{"id":22,"date":"2026-08-08T18:00:39","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mikemcmahon.info\/campaign\/?page_id=22"},"modified":"2026-08-14T22:49:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T22:49:38","slug":"faq","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mikemcmahon.info\/campaign\/faq\/","title":{"rendered":"FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AGAIN? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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I\u2019m running because I believe strong public schools depend on excellent teaching, responsible governance, and meaningful partnerships with families and the community.
After twelve years away from the Board, I also see education entering a period of significant change. Artificial intelligence is one example. I believe Alameda should approach these changes thoughtfully, with educators, students, families, and the community participating in the conversation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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HOW ARE YOU APPROACHING THIS CAMPAIGN? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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This will be a deliberately different kind of campaign.
I do not plan to seek endorsements, solicit campaign contributions, purchase yard signs, or build a traditional campaign organization. My goal is not to run the most visible or expensive campaign. It is to encourage useful community conversations about strong schools and the choices ahead.
I intend to keep campaign contributions and expenditures below $2,000. As a result, I do not expect to form a recipient campaign committee or file the more extensive campaign finance reports required of campaigns that reach that threshold.
I will, of course, complete the candidate filings required by California law.
I hope people will support the campaign in a different way: by joining the conversation, asking questions, sharing ideas, and encouraging others to become involved.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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IS YOUR CAMPAIGN MAINLY ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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No.
AI is an important emerging issue, but the work of the Board of Education is much broader. Strong schools require excellent teaching and learning, support for educators, safe and welcoming schools, sound financial stewardship, and responsible governance.
AI deserves attention because decisions being made today could influence teaching and learning for years to come.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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WHAT ROLE SHOULD THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PLAY IN AI? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Board should not be choosing particular AI products or telling teachers which technology to use in their classrooms.
Its responsibility is governance: establishing expectations around student safety, privacy, equity, transparency, educational value, and accountability.
The Board should also make sure educators, students, families, and community members have meaningful opportunities to help shape district policies.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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DO YOU SUPPORT USING AI IN THE CLASSROOM? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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I support thoughtfully exploring where AI can improve education.
AI may offer new ways to personalize learning, help students understand difficult concepts, and support teachers with some routine tasks. But technology should be used when it improves education\u2014not simply because it is available.
Great teachers and strong relationships between students and educators must remain at the center of learning.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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HOW SHOULD AUSD PROTECT STUDENT PRIVACY? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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Before adopting AI systems, the district should understand what information those systems collect, how it is used, where it is stored, how long it is retained, and whether it is shared with others.
Families and educators should be able to understand those protections in clear language.
Student privacy should be treated as a fundamental requirement, not something considered after a technology has already been introduced.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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HOW CAN ALAMEDA MAKE SURE AI DOESN\u2019T INCREASE INEQUALITY? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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Equity should be part of the discussion from the beginning.
Students should not receive fundamentally different educational opportunities simply because some families can afford better technology, subscriptions, or internet access.
The district should consider access, training, accommodations, language needs, and other barriers whenever new technology becomes part of teaching and learning.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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WHAT DOES \u201cAI LITERACY\u201d MEAN FOR STUDENTS? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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AI literacy means more than knowing how to use an AI tool.
Students should understand that AI systems can produce inaccurate or biased information. They should learn how to evaluate AI-generated material, verify information, protect personal data, recognize appropriate and inappropriate uses, and understand when their own independent thinking matters.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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SHOULD ALAMEDA COPY WHAT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE DOING? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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No district provides a blueprint that Alameda should simply adopt.
But we should learn from districts that have already begun addressing these questions. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, for example, has emphasized community engagement, AI literacy, student privacy, educator support, and guiding principles.
Alameda should study examples like these while developing an approach that reflects our own students, educators, families, and community.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM YOUR PREVIOUS BOARD SERVICE? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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Board service taught me that good governance begins with listening.
Complex issues rarely have simple answers. Board members need to ask good questions, understand different perspectives, evaluate evidence, and consider the long-term interests of students and the entire school community.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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HOW CAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATE? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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I hope one purpose of this campaign is to encourage more conversation about the future of Alameda schools.
Whether you are a student, educator, parent, grandparent, or community member, I welcome your questions, concerns, experiences, and ideas.

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WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AGAIN? I\u2019m running because I believe strong public schools depend on excellent teaching, responsible governance, and meaningful partnerships with families and the community.After twelve years away from the Board, I also see education entering a period of significant change. Artificial intelligence is one example. I believe Alameda […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-22","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikemcmahon.info\/campaign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikemcmahon.info\/campaign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikemcmahon.info\/campaign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikemcmahon.info\/campaign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikemcmahon.info\/campaign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/mikemcmahon.info\/campaign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":210,"href":"https:\/\/mikemcmahon.info\/campaign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22\/revisions\/210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikemcmahon.info\/campaign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}