Pamela Mathai for Austin ISD

My name is Pamela Mathai and I’m running for the At-Large District 9 position on the AISD Board of Trustees. I’ve  been an educator in Texas for the past 15 years, most recently in AISD at the Ann Richards School and Navarro High School. I stepped away from the classroom when I had my children (now 5 and 2), and though I planned to return to teaching, my youngest was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and her condition required me to manage her care directly. She has recently restarted daycare full time, and given the looming threat of TEA takeover in AISD, I am committed to using my time to be the strongest advocate for public schools that I can be. I have 1 child in public school already, and I plan to send my daughter to a public pre-K as soon as she is eligible. Private daycares and schools are not legally required to care for a child who has her health needs, so like for many families, public schools are the safest and best option for her.  

Austin is the city I call home, and my connections to it are widespread. I have taught middle and high school social studies at schools across the city, gaining experience in teaching STAAR tested subjects and AP level courses. I graduated from the University of Texas with my Masters in Education, specializing in Curriculum & Instruction. And I was an Education Austin union member who worked across the Austin area to organize teachers in their efforts to bring social justice curriculum into their classrooms. I have spent my career teaching students about the importance of democracy and representative government; and now, the TEA is threatening our schools with an anti-democratic takeover that would involve a removal of our elected school board and a silencing of community voices. 

My experience as a teacher and parent sets me up to be the fiercest advocate for our schools. As a career educator, I hope one day to return to the classroom; but we know a TEA takeover would mean loss of teacher autonomy, high rates of attrition, and scripted lessons that disregard the pedagogical expertise of educators. As a parent, I reject the idea that the quality of a child’s school experience can be measured solely by test scores; I know that happy teachers, involved families, and learning opportunities beyond what can be assessed on a standardized test is what determines a child’s success. 

I am running for AISD school board to protect our public schools. Our children’s future depends on it.