-teachers should be paid during their internships; something in which I believe in strongly. In order to recruit and maintain qualified educators, we must pay them competitive wages and pay them what they are worth. We must let teachers teach and give them the resources and tools that they need every day to do the job effectively.

Endorsements

-BAMN, The Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action Integration Immigrants Rights and fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary - EON/BAMN Caucus of the AFT and NEA I am also seeking endorsement from other community organization and churchs.

Top financials Contributors

Website and social media links

My campaign is self funded at the moment. I will welcome any and all donations to my campaign for those who agree with my platform. I must say that I will not be bought by anyone. I will be a board member for the people of Detroit.

TBD

How would you engage and include parents, caregivers, community members and students in decision-making in your district around things like curriculum, budgeting and district policy?

I would engage and include parents, caregivers, community members, and students in decision-making in DPSCD around things like curriculum, budgeting and district policy by being present for them and listening to their issues & concerns. I know that as a board member, one board member can’t do the job alone; it will take all of us to fight for the type of education we want to see in Detroit. I am proposing we have community meetings with parents, students, and community members in a collaborative setting to discuss school related issues directly with a board member(s) prior to the regularly scheduled board meetings. As a board member, I want to be proactive in my decision making and not reactive. Always thinking of the future generations to come.

What are your thoughts on school discipline and the way it is exercised in your school district? What are your thoughts on restorative practices?

candidate not asked this question

What are your thoughts on how to improve student mental health

I will demand more funding and resources for mental health services. I believe one thing we can do is reallocate district funds from the current excess of central office to our schools to address this need. Hiring and recruiting social workers for every school will be a priority in order to meet the needs of our students.

What are your thoughts on ways to improve Black student achievement in your district and in Michigan schools overall?

We need a metro-wide school district. Instead of competing for educational funds we would need to pull all of Wayne counties schools together to combine funding to close the achievement gap. Another option would be to change the way we fund education. Both of these options will take a movement to make this a reality. I am up to the challenge of leading the movement for a better education system and one that closes the achievement gap between black and white students.

What are your thoughts on how to ensure that all students and their families, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, disability, religion, income status, etc., feel safe and included in your district?

We must welcome all families of all backgrounds to contribute and actively participate in the school community. We must acknowledge and embrace the differences of our families as a part of the DPSCD school community.

What are your thoughts on how to recruit and retain staff, particularly staff of color, in your district with regard to pay, benefits, and working conditions?

The district will recruit and retain teachers/staff by paying them a competitively livable wage. To recruit teachers we must not just look at just Wayne State University college of education, we should be expanding our recruitment efforts in other state wide colleges as well. For example, when I was at Western Michigan University I was entering my student teaching semester and I found out that Detroit was not on the list of acceptable school districts where I could do my student teaching; this must change. I will use my existing connections to reach out to the Aspiring Educators of MEA and NEA to recruit nationwide highly qualified aspiring educators. Educators are with students the majority of the day, they know what students need to learn. We must support them and give them the resources and tools they need to be effective at their job. Effective Professional development should be a priority of the district. Professional development must be teacher lead and not district driven. The district can invite educational scholars and experts from across the nation to address what the district lacks when it comes to academics, teacher pedagogy, and classroom management.

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