07/12/2022
I am writing today to say thank you for your support and to share that I did not file my signatures today with Maricopa County. So many of you have given your time, your money, and your encouragement; and while I met my goal on signatures, I have made the difficult decision not to file.
We’ve known from the beginning that the field was over-crowded. To me, the most important goal of this election has always been to ensure that anti-public school candidates are not elected; that they are not allowed access to dismantle our schools from the inside. Our students and teachers deserve advocates on the board. There are simply too many of us in this non-partisan race, and in order to ensure votes are not split among us, thereby letting bad candidates in, means someone needs to step down.
My main motivation for running has always been kids and teachers, and so I’ve decided to step down to ensure our votes are not split. My hope is that by doing so, the vote is protected, and our community will be able to rally around and elect two pro-public school candidates to fill our open seats.
I'd be remiss if I didn't recognize and acknowledge the remarkable support and kindness of strangers that I have experienced during these past few months. My friends and family from around the country have also given their time, encouragement, and support. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!
I remain inspired by the numerous dedicated students, parents, activists, and community members who put in countless hours and literal sweat and tears into this work. I’ll continue to listen, learn, and work alongside these folks to advocate for our schools, albeit from the crowd instead of the dais.
Now let’s get out and elect strong candidates to support our public schools!
