Ejehan Turker, an ethics and compliance director for businesses, is running for the Area 3 seat on the Carlsbad Unified School District board of trustees. The San Diego Union-Tribune asked all the candidates running for school board in districts around San Diego County about their policies, plans and priorities. Here’s what Turker told us about hers. Why are you running for school board? What makes you a good candidate? I am inspired to run for school board because I believe in the power of public education and every student deserves the best education in the safest environment. My goal is to improve and enhance our schools, not dismantle them. Ejehan Turker (Nadia Borowski Scott / Alchemy MediaWorks) As a parent of two children and a 25-plus year career in business ethics, I am experienced and prepared to hit the ground running as a school board member. My background in governance, budgeting, management and oversight — all critical in education — makes me the most qualified candidate in the CUSD trustee area 3 election. I have regularly attended and spoken at many school board meetings, gaining firsthand knowledge of board member responsibilities. I understand that success requires collaboration between the board, parents, employees and district leadership. I am proud to have the support of Carlsbad teachers and will work to keep CUSD a standout place for our students and community. What is the most important issue currently facing your school district? The right to public education in America is on the ballot in this election. National efforts to undermine public schools and implement policies that do not benefit students, teachers or parents are deeply concerning to me as a parent. Parents agree that political agendas have no place in our schools and that our educators and administrators have the professional judgment to do their jobs. The CUSD school board must foster a collaborative relationship with the teachers, parents and the community it serves, not a divisive one. Our children are already facing numerous challenges — recovering from school closures, bullying, managing mental health, navigating social media and preparing for a rapidly changing job market. We need to stay focused on providing them with the education and skills they need for the future. Undermining public education is not the path to success for our children or our community. What are the top three specific things you would seek to accomplish on the school board? My top priorities are community, safety and innovation. Great schools build great communities so we must work together to support them. Even if residents do not have kids in school, property values reflect the desirability of Carlsbad as a community and the quality of CUSD. I also want to make sure that our schools are both physically and mentally safe. We must address bullying, harassment and discrimination by fostering inclusivity, belonging and respect. As a Moms Demand Action, gun-sense candidate, I will continue to prioritize safety on campus by providing counselors, community liaisons, access controls and safety education. I believe that public education should evolve through innovation. Students need real-world opportunities to meet their learning needs. One size does not fit all, but rather than have families leave our schools for a patchwork of options, I will pursue strategies to keep our tax dollars in CUSD classrooms.   What would your approach be to district budget planning and spending? What would you do if your district had a budget shortfall? As CUSD transitions to basic aid funding, we must clearly define budget priorities since most funding will come from local taxes. My focus will be on student-centered spending so that resources directly benefit classrooms — covering everything from textbooks and supplies to technology and extracurricular activities. While maintaining a budget reserve is good defense against potential shortfalls, I believe in spending reserves on thoughtful  investments that meet the current needs of our students. I support offering competitive salaries for teachers and support staff, with a focus on positions that have a direct impact on students. Reducing class sizes is also a priority for  me, as it will improve classroom quality and was identified as a key concern in last year’s local control and accountability plan survey. In addition to careful budgeting, I would pursue creative partnerships with organizations like the Carlsbad Educational Foundation, which raises funds to enhance educational opportunities for CUSD students.  How should your school district raise student academic achievement, and what would you do as a school board member to accomplish that? Relying on my core values of community, safety and innovation, I support a comprehensive  approach to achieving academic excellence. This includes providing strong support for  teachers, ensuring engaging and relevant curricula, addressing disparities in student  achievement through targeted interventions and fostering parental involvement. This also necessitates inclusive learning approaches that reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of all students. I would also support minimizing distractions through limiting cell phone use during classroom time. As a school board member, I would prioritize these areas by supporting policies that allocate resources to the most effective programs and implement accountability systems to track progress. While standardized test scores are valuable data points, they should not be seen as the sole measure of academic success. My goal is to create an environment that champions innovation, equity and student well-being, where every student can apply the relevance of their education and is excited to  learn.  Do you think anything currently offered in school curricula or libraries should be removed? If yes, what, and why? If no, why not? I fully support diverse ideas and perspectives in our schools and libraries. Students must have age-appropriate access to a wide range of books and curricula enabling them to develop a global perspective. This summer, I read several “banned books.” Some content was difficult to read, but each story reflected someone’s truth. It is important for students to find experiences to identify with in the material they read to inspire their desire to learn. In an age where controversial content is easily accessible online, censoring books and curricula in our schools and libraries does not seem like the right approach. I trust our educators to make professional decisions about what is appropriate for their  classrooms and libraries. They are experts in education and should be empowered to guide  student learning. That said, parents should be free to discuss any concerns about content with their teachers and school sites. What do you think is driving student absenteeism in your district, and what would you as a school board member do to reduce it? Attendance is crucial for closing academic achievement gaps. On a positive note, absenteeism at CUSD decreased over the last two years. Student surveys and research shows that mental health concerns contribute to absenteeism, with symptoms of depression higher among females and minority groups. The data also shows that increasing students’ sense of connection and belonging drives attendance improvements. I support initiatives like rigorous attendance tracking, early intervention to address the root  causes of absenteeism, consistent communication with parents and working with families to remove any barriers to attendance. Additionally, we must continue to build positive school climates where students feel connected to staff and peers through check-ins, mentorship and other incentives. I will prioritize mental health and academic support services to address emotional and learning challenges that keep kids away from school. We worked hard to get kids back to normal post-COVID, and we must continue that momentum.  Do you think schools should notify parents if their child’s gender identity or presentation at school changes? Why or why not? These are deeply personal matters that require balancing a student’s right to express  themselves on their own terms with the role of parental involvement. While parents should be informed about significant changes that affect their child’s well-being, some students may need time or support before discussing these issues. Teachers should not be placed in the position of managing personal family matters, which could lead to unpredictable outcomes and loss of trust. Currently in California, forced disclosure policies may conflict with the laws that protect  students’ rights to privacy and safety. I will always follow the law and will not support policies that could lead to litigation or emotional harm to students. I believe taxpayer dollars are better spent in the classroom, not the courtroom. Schools should provide trained counselors that help students explore their identity safely, and ideally work with them to involve their parents in a supportive way.