Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide
Name: Leandra Blades
Current job title: President, Placentia Yorba Linda Board of Education, Retired Police Officer
Political party affiliation: Non-Partisan
Incumbent: Yes
Other political positions held: Member, Orange County Republican Party Central Committee
City where you reside: Yorba Linda
Campaign website or social media: www.leandrablades.com
Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for heavier restrictions on smartphones in schools, pointing to studies that show the harmful effects of social media. How do you see schools restricting smartphone use? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
I believe we should have limits on cell phone usage in the classrooms to prevent student distractions. However, I have also seen first-hand teachers allowing cell phones to be used to “screenshot” lessons on the boards, and record explanations of math lessons and lectures from various subjects. Parents also have stated they want their children to have access to cell phones in case of an emergency on a school campus.
I truly believe that everything is about balance. Cell phones inside the classroom can enhance and help students in the learning process but they can also be a distraction. Finding that healthy balance where the cell phone is a useful tool in the learning process and is not a distraction is key. I’m not in favor of an outright cell phone “ban” or severe restrictions. I believe students, parents and teachers can come to a reasonable agreement inside the classroom that cell phones are used only to enhance the learning process and are still accessible to the student in case of an emergency. When parents, teachers and students work together and have effective communication, success in the classroom is much easier to achieve.
How can your district better harness artificial intelligence technology for learning while also protecting kids from another tool that can be used for bullying? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
With the rise of artificial intelligence technology in our classrooms, it is the job of our school district to ensure that students are learning new technology but also using this technology in a safe manner. New programs and technology should never be used to bully or harass someone inside or outside of the classroom. Proper protocols by district personnel need to be put in place to prevent this and clear repercussions for students who choose to violate these rules. There are resources that can be used/purchased to ensure programs are being used in the manner intended. School districts need to ensure all necessary measures are taken and have proper controls in place to prevent bad behavior. We need to ensure our students have access to programs for learning but are also not abusing programs and using them in a manner that is harmful to other students. Bullying is never ok whether it is inside or outside the classroom.
What are the top two needs of your school district, and how are you prepared to address them? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
School safety is huge. When I was elected onto the board in 2020, I found that Esperanza High School was one of our comprehensive high schools that did not have a school resource officer. I’m happy to report we now have a full-time resource officer at all of our comprehensive high schools. I believe we need to update our school security systems and our technology to ensure our schools are kept safe. We are currently in the process of working on this, and I will rest easier when this is complete. The safety of our students and staff is of utmost importance.
Declining enrollment is also an issue we have been tackling. I believe we need to provide opportunities for our students in all areas and bring more innovation to our district. Education is rapidly changing and we need to change with the times and focus on the needs of our students. We can’t live in the past, we need to look to the future. I’m happy to report that we just opened the Orange County School of Computer Science at Bernardo Yorba which is our district’s first charter school and we also opened the Universal Sports Institute. With public schools declining in enrollment across the state, we need to bring to the community what they are looking for so families don’t feel the need to leave our district for private, charter or specialized schools. I’m proud to announce that for the first time since 2017, our district is no longer declining in enrollment but is on the “uptick”. I attribute this to a strong focus on education and also bringing new programs, along with opportunities and innovation to our community.
What experiences and priorities do you bring to the table for this role? What have you learned in prior leadership roles that make you the person for this job? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
As an athlete, retired police officer/police field training officer, it has not been uncommon for me to be placed in leadership roles throughout my life. I’m not afraid to lead, and I’m not afraid to make hard decisions. I advocated for the reopening of our schools during COVID, and I have stood strong against government overreach and advocated for local control in our community. I led the charge to open our first district charter, the Orange County School of Computer Science and also the Universal Sports Institute to bring opportunities to our students and our families.
I have stood strong against harmful Sacramento/teachers union politics that are attempting to infiltrate our school districts. I led the charge to stop the teaching of critical race theory and divisive politics inside our classrooms and advocated for a return to a strong emphasis on the core subjects. I have listened to our community and their wishes and needs and have become their voice. Advocating for our students and community has become a passion of mine. I’m proud to say that I don’t simply talk about leading or tout that I’ve read books on leadership … I actually lead. I am not talk, but a woman of action and I have a proven track record of success.
California has a new law, set to go into effect in 2025, that prohibits districts from enforcing what’s been called parental notification policies, rules for school employees to contact parents if their child may be changing their gender identity. What do you see as the role of parents in education? Is there a limitation? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
Our School Board implemented a parental notification policy in 2023. We did not focus on gender identity or gender issues, but made the policy applicable to all students. Any student in a mental crisis or dealing with tough issues, the first call should be to the parents. A parent should have the opportunity to know what is happening with their child and be involved in the decision-making. A student should not be sent to a school mental health counselor without a parent’s knowledge. If a parent would like to seek help from a family physician or counselor outside of the school, that should be the decision of the parent.
It is baffling to me that we have reached this point where this is actually a discussion or a law. Parents should always be in the driver’s seat in their students lives and school districts and personnel should not keep secrets from parents. If there are issues with a student … the parents, teachers, and staff should have the opportunity to work together to do what’s best for the student. Parents should never be removed from the equation (only of course if there is abuse involved). We need to continue to fight against this erosion of parent’s rights in California.
What role do you see your district playing in combating climate change? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
We should all work together to do what we can to protect our environment. I am against this recent war that has been waged on fossil fuels. However, whatever our district can do to help the environment is a great thing. We’ve installed solar panels at some of our schools sites to help with energy needs annd efficiency and we’ve also recently added electric school buses to our fleet.
“
