Voting in Quincy: School board candidates focus on academics, diversity

QUINCY — Two candidates are vying for a seat on the Quincy School Board.

Incumbent Liliana Garcia was appointed by unanimous vote to the Quincy School Board in February 2020.

Garcia has lived in Quincy since 2010 and has two children in the Quincy School District. She works for Inspire Development Centers as a school readiness liaison, helping low-income and high-risk families prepare their kids for public education.

She has an associate’s degree in early childhood education and has taught preschool.

“I’m here to offer my experience and my knowledge,” she said.

Hispanic people make up about 80% of Quincy’s population.

For that reason, Garcia said it’s essential to have Hispanic perspectives on the school board.

She’s committed to breaking down the barriers that can prevent local parents from engaging with their child’s education, including language barriers.

“Some parents may feel afraid of even asking questions or reaching out to leaders in the school district,” she said.

A former migrant worker, Garcia said she understands the challenges faced by parents who work long hours in agriculture.

“I want to make sure our district makes every effort to accommodate parents’ schedules for availability,” Garcia said.

Above all, she said she wants to serve her community.

“My objective is to encourage parents and empower them to speak up for their kids,” she said. “We are their first advocates.”

Challenger Chad Lower said community members encouraged him to run for the school board.

A pilot for SkyWest Airlines, Lower originally moved to eastern Washington to attend flight school. He met his wife in Moses Lake. He’s now a dad to an almost 1-year-old child.

“It was time to put my hat in the ring to represent the people in Quincy,” he said.

Only about 35% of Quincy students met state standards for math, English and language arts during the 2018-19 school year, according to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. About 24% of students met science standards during the same period.

That’s why Lower believes teaching the fundamentals should come first in local schools.

“The state keeps ramming things down our throat,” Lower said, referring to Referendum 90, a bill that requires public schools to provide comprehensive sexual health education by the 2022-23 school year. Washington voters approved Referendum 90 with 58% of the vote.

Lower said he believes state lawmakers are also promoting critical race theory in public schools.

Critical race theory (CRT) is an academic concept. The central idea is that race is a social construct and race is not just a product of individual prejudice, but also embedded in legal systems and policies.

CRT is taught at the college level, particularly in law school.

Lower noted that CRT is not taught in Quincy schools.

“I think it’s something Olympia would be interested in adding to our curriculum,” he said.

Lower emphasized the importance of parent involvement in education.

“I want to represent parents’ and teachers’ best interest and make sure all voices are heard,” he said.