Rita Montoya
Running for school board in Montgomery County At Large
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 5)?
42
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
Attorney, policy advisor, consultant.
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
Law degree, American University Washington College of Law.
Why are you running for the school board?
I am running for Board of Education because my kids and all Montgomery County kids deserve the best chance possible to thrive. We need safe schools so kids can learn and educators can teach; academic vigor to energize students' love of learning and provide a healthy balance between high expectations and support tools; and administrative and financial oversight to reduce waste so Montgomery County Public Schools can provide equitable opportunities for all students.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I bring a unique perspective. I am a current Montgomery County Public Schools parent of two elementary school students who lives Montgomery County Public Schools every day. I see and feel the disconnect that many of our families feel between the policy and practice in our schools. My legal training, passion for advocacy and willingness to jump in because I know I can do hard things facilitates my ability to get the job done and be a good role model for our students. I bring a unique perspective. I am a current Montgomery County Public Scbools parent of two elementary school students who lives Montgomery County Public Schools every day. I see and feel the disconnect that many of our families feel between the policy and practice in our schools. My legal training, passion for advocacy and willingness to jump in because I know I can do hard things facilitates my ability to get the job done and be a good role model for our students.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
Financial waste. I will act with due diligence — asking questions; requesting necessary information; reading documents, contracts and policies closely; and paying attention to detail — to ensure our partnerships and budget allocations are in the best interest of our students.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
Current Montgomery County Board of Education member Julie Yang. Board of Education member Yang consistently engages with respect, is not afraid to ask tough questions or say what needs to be said, shows up for the entire community, and I have yet to hear any person say something bad about her!
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, passed by the General Assembly in 2021, is a 10-year plan that includes increased education funding to support early childhood education, increased teacher starting pay, college/career-readiness standards for high school graduates, and expanded services to multilingual and impoverished families, among other goals. Please tell us your views on the Blueprint and how it will affect your school district.
The Blueprint for Maryland establishes great educational goals. The timeline may not be in alignment with funding and other practical realities right now, but I do think it's necessary, especially the pre-kindergarten expansion. Providing children with a strong foundation via pre-kindergarten and early childhood education sets them up to thrive in K-12 and beyond.
Some school districts nationwide are placing new limits on the use of cellphones in middle and high schools. What do you think should be the policy on student use of cellphones in your district, and why do you support that policy?
Away All Day. As a parent, I understand the need for some students to have a cellphone with them at school, but it should not be used at school so as to limit distractions and negative peer interactions including violence.
Are you satisfied with your school district's efforts to ensure the safety of its students? What, if anything, should be done to improve school safety in your district?
Montgomery County Public Schools must improve the safety of its students and staff. Rather than an "either/or" approach, I would like to see more "AND" — restorative justice, mental health support and adequate law enforcement coverage. Properly vetting law enforcement officers who are in schools and interacting with our students is the first step. Providing opportunities for healthy and positive engagement between students and officers is another necessary step.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries? If so, what kind of books should be removed, and who should make those decisions?
Montgomery County Public Schools must follow the Freedom to Read act established by state law last term. Montgomery County Public Schools currently has a process for reviewing books that people feel should be removed from school libraries. The process is used and I have not heard any complaints about that specific process.
Some school districts enact policies allowing transgender and gender nonconforming students to use their preferred pronouns while at the same time not informing those students' parents about that decision. What is your opinion of such policies?
Unfortunately, not all transgender and gender nonconforming students' home environments provide the support they seek and need. It's important that students feel safe at school. I don't feel that not informing students' parents about their decision to use their preferred pronouns is going too far or inappropriate.
