Margaret Cornelio announced her candidacy for School Committee, the following is her statement:
I’m Margaret Cornelio, candidate for School Committee in Ward 1.
I’m running because I’m upset with the politics being played by the current School Committee and know we can do better. I believe my experience and background in education, public service and community work makes me the best candidate for the job.
For over 20 years, I was a teacher’s aide in the Everett Public Schools focused on special education. I worked alongside our amazing teachers to assist in educating students from preschool to high school ages. Many of these students struggled with mobility issues, language barriers, or challenging home life situations. These years gave me a passion for helping all the youth of our city – and have provided me with a deep understanding of the experiences facing today’s diverse student community.
I also served as past president of the Teachers Aides’ Association, where I represented union members in contract negotiations. This role instilled in me the lesson to fight passionately for what is right – not what may be politically popular.
Outside of the classroom, I’ve worked as a clerk for the Council on Aging, where I did everything from helping plan and organize our senior socials to resolving questions from our many daily senior visitors. Finally, I served in the Assessor’s Office handling various office duties.
But even more important than my experience and dedication is that I promise to be an independent voice on the School Committee. I pledge not to follow anyone else’s political agenda.
I will fight the overcrowding in our schools by advocating for using the old Pope John High School as a new school. I’m also opposed to using modulars as classroom space – our kids deserve better!
Finally, I will stand up to the kind of politics that’s leading to costly lawsuits, which end up costing taxpayers millions while taking away monies that would otherwise go to our students’ education.
Please vote for a mother, a grandmother, and former teacher’s aide in special education, Margaret Cornelio for School Committee, Ward One on Tuesday, November 7.