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John Moriarty
John "Chas" Moriarty was a candidate for an at-large seat on the Poway Unified School District school board in California. Moriarty was defeated in the at-large general election on November 8, 2016.
Though Moriarty identified as a Democrat, the school board seat was nonpartisan. The 2016 election was his first time running for office.[1] Moriarty participated in Ballotpedia's 2016 school board candidate survey. Click here to read his responses.
Biography
Moriarty has worked as a special education teacher, a classroom teacher, a staff developer, and an elementary school principal. He also served as a United States naval officer. Moriarty earned a bachelor's degree in history from Ohio University, a master's degree in special education from California State University at Fullerton, and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of San Diego.[1]
Elections
2016
Two of the five seats on the Poway Unified School District Board of Education were up for at-large general election on November 8, 2016. In her bid for re-election, incumbent Kimberley Beatty ran against challengers Nick Anastasopoulos, Debra Cooper, Jimmy Karam, John Moriarty, Terry Norwood, Darshana Patel, Stanley Rodkin, and Carol Ware.[2] Beatty won re-election, and Patel won the other seat on the ballot.[3]
Results
| Poway Unified School District, At-large General Election, 4-year terms, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Darshana Patel |
20.79% | 26,713 |
| Kimberley Beatty Incumbent |
19.21% | 24,681 |
| Debra Cooper | 16.68% | 21,436 |
| Carol Ware | 10.66% | 13,694 |
| Jimmy Karam | 9.73% | 12,504 |
| John Moriarty | 6.03% | 7,747 |
| Terry Norwood | 5.67% | 7,289 |
| Nick Anastasopoulos | 5.63% | 7,235 |
| Stanley Rodkin | 5.61% | 7,213 |
| Total Votes | 128,512 | |
| Source: San Diego County Registrar of Voters, "Presidential General Election - Tuesday, November 8, 2016," accessed December 9, 2016 | ||
Funding
Moriarty reported $4,321.80 in contributions and $2,196.15 in expenditures to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters, which left his campaign with $2,125.65 on hand as of October 22, 2016.[4]
Campaign themes
2016
Ballotpedia survey responses
John "Chas" Moriarty participated in Ballotpedia's 2016 survey of school board candidates. In response to the question "What do you hope to achieve if elected to the school board?" the candidate stated on September 30, 2016:
| “ | Candidate did not provide a response.[5][6] | ” |
Ranking the issues
The candidate was asked to rank the following issues based on how they should be prioritized by the school board, with 1 being the most important and 7 being the least important. Each ranking could only be used once.
| Education policy |
|---|
 |
Click here to learn more about education policy in California. |
| Education on the ballot |
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | |
| Closing the achievement gap | |
| Expanding arts education | |
| Improving education for special needs students | |
| Improving post-secondary readiness | |
| Improving relations with teachers | |
| Expanding school choice options | |
| “ | As a PUSD school board member, the highest priorities have to be on student achievement and fiscal responsibility. PUSD is fortunate to have a long history of mutual respect between teachers and the district.[6] | ” |
| —John "Chas" Moriarty (September 30, 2016) | ||
Positions on the issues
The candidate was asked to answer nine questions from Ballotpedia regarding significant issues in education and the school district. The questions are highlighted in blue and followed by the candidate's responses. Some questions provided multiple choices, which are noted after those questions. The candidate was also provided space to elaborate on their answers to the multiple choice questions.
