Angela Normand, who is a Black lesbian, is running for reelection to the Trustee Area 2 seat on the Alameda County Board of Education. She represents communities in Alameda, and portions of San Leandro and Oakland. We recommend Normand for another term.
Normand is a statewide director for the California Teachers Association and a special education teacher. As she stated in her Bay Area Reporter candidate questionnaire, "I've dedicated my entire educational career to advocating for the needs of children the system overlooks: students who are targeted for who they are, not what they do; students who have special needs; have been expelled; are trapped in the court system; or are young parents."
She explained that in her role as a trustee, she leverages relationships with Alameda County and municipalities to advocate for and coordinate programs and funding to help students affected by homelessness. There is a county Collaboration Advancing Research, Efforts, and Supports, or CARES, program that prioritizes funding for homeless education and school counselors. "I advocate for responsible budgeting ensuring socioeconomically disadvantaged students and/or those experiencing housing insecurity receive the services they need," Normand stated. She added that she routinely meets with state legislators and works to ensure that teachers can afford to live in the communities they serve. She was part of the coalition that helped pass parcel taxes that led to an increase in pay for educators in the city of Alameda and supports a similar parcel tax on the March 5 ballot. (Proposition E.)
Overall, Normand is a solid choice to continue serving on the county education board, which offers support to area public school districts. Norman served for 10 years in the Marine Corps and stated that experience taught her that there is no higher calling than giving back to communities.
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