Ramon Diaz, Saratoga Grade School BOE election questionnaire

Full Name: Ramon Diaz Jr

What office are you seeking? Saratoga Grade School Board Member

What is your political party? Conservative Party

What is your current age? 36

Occupation and Employer: Clinical Therapist; Psychology, English and Literature High School Teacher; Scientific Publisher

What offices, if any, have you previously held? I have not held any office in Grundy County or any other county in IL up to date.

City: Morris

Campaign Website: I do not have a campaign website.

Education: BA: Northwestern University

MA: Adler University

IL therapist license: IL

Certifications: Complex and Developmental Trauma, Dialectical Behavior Therapy Certified, Life Skill Development Certified, and a member of the National Certified Counselor Association

Community involvement: I lead a mental-health focused support group for children all through high school in Minooka, IL hosted by Mission Bible Church.

I lead a free emotional support group hosted by the Village in Minooka, IL., to help support adults who struggle with grief, emotional disturbances, parent-child relationship issues, trauma, medical-based trauma, and anxiety issues.

I volunteered in 2022 with the Morris Warriors in Morris, IL. Due to work constraints, I had to leave the program and I did not participate for the duration of the 2022 season.

Beginning in 2021, my family and I partner with We Care in Morris to purchase Christmas gifts for families in need.

I do presentations throughout IL, virtually and in person, to provide psychoeducation to the public that mainly focuses on sharing resources to families to ensure they have proper support to help raise mental-health focused children.

I have presented at psychology conferences on topics like Sport Psychology, Youth Sport and Mental Health, Trauma and Its Sources, and Social Media and the Youth.

Marital status/Immediate family: I married to Kelli Diaz.

I have three children: Tobias Ramon, Lydia Esther, Mateo Steven Diaz.

Why are you running for office?

I have concerns about what is prioritized related to the educational approach chosen to be used with our children. Natural rights, built into the Democratic Republic in which we live in, are being put into question related to the rights of families by certain people groups. Debates that occur about what natural rights families have to support their children must be clarified and maintained today for our community stakeholders. Ideologies and social narratives must be broken down so people and children alike are not misled to adhere to values, beliefs and ideas that are not compatible with intrinsic principles we find in our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Articles of Confederation. The people of our community have an inherited right to be represented accurately; the families at Saratoga have a voice school board members must go to great lengths to characterize well. These views must be defended despite constraints that present themselves. The moral fabric of our community seems to be in question today. I believe I know why the moral fabric is crumbling today in our county. Education and American Citizenship are building blocks to develop and maintain the moral fabric of our community. Education of how to maintain certain natural rights and liberties must be taught to our children in order to turn the corner and return to our nation’s roots. Differences may appear on how to educate our children, however. Differences are easily resolved when civility is prioritized again into our community; the founder Fathers once prioritized this virtue. I plan to advocate for Education principles that were defended by our founding fathers to help protect our great Democratic Republic that underpins all flourishing communities. These education principles must be interwoven intro the fabric of our core teaching at Saratoga by our teachers.

What makes you qualified for the office you’re seeking?

I am licensed clinical therapist. I have extensive training in working with children and families to help support their psychological health. I have extensive training in psychological theory that underpins all educational models that currently are used in the US. I am currently applying to doctoral programs where I plan to specialize in neuropsychology. Lastly, I have training in political theory which allows me to see the long-lasting impact educational theory has on communities, states, and nations.

Have you sought and/or received any training to run for your local school board? If so, from whom?

I do not have formal training on how to run for a local school board. I have received a great deal of insight and advice from a local school board member in Grundy County, however.

Would you propose any changes to the curriculum? If so, what?

Within the Board Policy section, article 0610 states under the “Educational Philosophy and Objective” a major focus for administrators will be to “encourage” students to become lifelong learners. What objective measures and longitude methods do administrators use to measure the effectiveness of this policy?

Within the Board Policy section, policy 0610 states under the “Educational Philosophy and Objective” a major focus is to “Help students develop sensitivity to the needs and values of others and a respect for individual and group differences.”. What metrics are being used to verify the effectiveness of this policy?

