Childhood

Marvin Rodríguez was born in El Salvador on September 21, 1979. In the middle of a civil war in El Salvador, he immigrated to the United States with his mother and two older sisters in 1986. He grew up in a single parent home in the Pico-Union area of Los Angeles. He attended Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools from the time he arrived in the United States to the time he graduated high school.  He attended Norwood Street Elementary, John Adams Middle School and Hollywood High School. With the support of his mother and teachers who consistently emphasized the importance of education, Rodríguez thrived in strong bilingual education and magnet programs, which allowed for a healthy emotional and academic development as he transitioned into a new language and culture. The success of those programs was a result of amazing teachers who always demonstrated a passion for teaching and love for their students through their hard work and commitment to their success.

College and Military

After graduating from Hollywood High School in 1998, Rodríguez enrolled in California State University, Northridge (CSUN). At the same time, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he had the opportunity to serve his country while attending college. In 2000, he joined Youth Services with LAUSD to serve elementary school children as an after-school coach.  However, as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, Rodríguez had to put his studies on hold and leave his job behind to serve on active duty as part of military operations into Iraq in 2003. It was during this time that Rodríguez discovered a desire to become a teacher. Motivated by his experience with the devastated communities he came across while at war in Iraq and a sense of duty to serve others, Rodríguez returned home in May 2003 to resume his studies to become a teacher.

Teaching

In 2005, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from CSUN. That same year he began teaching Spanish at Magnolia Science Academy in Reseda. There, he taught Spanish while attending National University to earn a master’s degree in Multicultural Education with an emphasis on Second Language Acquisition. After earning his master’s degree, he also became a part of North Hollywood-Polytechnic Community Adult School where he taught adults Spanish GED classes for a year and a half. In 2014, he joined Cleveland High School where he continues to teach Spanish and volunteer as a coach for Students Run Los Angeles. Students Run Los Angeles is a program dedicated to challenging and supporting underserved secondary school students in their goal-setting and character development through the life-changing experience of training for and completing the Los Angeles Marathon. Rodríguez also continues to learn from the experiences his students bring to the classroom every day. It is these same experiences, which have shaped his commitment and determination to advocate and fight for the success of his students through public education.

Family

Currently, Marvin Rodríguez lives in Arleta with his wife Janette Rodríguez and his two daughters Heaven and Journey Rodríguez. His wife Janette works within the community providing mental health services as a Marriage and Family Therapist. His oldest daughter Heaven is a high school student at Cleveland High School in Reseda, and Journey attends Haddon Avenue STEAM Academy in Pacoima.

I am running for school board because I believe our school district must play a bigger role in ensuring that our schools provide meaningful learning experiences that inspire in our children the sense of worth and purpose necessary to navigate this world and contribute positively to our communities. Only through a new vision of public education can we achieve this. We must commit to a vision that recognizes the power and benefit of community schools, so that our students find what they need in their neighborhood district schools to achieve absolute success. We need a public education system that envisions every one of our students striving for knowledge and growth not because it will bring them financial success but because it will liberate them to become knowledgeable and empathetic global citizens. We must remain true to a conviction in the power of community and strive to build that for our children in all our district schools.  

Jesus Arana is a Program Director for several afterschool programs in the San Fernando Valley and a Police Sergeant for the Los Angeles School Department. He has dedicated his life to Public Service and is currently running for School Board Member In LAUSD District 6. His platform priorities include; School Safety, Trade Career Pathways, Afterschool Programs, Empowering Teachers, and providing Parents with a voice.

Growing up as a poor Mexican boy in the San Fernando and Pacoima area, Jesus moved from Motel rooms, trailer parks, The Pacoima Projects, friend / family’s laundry rooms, and many other places he called home. He went to six different elementary schools, four different middle schools, and one high school. In each and every school, he had to re-establish myself by standing up to bullying, making new friends, and meeting new teachers. As you could imagine, he learned a lot along the way.

Jesus was raised by a single mother who got pregnant with him at the age of 14. His mom’s biggest worry was how she was going to house and feed her kids. As Jesus got older and older, he began spending more time at school. He spent time in after school programs and then in high school sports. He couldn’t go home because his family never had their own space. Imagine living in someone else’s house where they stepped all over your clothes and bed because it was on the floor of their laundry room and they wanted their space back. Imagine knowing that you were a burden. Jesus’ up-bringing is a typical scenario for a lot of kids in LAUSD and he truly understands many have it worse. Jesus acknowledges he had a mom who loved and cared for him; many of our LAUSD kids have no parents. Luckily for Jesus, there was always one staple, in his otherwise chaotic life that he could count on, school. No matter where he slept; whether it be a motel or car, he knew the next day school would be there. Food would be there. He was safe at school. He formed lifelong mentors in the teachers, staff, and coaches he met in LAUSD. These LAUSD mentors are his family and they were the ones who motivated him through grade school and life.

Despite all the obstacles he faced, he stands before you as a person who has 13 years experience as a student for LAUSD, 16 years experience as a parent for LAUSD students, and 23 years of work experience with LAUSD. He was the first in his family to attend college. Jesus has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Cal State Northridge with Honors. He has a Bachelor’s in Business Management and an Associate’s in Administration of Justice. He is a proud veteran of the US Army where he worked as a Field Medic and Mental Health Specialist.

