Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board Ward 3 in Arizona —incumbent Stephanie Parra and Charles Lucking — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office.
According to the Phoenix Union website, the Governing Board’s mission includes the “responsibility to identify District needs, to be responsive to those needs, and to plan short and long-range strategies to meet them.”
Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Parra:
“I am an educator, not a politician. I am deeply passionate about educational equity and ensuring that every child has access to opportunity in our education system. I have dedicated my career to this mission of advancing equity, opportunity and justice in Arizona public schools.
I did not run for school board as a stepping stone to run for higher office. I ran for school board because I believe that our public schools should be governed by community leaders who truly have the best interest of our students and educators at heart. I have been that leader for Phoenix Union, Ward 3 and my commitment to students and families has never waivered.”
Lucking:
“I believe that a great, free, fully funded and supported education is not only a right, not only the responsibility of all of us together, but high quality public education is in fact the foundation and the insurance policy of the continuation of our Democracy. The leaders, the changemakers, and those who will shape the future of our world are forged on the public high school campuses of our country. This is not a responsibility that I or any of us can take lightly, this is the very future of our state, our nation, and the future of our world not as it is, but as we know it has the potential to be.“
Click on the candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to this and other questions.
We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.
Additional reading:
Phoenix Union High School District, Arizona, elections 2022