Max Garcia

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Max Garcia

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 7, 2023

Education

Associate

Fullerton College, 1986

Personal

Birthplace

Los Angeles, Calif.

Religion

Christ Follower

Profession

Educator

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Max Garcia ran for election for an at-large seat of the Aurora Public Schools Board of Education in Colorado. He lost in the general election on November 7, 2023.

Garcia completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Max Garcia was born in Los Angeles, California. He earned an associate degree from Fullerton College in 1986. His career experience includes working as an educator.

Elections

2023

See also: Aurora Public Schools, Colorado, elections (2023)

General election

General election for Aurora Public Schools Board of Education At-large (3 seats)

Incumbent Vicki Reinhard, Danielle Tomwing, and Tiffany Tasker defeated Max Garcia and Maria Saucedo in the general election for Aurora Public Schools Board of Education At-large on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Vicki Reinhard (Nonpartisan)	25.4	21,504
✔		Danielle Tomwing (Nonpartisan)	24.8	20,966
✔	Submit photo	Tiffany Tasker (Nonpartisan)	22.7	19,222
		Max Garcia (Nonpartisan)	15.9	13,424
	Submit photo	Maria Saucedo (Nonpartisan)	11.2	9,449

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 84,565
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Garcia received the following endorsements.

• Shawna Hirter (Nonpartisan) - 27J Sch. Brd. Cand.
• Colorado Conservative Patriot Alliance
• Smart Choice Colorado
• Darcy Schoening - Frmr. El Paso Cnty. Moms for Liberty Chair

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Max Garcia completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Garcia's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Mr. Garcia was born and raised in Los Angeles, California attended a prominent high school and college, majoring in business, with a marketing minor. Throughout the 90’s, Max gained substantial experience in the corporate world in fields ranging from child support enforcement to mortgage banking. His skills were honed and experiences broadened through work and association with his father's consulting firm specializing in governmental affairs and public policy for over 40 years. Candidate Garcia’s experience is found in both the public and private sector as an teacher, mentor, advocate and coach in Aurora, as well as Denver Public Schools in classroom and working with student athletes for a combined 13 years. He has role modeled faithful servant leadership in service to the youth of our city, their families and surrounding communities. Most dear to Max, and more important than any of the above are his roles as husband to his beautiful wife Sandy, and father to their three lovely daughters. Max and Sandy have been married for 26 years, living in the Aurora home for more than 20 of them. Their teenage girls have attended both public & private schools with the eldest in college across town. Next to their relationship with God, family is the most important aspect of life in the Garcia home. Max’s heartfelt desire is to leverage his experience as educator & protector, his servant leadership and family-first values through serving on the Aurora Public School Board.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• EDUCATION Let’s get back to the basics: Reading, Writing, Math, Science. Recent Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) reflect a below acceptable standard of proficiency at all grade levels tested across Colorado, including in the APS District. Schools should implement various methods of teaching as ways of yielding optimal results for diverse learners, including students of college preparatory programs, special education with Individual Education Plans, as well as vocational training. Priorities must emphasize setting the bar of expectation high, maintaining adequate student to teacher ratios, ensuring a safe learning environment, and focusing on the fundamentals of education in curriculum.
• Student & Teacher Safety - The classroom is where the future of our society is shaped and where that foundation is preserved. Abraham Lincoln said “The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” Our classrooms have been permeated with political rhetoric and policy discord, which does not foster a conducive learning environment. The classroom must be a secure environment where students and teachers do not worry about those who seek to censor, bully, or enact violence. This positive climate can be accomplished through policy, discipline, and security measures. Fostering communication and cooperation with administration, SRO’s, parents, and students is critical.
• Parent Rights - Transparency & accountability are my core values in education. Through years of being in classrooms with students grades K–8 & high school, I have seen firsthand how communication with parents has been eroded, if not severed in recent years. In being elected to the APS Board, my heart’s desire is to see that voice restored & your concerns heard. Parents, guardians, students, teachers & administrators must form partnerships built on trust, respect along with communication allowing children, ultimately to reach their potential. Programs & materials which undermine or alter a child’s sense of self, family values or neglect mental health & age appropriate material are detrimental to community & ultimately the fabric of society.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

SCHOOL CHOICE

Competition in and amongst our schools breed’s accountability.

It’s no secret that all three of our daughters attended AXL Academy Charter School near our home in Aurora, as parents we could not have been more satisfied with the Expeditionary Learning methods that were introduced during those most influential years. We believe that it fostered, along with our help, their life long love of learning and desire to attend school. Along with that affirmation we know that healthy competition breeds excellence, why one product or company that outperforms another gains dominance in the market. If parents, such as ourselves, are given a choice to send their learners to schools that produce higher test scores, funding from our taxes would follow them. These schools would gain enrollment as long as responsible and transparent teaching, administrating and budgeting practices are followed, in turn learning successes will continually increase. This in turn, builds in accountability in a very real-world, free market way. Schools that shape themselves into centers of academic excellence reap the benefits, while schools that languish academically or force agendas contrary to family values, ultimately diminish. The public schools system serves the public, not the other way around.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to both my parents Leon and Anita Garcia. They taught me love of God, Family and Country and the importance of honoring all of the above. My parents both instilled in me love, hard work ethic, integrity and to be a man of my word. My Dad was a great father, mentor and provider for my family and I. He was a pioneer in OJT (On the Job Training) for minorities and women during which time he was invited to the White House twice for outstanding achievement amongst hispanics in Los Angeles, California and ran a successful consulting firm for nearly 40 years. My Mom is an amazing women, beautiful from the inside out, she taught me to love others less fortunate than myself and lives a sacrificial life that role models what she has professed her entire life. She to was highly successful working in banking for more than 30 years for Bank of America and retired as a VP in Real Estate with a large portfolio. Both my parents are alive and married for 60 years as of August 31st this year. I am so thankful for all they have done and continue to do for our children, their grandchildren and most recently a great-granddaughter.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

My passion to teach and coach youth so they may in fact be successful in life, education, sports and pursuit of happiness. I am able to work tirelessly to unite people for a cause bigger than themselves, to compromise and find common ground in partnering with multiple people/personalities of varying racial, social and economic backgrounds.

What legacy would you like to leave?

The legacy I would like to leave is that of LOVE and LIFELONG LEARNERS that will serve those less fortunate and make a positive difference in the lives of the ones they love and complete strangers as well.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

911 is the first historical event that truly hit home with me as my dad is a veteran and my love of country is something I hold dear to my heart. I was 35 years old at that time.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite book is The Bible, simply stated is has made me the man I am today. It has caused me to take a deep and close look at myself, my behaviors and thoughts, truly challenging me to become better and understanding, listening, being empathetic towards all people and how to truly forgive individuals when they wrong you or make a mistake that affects you in an adverse manner.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Something I struggle with is listening more than I speak and as a teacher, coach and mentor I often remind myself that people don't care how much you know...till they really know how much you care. That comes with listening and understanding.

Tell us your favorite joke.

When do you know a dad joke becomes a corny dad joke ? When the punch line becomes "A parent" Ha :)

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Other survey responses

Ballotpedia identified the following surveys, interviews, and questionnaires Garcia completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.

• Chalkbeat Colorado
• Chalkbeat Colorado

See also

2023 Elections

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External links

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Candidate

Aurora Public Schools Board of Education At-large

Website

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