Santa Clara County Voter's Guide On Children's Issues

City of San José, District 10

George Casey

http://www.caseyforchange.com

I’ve lived in San Jose nearly all my life. I love our city, but I know we can do better. As a father I believe that we must prioritize the wellbeing of children and families. I will advocate for policy that is inclusive and supports diverse family structures, prioritizing children's voices in decision-making to build safe communities for all.

  1. Over 80% of voters polled say they want elected officials to prioritize children and families. What are the top three issues affecting our children and families and how will you make our region a place where all families can thrive?

    Economy: Too many in our community are struggling to make ends meet: utility bills, rising costs of groceries and gas, healthcare and the ongoing struggle to find affordable housing or childcare. We need to grow our economy so we can continue to be a hub for businesses to bring good-paying jobs to our neighborhoods. And we need to build more housing where it makes sense.
    Safety: Hire more police officers and make sure they have the training, support and resources they need to keep us safe in our communities.
    Education: Support early childhood programs and local schools to ensure every child receives a robust education. This includes equitable funding and resources for underprivileged areas

  2. High quality childcare improves school readiness and parents' workforce participation. What will you do to improve access to high quality childcare and preschool programs in our diverse communities?

    As a father, I know the challenges that many families face when trying to find high quality childcare, especially when one – or oftentimes both – parents work. I believe we need to support teachers so we can attract and retain high-quality educators, including ones who are bilingual, to best serve our diverse community. I would also like to see San Jose get more creative with how it incentivizes partnerships with companies who can provide childcare or early childhood education benefits to their workers.

  3. Much of the student achievement gap has been linked to the opportunity gap that children in low-income families and children of color confront (e.g., lack of access to healthy food, preschool, tutors, and enrichment activities). If elected, what will you do to increase equity of opportunity?

    One way to ensure our kids' success, including those from low-income families and families of color, is by ensuring they have the support they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom. Making sure families have stable jobs and housing should be one of our top priorities. Offering more mental healthcare and drug treatment options can also help families where parents, or someone else in the household is struggling. We need to make our neighborhoods safer and cleaner so children have a healthy environment to grow up in – that’s one of the reasons I opposed the County’s recent jail diversion program that was proposed on the border of District 10, and within walking distance of schools.

  4. What steps will you take to improve inclusion and outcomes for children with disabilities and their families in our community?

    All kids should have access to safe places to play and learn where they can get a good education. We should have better support for special education and programs for children who learn differently than their peers. I will push to make sure schools, educators, counselors and administrators also have the resources they need to provide the best education and best learning environment for all of our kids.

  5. If elected, how will you use the resources of your new role to improve children's well-being and access to mental and behavioral health services?

    To give our kids the best education we can, we also need to make sure we support educators, counselors and other staff – so we can make sure they have the resources they need to provide the best environment possible for students, especially those who may need extra help and guidance, including around behavioral or mental health issues.
    I also don’t think that support needs to stop at the gates of the school yard. Specifically for older kids and high schoolers, I think it’s imperative that we offer as many after school programs, extracurriculars that are accessible to kids from any income level, and programs for at-risk youth so we can keep them on the right track.