Daven Desai Candidate Statement

I am seeking appointment as a Community Interest Representative in the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council. Specifically, I would like to serve as the Education representative. Over the past four years, I have been a substitute teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, and as such I feel I can bring a unique perspective to the educational situation in our community. Though I have never formally served in any capacity on this council, I feel that this volunteer opportunity would allow me to begin to serve our community in a function beyond that as an educator. In particular, I feel that my experiences with LAUSD and, most recently, as a graduate student at CSULA where I ccmpleted my MA, allorv me to bring a critical, understanding eye to the problems currently facing our community. I understand the need for school improvement in our
neighborhood; I also understand the inherent difficulties of school reform. If elected, my hope is to not only carry out the defined functions of the position, but to also act as an understanding and compassionate liaison between the council and the schools in our neighborhood, to act as a bridge in helping to build a safer and more successful educational environrnent. I understand the need to improve our schools, to ensure that our neighborhood offers its residents the best possible education. I also understand that our current economic climate has perhaps hindered that goal, forcing our community to look at our schools, and school reform, with a critical eye. My hope is that my perspective-both as an educator and scholar-will help illuminate new ways to bring together the commumty and sehools to help us get the best out of each other. This is why I am declaring a stake in our neighborhood. We live in a special place; our schools should reflect that. I thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Daven H. Desai