PPAA’s 2020 Candidate Endorsements: School Board Write-In Candidates!

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you wrote a random name on the election ballot? Turns out it’s the same thing as if you never casted a vote at all. That’s because in order to use the “write-in” option you can only write in candidates who are actually registered as a write-in candidate. Arizona law requires that these candidates register at least 40 days before election day. It’s important to know who these candidates are because their names will not appear on the ballot, so you must be prepared to write in their name to cast your vote, and spell the respective name correctly. This also means that these candidates will need additional support to make sure voters are educated on how to properly cast their votes for their races.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona is proud to endorse these school board candidates from the Roosevelt and Chandler Union School Districts running for their respective governing boards as write-in candidates.

Shelley Jackson is a community organizer, youth advocate, teaching artist, and write-in candidate for Roosevelt School Board. She currently serves as the Deputy Director of Training and Engagement at Instituto, an organization with a mission of building sustained political power for low income and Black, Indigenous, and communities of color in Arizona. Her organizing works includes training individuals on both the local and national level with Organizing Corps 2020 for this 2020 presidential election and leading the youth and community development and training programs for Arizona Coalition for Change (AZC4C) and Our Voice, Our Vote AZ (OVOV AZ). During her time with AZC4C and OVOV AZ she worked with coalitions across the state on many different issues including voting rights, the expansion of public transportation, and equitable education. Before Jackson committed to advancing her community through organizing she worked with a local nonprofit to train teachers all over the valley on social emotional learning while also leading after school programs and teaching dance in various schools. Whether organizing on the ground, or teaching in the classroom Jackson has a proven track record of always putting the community and those who are directly impacted first. As a South Phoenix native, and former Roosevelt School District student Jackson is bringing her passion for the community she knows and loves to the school board. Get involved with Shelley’s campaign here.

Alexis Aguirre is a teacher, parent, and education advocate.  She is the proud product of what public schools can do to change the course of a child’s life. Aguiree was able to overcome the compounded effects of poverty and the foster care system because of the safety and empowerment her teachers and schools provided. With over 13 years in education as an instructional assistant, public/school librarian, dual language teacher and instructional coach Aguirre has a real understanding of the inner workings of our school systems. She is a member of the Arizona Education Association and has served as local president, site representative and political chair in the Osborn School District. Aguirre’s experiences as a student, teacher and organizer drive her to continue fighting for the schools our children and educators deserve. Learn more about Aguirre’s campaign here.

Sharon Tuttle holds certifications in K-8 education with Structured English Immersion (SEI) and English endorsements, as well as K-12 Principal certification. She has been a teacher since 2013, with 3 years in Chandler Unified School DIstrict (CUSD). Tuttle is currently working as a 7th grade English language arts teacher in the Casa Grande Elementary School District. During her time in Chandler she was on the Chandler Education Association Executive Board, and remains an AEA member still. She holds a Bachelors in Business Accounting, Masters in Management, and a Masters in Educational Leadership.

            Throughout Tuttle’s career, she has been passionate in her commitment to students and educators through amplifying individual voices, developing students’ interest, and instilling a sense of dignity and worth among all. She has dedicated her career to each of these pursuits. All four of her children are enrolled in CUSD and are at 4 different campuses, (currently online), because they all have differing needs. Tuttle is a Latina woman, who was brought up by her immigrant father and her educator mother. She is an advocate for Collaborative and Proactive Solutions in and out of the classroom to help students solve problems, instead of relying on disciplinary measures that typically fail in helping our kids succeed. She believes we need a cultural shift away from suspensions and reactive disciplinary models that have hurt our students more than helped. Tuttle is also a Youth and Educator Mental Health and Wellness Advocate and has designed programs to address the need for mental health awareness. Learn more on her website here.