Q&A Profile: Meet ABC School Board Candidate Lynda Johnson

Editor's Note: Lynda Johnson is running for the two-year seat left vacant by earlier this year by Cerritos City councilmember Mark Pulido. The candidates looking to fill this spot include Mansour Meisami, Cindy Yen Chen, Lynda Johnson, and Soo Yoo. 

Get to know your ABC School Board candidate Lynda Johnson a little more through Patch's Q&A session:

Name: Lynda Johnson

Age: 47 

Educational background: I attended our local ABC school: Cabrillo Lane Elementary School, ,  and graduated from Artesia High School in 1982 with highest honors. I earned my Associate of Arts degree from Cerritos College in Paralegal Studies. 

Current job/career: Paralegal for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office - assigned to the Compton Branch. 

Married? Children? Formerly married with three adult children - all graduates of : Lauren (UCLA graduate), Roy Jr. (Whittier College) and Ryan (U.S. Naval Academy). 

What city do you live in? Cerritos, since 1972. 

What is your favorite book? Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest by Stephen Ambrose 

What is something unique the public doesn’t know about you? I earned my Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do from the Oriental Moo Do School in 1980. I trained under Grand Master Chan-Yong Kim from 1976-1980, while I attended Haskell Junior High School and Artesia High School.  

What term are you running for in the Nov. 8 ABC School Board election?: The 2-year unexpired term

Why are you running for a spot on the ABC School Board? I care about all of our students and the quality of our local schools. I have always been involved in my children's education and want to serve all of our students throughout in the . 

What is your personal experience or personal ties you have with the ABC Unified School District? I am a proud product of our local ABC schools, and so are my three adult children. I graduated from Artesia High School and all of my children graduated from Cerritos High School. I have been actively involved for more than 20 years with our local ABC schools as a parent volunteer and past PTSA president. 

Given the fact that you have received several notable endorsements, including an endorsement from Mark Pulido, whose seat you are trying to fill, do you feel any extra pressure in this race? All of the endorsements I have received are valued and respected, especially former ABC Board President and Cerritos Councilmember . I am very grateful for the support of ABC’s classroom teachers and school employees. Beyond endorsements, what is most important in this election is the vote of the people. If elected I will work tirelessly to represent the entire community, serve all of our students across the district, and build strong partnerships with all stakeholders – students, parents, teachers, administrators, businesses and community leaders. 

In your opinion, what is the most critical problem that the district faces? The most critical problem that the district faces is the budget. During these tough times, ABC has limited state funds. It is my top priority to keep any further budget cuts as far away from the classroom as possible. Further, I will work hard to protect important art, music and athletic programs. I believe in the value of music education, having played drums in the elementary school band program in the 1970s. I also believe in the importance of lifelong learning, so I will also do my best to protect  programs that enhance the quality of life for our adult learners. 

How do you feel about the district’s push to hire specialized and professionally trained individuals, such as counselors? Is this a necessity? I believe that students deserve every chance to succeed in life. I believe that Board Members should take the lead to provide a full range of opportunities to help prepare students for educational and career opportunities beyond high school. Further, it is very important that we have specialized, professionally-trained staff to help guide students as they consider diverse opportunities such as college, career tech education, trade apprenticeships, military or law enforcement, etc. 

Should the district have to undergo another round of budget cuts, where should the cuts be made? I will work with Board Members and all ABC stakeholders – students, parents, teachers and administrators – to identify possible areas to cut. My priority would be to keep budget cuts as far away from the classroom as possible. The cuts so far have focused on furlough days, offered up by the teachers, and increasing classroom sizes in grades K-3. 

What is your stance on implementing more career-oriented and technical study courses in the school curriculum? I fully support providing career-oriented and technical study courses to help prepare ABC students for future both educational and career success in this increasingly global economy. Gone are the days where a high school diploma was enough to secure a job to raise a family. ABC must provide students with all the tools to be competitive and successful, whatever their future endeavors may be.    

What sets you apart from the other candidates? I am the most prepared candidate for the unexpired 2-year term – as the only one who is a product of our local schools and with 20 years of parent volunteer experience in the ABC Unified School District. I grew up here, attended ABC schools, and understand our district from first-hand experience having raised my children here and having coached hundreds of other ABC students over many years. 

If elected, what will you do to make a difference in the ABC School District? The cornerstone of my leadership style is the ability to work collaboratively with people from all backgrounds. As a coach of hundreds of our students, I truly believe in the power of team spirit. I hope to make a difference in the district by fostering a sense of team spirit among Board Members in partnership with parents, teachers and students. 

If anything, what needs to change in the district? ABC Schools offers a world class education. We need to keep the schools moving forward. Closing the achievement gap in some areas and to have student achievement across the district would be my foremost priority.   

For more information on Lynda Johnson's campaign, visit her website.