In our community, he is simply known as “Coach Jess.” He has spent countless hours mentoring and coaching thousands of kids in the San Fernando Valley. He has over 20 years experience volunteering with non-profit organizations in our community to include the Pacoima Boys and Girls Club, Crossroads Youth Intervention Through Athletics, LA School Police PALS, Beat the Streets-Los Angeles, and Crossroads-Tigers. He has been a coach for the San Fernando High School Wrestling Team for over 20 years. He is a proud coach of San Fernando’s first female wrestling team and the first wrestling team in LAUSD to win a State Wrestling Championship. He has poured his heart and soul into the establishment and the coaching of afterschool programs in youth Cheerleading, Football, and wrestling.

Jesus married to a teacher, Ana, who has over 20 years of experience with LAUSD, 13 years of experience as a student for LAUSD, and who currently works at a LAUSD High School in the Valley. He is the father of five children, who has had to personally navigate the LAUSD system as a parent. As a result, he has experience with many different facets of the system to include special education, afterschool programs, magnet programs, and sports. Jesus has a child in every level of education in our community. His eldest daughter is currently attending Mission College and graduated from San Fernando High School. He has a daughter who is a Senior at San Fernando Magnet. He has two sons who are in Porter Middle School Gifted Magnet. He has a foster son who is in the first grade at Fernageles Elementary School.

For a majority of Jesus’ life, he has been in Public Service where he has served our community. Currently, he is a proud Police Sergeant for the Los Angeles School Police Department. He always put forth all best effort with LAUSD and it is evident in his work. In 2004, he graduated the Police Academy as Honor Cadet having achieved the highest overall average of: Academics, Physical Fitness, Agility, and Marksmanship. In 2008, he was selected as Police Officer of the Year. In 2012, he was selected as Detective of the Year. Finally, in 2014, he was nominated and selected as the National School Resource Officer of the Year. Jesus has a history of positive work performance and now has his sights on improving the School Board by representing his community.

LAUSD is at a Crossroads. The last regime of young board members has placed politics over students. I am running on a student first platform and to give a voice back to parents and the community. Although we can never truly remove politics from education, decisions need to be made from the standpoint on what is best for students, parents, and the community. The interest of outside organizations with political agendas should not weigh more than student achievement and community concerns.  

It’s time we break the curse that has been plaguing our socioeconomically challenged children for generations. We need experienced and bold leaders who are not afraid to be the voice of students, parents, and employees. In addition to serving my country in the US Army, I possess a Master’s degree in Public Administration with an Emphasis in Leadership. As a 24 year employee of LAUSD, I understand the politics and bureaucracy of the district. I have had to navigate through the various departments and personnel within the district as both an employee and coach. As a kid, I grew up in LAUSD schools and experienced gangs, drug dealing, riots, and social injustices. As a parent of four LAUSD children, I have experienced the entire k-12 system, including; special education, fear for safety of my kids, and frustration in the quality of education my kids were receiving in the Northeast Valley. I fully understand the systemic problems that have kept our schools from reaching their true potential. 

I grew up in the trenches of my community and truly understand the plight of the children in LAUSD. Growing up in Pacoima as a poor Mexican boy to a single teenage mother of three, I know what it’s like to depend on LAUSD as my primary source of meals and childcare. My campaign for School Board is truly a Grassroots movement. I am a college graduate with a Master’s Degree and a proud US Army Veteran. I am a parent of four LAUSD students and I have experienced every level of schooling from Pre-school to High School as such. I have been an employee of LAUSD for 24 years and I have been a volunteer mentor / coach with the district for over 27 years. I have deep rooted community work with socioeconomically challenged girls and boys that exponentially surpasses that of any other candidate. I volunteer with non-profit organizations in the Northeast Valley where I have established and directed afterschool programs aimed at keeping kids off the streets.

Returning to a sense of Normalcy… Recovering in a Post Pandemic wake is going to be a major obstacle. The pandemic has hit the nation hard and those most vulnerable, our socioeconomic challenged children, have been hit the hardest. Studies have shown that academics are down student-wide while mental health issues and suicide risks have increased exponentially. These issues have been exacerbated by the current political wave of pitting everyone against one another and painting people as far-left or far-right. It’s a good scare tactic for certain politicians but in the end, it impedes progress. We need to put the wellbeing of our students first and bring back normalcy.

Declining enrollment across the district is occurring at an alarming rate. In order to improve the enrollment and retention of students, we have to take a customer service approach and give the public what it wants. Why can’t our students graduate with certificates in trades like plumbing, carpentry, and electrical? We have to place value in education by teaching our students actual skills and providing them with training where they can graduate and get a job. We have to create meaningful afterschool programs so parents will want their students involved. Finally, we have to make our schools safe.

When parents drop off their kids at school, their biggest concern is that their kids are going to be safe. The incident rate for violence in 2021 within LAUSD is up 21% from 2018. This means 1 in 131 people within LAUSD will be a victim of violence. I plan to decrease school violence by reforming campus security.

According to research, 1 in 5 minority children actually graduate from college with a bachelor’s degree. This means that 4 out of 5 actually go into the work place with no degree. I plan on revamping the education system from not only focusing on college readiness but on preparing children for career pathways. We need to include trade programs within our schools to provide our children with real-life skills that will help them succeed in the workplace.

It takes a village to raise a child. I plan on giving parents and our community a voice in education. By creating focus groups consisting of parents and the community, I plan on tackling community issues on equity, safety, and the quality of education.

Teachers are the district’s greatest asset and they have taken a back burner to COVID and other pandemic issues. I plan on empowering teachers by giving them more control over school budget, giving them more access to technology, increasing their pay, and allowing them to be more imaginative in the classroom.