Within the Student policy section, article 0710 states that a student will not be denied to participate in extracurricular activities based on their “gender identity”. What is the criteria administrators use to determine what sports a boy and girl can join based on their “gender identity”? I grow with this concern that that article 0710 acknowledges the social construct “gender identity”. This assumes a criteria for a child is being altered. Gender identity possesses a different philosophical criteria than a criteria that determines what a boy or girl is. What reasons, empirically and scientifically speaking, supports this change in article 0710? The last modification occurred in Jan of 2023.

Are LGBTQ students treated fairly in your district?

LGBTQ is a social construct developed by a specific narrative that draws from a specific philosophical assumption(s) about what a person is. I note this question assumes a specific narrative that I am being forced to enter in and acknowledge. Please be mindful of the questions you are asking for whom this may concern.

What is your assessment of how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is handled in your school district?

Again, Critical Race Theory underpins this question. Please acknowledge, administrators, why this question is appropriate for school board members of a local public school. Please provide disclaimers what Social and Political Narratives are being assumed here.

Do you believe the district needs to make any changes to improve DEI in your district?

Again, I believe it is appropriate for you all to present a disclaimer regarding your assumption that motivates a question like this. DEI and its concepts stem from a theory referred to as Critical Race Theory. Critical Race Theory stems from Critical Theory that was developed in the field of Sociology during the early 20th century. Critical Theory stems from views that Karl Marx and W.E.B. Du Bois held to.

Are teachers in your district paid adequately now and in retirement?

Education about the role of American Citizenship and Constitutional theory is essential to maintaining the moral fabric of communities in the West. The role of teachers it follows play a key role in developing concepts of American Citizenship. I believe teachers, therefore, have a right to negotiate their salaries. The salary most teachers have in my district seems unreasonable.

Would you support changes to teacher pay scales? If so, how?

I would want to review the criteria that is in place right now that determines salaries for teachers in my district before offering an analysis and critique of the established criteria.

What is your assessment of the district superintendent’s compensation?

Ashley is in her first year as Superintendent is being compensated reasonably at this moment.

Would you make any changes to how the district superintendent is compensated?

Not at this moment, I am learning more about her role in the decision making process to either revise, remove or update current school policies in the school district.

Do you support the current superintendent? Please explain.

Yes, I believe Ashley is upholding the values that American Citizenship theory stands for. Although I would provide some critical feedback to specific policies that are in place, I believe Ashlye’s philosophy of education seems reasonable. I have some concerns about grading policies and I know that Ashley would be willing to have a discussion with me regarding the policy.

Should schools in your district adopt and teach sex education according to the National Sex Education Standards? Please explain.

The new sex education standards do not seem to be compatible with American Citizenship theory. Liberal education has been built on a different philosophical praxis that is in contrast with social theories that currently support progressive views of sex education. I am willing to have a discussion on how psychological theory and developmental neuropsychology aligns more with aconservative view of sex education.

What is your assessment of how the COVID-19 pandemic was handled locally?

The last few questions force candidates to entertain a new social paradigm. The paradigm is constructed from views that stem from Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality. Dr. Crenshaw and others are intellectuals that developed these theories.

What did you learn from the pandemic?

I am open to having a discussion about the pros and cons about Critical Race Theory and relevant theories.

Are voters that support your district taxed at an appropriate level?

Yes, I believe the district tax on voters are reasonable.

Would you support any plans to raise taxes in the district? If so, what should the additional revenue be spent on?

If taxes were raised, the funding should be directed to conducting empirical studies that motivate how to best support education for students that align with American Citizenship. It seems, in today’s context, education and American Citizenship can appear disconnected or not compatible. I would want to investigate what factors may contribute to this illusion.

Would you support lowering taxes in the district? If so, what programs or services in the district would you cut?

I do not support in lowering taxes.

Will you accept the voters’ decision in your race on Election Day?

Yes.

What is your position on open, transparent government?

American Citizenship is built to serve the will of the people. People elect representatives that will only be motivated to advocate and maintain governing laws that are stated clearly in the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. So, transparency is built into the concept of a Democratic Republic.

Do you support the Freedom of Information Act and citizens’ ability to freely access government records?

Yes, I do support the Freedom of Information Act.