| Should new charter schools be approved in your district? (Not all school boards are empowered to approve charter schools. In those cases, the candidate was directed to answer the question as if the school board were able to do so.) |
|---|
| No. Poway is one of the highest performing districts in the state. All the schools in the district offer programs that meet the needs of the student population and students have choice within the district. |
| Which statement best describes the ideal relationship between the state government and the school board? The state should always defer to school board decisions, defer to school board decisions in most cases, be involved in the district routinely or only intervene in severe cases of misconduct or mismanagement. |
| The state should only intervene in severe cases of misconduct or mismanagement. The state should only intervene when there is evidence that the school district is not managing their budget according to state guidelines or if there is significant evidence that student achievement across the district is not meeting state standards. |
| Are standardized tests an accurate metric of student achievement? |
| Yes. There is no definitive answer to this question. For most students, standardized tests accurately measure their achievement. But not for all students. Some students need alternative forms of assessments to truly evaluate their learning and achievement. |
| What is your stance on the Common Core State Standards Initiative? |
| Assessment is an essential aspect of learning. We have to ensure that learning is taking place for all students. California has submitted to the federal government a Common Core assessment that goes beyond just results of testing. It takes a look at high school graduation rate, English Learner progress, absenteeism, suspensions and expulsions, college and career readiness. I support this. |
| How should the district handle underperforming teachers? Terminate their contract before any damage is done to students, offer additional training options, put them on a probationary period while they seek to improve or set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district? |
| Set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district. Because of tenure, districts must be proactive in supporting new teachers by setting up a mentorship program as soon as the teacher is hired. This gives the district a better picture of their strengths and weaknesses and helps in the decision of tenure. For those teachers that have tenure and are underperforming, the principal needs to become actively involved to provide resources to the teacher and require them to create goals for improvement as part of their evaluation process. |
| Should teachers receive merit pay? |
| No. If merit pay is based on student achievement, then some teachers would have an unfair advantage over teachers who work in high poverty schools. |
| Should the state give money to private schools through a voucher system or scholarship program? |
| No. |
| How should expulsion be used in the district? |
| Expulsion should be used as a last resort and districts should have alternative plans and interventions for those students that have difficulty conforming to the standard classroom. |
| What's the most important factor for success in the classroom: student-teacher ratio, the curriculum, teachers, parent involvement or school administration? |
| Teachers Teachers are essential for success in the classroom. They create the atmosphere that allows all students to learn and provide the skills that the students need to succeed. |
Political philosophy
Moriarty described the following as his political philosophy:
| “ | The objective of the Board must revolve around the children. Without focusing on achievement and fostering knowledge, the Board's motivation is flawed. As an educator I will strive to instill similar beliefs among all Board Members. Ensuring intelligent, qualified individuals are employed by the district is key. Once elected, appointing an experienced superintendent with strong moral integrity will be my focus. By confidently employing competent people, it prevents unnecessary micromanagement by the board, allowing for district employees to prosper. Following fiscally sound monetary practices is a paramount goal. I will not allow the district to enter into contracts without full review of the fiscal ramifications. By prioritizing resources that promote academics over administrative costs, our Board can ensure PUSD'S financial stability.[6] | ” |
| —John Moriarty (September 30, 2016)[1] | ||
He also added the following statement:
| “ | It is imperative that we restore strong leadership within the PUSD School Board. As a former teacher and principal, my robust educational experience, comprehension of curriculum and assessments, and intimate knowledge of school budgeting makes me uniquely qualified to understand the needs and obligations of our district. PUSD will be stronger if we receive participation and advocacy from all constituents. The voice of the people will help guide my decision-making on the Board in the direction our community wants and needs. If all interested parties are engaged, our district, as a whole, will thrive.[6] | ” |
| —John Moriarty (September 30, 2016)[1] | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms John Moriarty Poway Unified School District. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Ballotpedia's Biographical Information Submission Form, "John Moriarty's responses," September 30, 2016
- ↑ San Diego County Registrar of Voters, "Candidate List: 2016 General Election," accessed August 29, 2016
- ↑ San Diego County, "Presidential General Election Tuesday, November 8, 2016," accessed November 9, 2016
- ↑ San Diego County Registrar of Voters, "CampaignDocs eRetrieval: Search by Candidate's Last Name," accessed November 4, 2016
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2016, "John "Chas" Moriarty's responses," September 30, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| 2016 Poway Unified School District Elections | |
| San Diego County, California | |
| Election date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent, Kimberley Beatty • Nick Anastasopoulos • Debra Cooper • Jimmy Karam • John Moriarty • Terry Norwood • Darshana Patel • Stanley Rodkin • Carol Ware |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Additional elections on the ballot • Key deadlines |
