Platform

Safety First

Joshua believes that every family deserves to send their students to school safely, without the worry of danger. He will fight for Safe Passages and Safe Routes for all DC students by:

Advocating that ALL schools have Safe Passage personnel to ensure students safety to and from school.
Working with community partners to ensure that students can receive support from local businesses and neighbors in times of crisis.

Advocating for Our Public Schools

Joshua knows that our students thrive when our public schools are fully funded and supported. He will fight for a high-quality public education for all DC students by:

Ensuring equitable and fair funding for both traditional public and public charter schools in DC and making sure no school lacks the resources for joyful learning
Supporting public schools in enhancing their curriculum, including art, music, science, and libraries for every school
Expanding school programs to include up-to-date and relevant curriculum standards and strengthening what already works in Ward 6
Working to support and grow existing schools and ensuring they are fully funded rather than constantly opening and closing schools

Supporting And Retaining Teachers

Joshua knows that teaching conditions in the classroom are learning conditions for our children. He will fight to improve teacher retention by:

Advocating for wages that match DC's high cost of living and allow teachers to stay and grow in stable school communities
Increasing accountability for facility functions
Helping teachers grow through mentorship and professional development, not evaluation practices that have been shown to be racially-biased
Prioritizing education outcomes, not political agendas to help schools succeed
Bringing respect back to teachers and school staff, who help our schools and students succeed
Fighting for healthy and safe school buildings that are modern and accessible, which would provide teachers and students the strongest learning environment possible

Prioritizing Mental Health

Joshua knows that classrooms aren’t just about testing - they are about supporting children’s growth and success. He will fight to make sure every child is supported to grow and succeed in school and in the community by:

Ensuring both students and teachers have access to highly-qualified mental health professionals
Making sure mental health resources in schools are inclusive and culturally competent for LGBTQ+ youth and their families and providing a role model for LGBTQ+ students of color
Transitioning away from police in schools by advocating for fully-funded, high-quality mental health services necessary to prevent and meaningfully address conflicts
Advocating for safe routes to school for every child through street safety and safer neighborhoods

Empowering the State Board of Education

Joshua believes the State Board of Education plays a key role in ensuring our public schools work well and support students. He will leverage the role of Ward 6 representative on the State Board of Education by:

Empowering the State Board of Education to succeed as an oversight body of our schools
Using the position as an opportunity to increase the voice of Ward 6 students, families, and teachers in education governance
Building the capability of the State Board of Education to operate independently of the Mayor and the DC Council as the only elected officials focused solely on school and student success