Check Out Kerry Baker’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerry Baker.

Hi Kerry, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a mother of six, a former teacher, and the daughter of two public school educators. In February of 2022, I had four children in the Paradise Valley School District, and I knew I needed to make a bigger difference in our community; I realized I needed to run for the governing board. During COVID and navigating masks and school closures, I was happy to be part of a district that listened to the science and made the best decisions for our children’s and our staff’s safety. I wanted to keep the sanity and the careful decision-making on PVUSD’s governing board, so I immediately put in my statement of interest. For the six years prior, I had been a stay-at-home mom, and I had no clue how to run for public office. However, I knew this was what I needed to do for my children and all the students in PVUSD, so I jumped in head first. I reached out to everyone I could for support. I sat down with current board members, met with educators and parent groups in the district, joined the local LDs, and made every connection I could. I started knocking on doors and gathering signatures. I poured everything I could into the campaign. I made sure my message was clear and consistent. I wanted to be a voice for our LGBTQ+ community, I wanted educators to be able to teach real history, I wanted to keep mental health support in the classroom, and I wanted the best education possible for every child in our district. When I won in November, I made sure I kept those promises. When making decisions, I carefully consider how it will affect students and teachers. As a former special education teacher, I also want to consider how any outcome will affect those students and teachers. It’s been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever taken on, but I wouldn’t change any of it. I am honored and proud to serve our district in this capacity.

Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It had been a challenging road. As I mentioned before, I didn’t know what I was doing. While going through the campaign process, there was a lot of trial and error—our campaign died with attacks, hateful videos, and biased articles. As I made new connections and formed new relationships, I also navigated, gathering signatures and earning name recognition. There were many long days and a lot of time away from my family. I learned that there needs to be more support for governing board candidates. Before COVID, a governing board election was fairly easy. Now we are expected to run a full-on campaign without the same help as a statewide or legislative candidate. As a newly elected governing board member, I also face new challenges. I have been targeted for my stance on our LGBTQ+ students and my beliefs in the importance of mental health support for our students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and real history should be taught in classrooms, making me a target. Listening to parents and community members attack our schools, educators, and diverse students during board meetings is difficult.

Thanks for sharing that. Can you tell us more about your work next?
As a member of the PVUSD Governing Board, it is my job to discuss, vote on, and set policy. It is also our responsibility to vote on budgets and curriculum. We set the district’s direction and ensure the superintendent carries it out daily. In addition, we approve purchases, adopt the school calendar, monitor progress, and approve personnel actions. We must support and advocate for our students and our educator’s needs. Each week we read an update from our superintendent on what’s going on in our district, and from there, we ask questions and educate ourselves on items we will be voting on in the next meeting. What sets me apart from others is that I encourage parents and staff to communicate with me. I am not afraid to advocate for all our students, regardless of race, class, learning needs, or LGBTQ+ status. I will not tolerate extremism or hate and won’t back down even when it gets difficult.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
My drive, determination, and ability to form relationships are the most important characteristics to me. There were so many times during my campaign it would have been easy to give up. However, if I had chosen to throw in the towel, the trajectory of our district would have been changed in a way that would not have benefited our community. I have formed so many new relationships with so many people. While this helped me get elected, it has also changed my life in many ways. I have met amazing new people, made new friends, and have been able to make a difference in ways that wouldn’t have been possible had I not put relationships first. Forming relationships has also helped me become a more effective board member because people trust me, believe in me, and know I will take the time to listen and learn.

Contact Info:

• Website: kerrybaker4pvusd.org
• Instagram: kerrybakerforpvusd
• Facebook: Kerry Baker for PVUSD
• Twitter: @kerrylbaker27