John Jake Lopez
John Jake Lopez was a candidate for the District 4 seat on the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education in the New Mexico general election on February 3, 2015.[1] He was defeated by fellow challenger Barbara Petersen.
Biography
Lopez has worked as an educator for 42 years, 40 of which were spent in Albuquerque Public Schools.[2] He earned a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in secondary education from the University of New Mexico. Lopez and his wife have three sons and five grandchildren.[3]
Elections
2015
The election in Albuquerque Public Schools featured three of seven total seats up for general election on February 3, 2015. The seats from Districts 1, 2 and 4 were up for re-election.
Incumbent Analee Maestas faced two challengers for the District 1 seat, Colt Balok and Madelyn Jones, and won re-election. In District 2, incumbent Kathy Korte faced only one challenger, Peggy L. Muller-Aragon. Muller-Aragon defeated Korte to take a seat on the board. District 4 incumbent Martin Esquivel did not seek re-election, leaving the seat open for a newcomer. Five candidates, Sina-Aurelia Pleasant Soul-Bowe, Mark Gilboard, John Jake Lopez, Charles MacQuigg and Barbara Petersen, filed to run for that open seat. James Osborn also originally filed to run for the District 4 seat, but he withdrew his candidacy. Petersen defeated her fellow candidates to become the next District 4 representative on the board.
Results
| Albuquerque Public Schools, District 4 General Election, 4-year term, 2015 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Barbara Petersen |
63.4% | 1,877 | |
| Nonpartisan | Mark Gilboard | 17.8% | 526 | |
| Nonpartisan | John Jake Lopez | 13% | 386 | |
| Nonpartisan | Sina-Aurelia Pleasant Soul-Bowe | 3.5% | 104 | |
| Nonpartisan | Charles MacQuigg | 2.3% | 69 | |
| Total Votes | 2,962 | |||
| Source: Abbey Smith, "Email communication with the Bernalillo County Bureau of Elections," February 26, 2015 | ||||
Funding
The New Mexico Secretary of State's Office requires school board candidates in districts with an enrollment of 12,000 students or more to file an annual report each year. Candidates running for a seat on this district's school board had to file that annual report by April 13, 2015.[4]
Endorsements
Lopez did not receive any official endorsements for this election.
Campaign themes
2015
Lopez highlighted the following issues on his campaign website:
| “ | After 42 years as an educator, 40 of them in APS, I decided I want one last opportunity to give back to education and students. Since my father was an educator, I have always been involved in public education. I believe that every student can learn and that public education must provide that opportunity. As a member of the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education, I want to contribute to the success of 85,000 students.
If the voters of District 4 elect me to become a member of the Board of Education, I will work to accomplish the following: -Close the achievement gap -Support the continuation of cultural proficiency -Emphasize Community Curriculum Latest test scores show that there is very large difference between the achievement scores of the students of color and Anglo students. This has been addressed very successfully in other school districts and we must find a leader who can close the gap. APS school district has already begun the process of cultural proficiency. Research has always shown that identity is a major factor in the development of an individual. That identity must be reinforced in the classroom and throughout the total education system. If a student does not see him/herself in the curriculum, the interest in the classroom is diminished. In order for students to learn the skills and knowledge to be a successful person in society, they must have an interest in what they study. It is said that it takes a village to raise a child. I say it takes a community to educate a child. Recent research has shown the remarkable success of school systems that allow the community to be involved in the school curriculum. Community reinforces the identity that every student brings with them daily to the classroom. APS is a large school district and must ask the local community to help in the education of our students. Each student comes from a unique community and that community has character and history that must be used as an asset toward educating our students. I assure you that if I am elected to the position, the first question I will ask in every vote I make is what is best for the student. The student comes first. That is for whom everyone in the system is supposed to work. Please give me the opportunity to work for our students. Thank you for your vote on February 3, 2015![5] |
” |
| —John Jake Lopez's campaign website (2015)[2] | ||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "John + Jake + Lopez + Albuquerque + Public + Schools"
See also
- Albuquerque Public Schools, New Mexico
- Albuquerque Public Schools elections (2015)
- New Mexico school board elections attract numerous educators as candidates (January 23, 2015)
- New faces to join all of New Mexico's largest school district boards (February 4, 2015)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Albuquerque Journal, "11 people file candidacy for 3 APS board seats," December 17, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 John Jake Lopez for APS School Board 2015, "Meet John Jake: Continuing to Advocate for Students," accessed January 8, 2015
- ↑ Albuquerque Journal, "APS District 4: Candidate profiles and Q&A," January 22, 2015
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Guidelines of Candidates and Campaign Committees: associated with Proposed Rule-Campaign Finance," accessed January 6, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
