Karen Perez seeks reelection to Hillsborough school board

Karen Perez, 62, is seeking reelection to the Hillsborough County School Board District 6 at-large seat in the Nov. 3 general election. She faces Kenneth Gay in the nonpartisan race.

Perez led the Aug. 18 primary with more than 48% of the vote, according to Tampa Bay Beacons.

Candidate information

Office sought: Hillsborough County School Board, District 6 (At Large)

Party: Nonpartisan

Education: Associate's degree in liberal arts, Hillsborough Community College (1998); bachelor's degree in social work, University of South Florida (2000); master's degree in social work, University of South Florida (2002), according to BallotReady. Certificate in traumatology, University of South Florida (2001), according to Perez's campaign website.

Profession: Licensed clinical social worker, according to WUSF. Perez says she is president and CEO of Embracing Changes Center for Wellness and works as a home-based primary social worker at the Veterans' Administration Hospital, according to BallotReady.

Experience and public service

Perez has served eight years on the Hillsborough County School Board, including terms as both chair and vice-chair, according to Neighborhood News Online. She graduated from King High School in 1981, according to her campaign website.

Before joining the board, Perez worked as a probation officer at the Department of Juvenile Justice, a care team coordinator at Hillsborough Kids Inc. and a juvenile competency trainer at Twin Oaks, according to her campaign website. She also worked as a clinical therapist and social worker at Memorial Hospital and at the Veterans' Administration Hospital Women's Center, according to BallotReady.

Perez says she serves as an alternate on the Florida School Board Association board of directors and as its advocacy and legislative liaison. She says she is also a board member of The Family Healthcare Foundation, a member of the Commission on Human Trafficking, an executive committee member of Safe and Sound Hillsborough and a board member of the National Association of Social Workers' Children, Adolescents and Young Adults Specialty Practice Section, according to her campaign website.

On the issues

Teacher compensation: Perez said paying teachers a livable wage is "Priority One" for her. She said she is working with fellow board members to find teacher-only housing in the New Tampa area, according to Neighborhood News Online.

Student behavior and mental health: As a mental health specialist, Perez said student misbehavior often stems from external issues. She told WUSF she wants the district to take a different approach to understanding what drives student behavior.

Literacy and technology: Perez said she believes lower literacy rates across the state result from a lack of building muscle memory in handwriting as students use more technology. She said she, some other board members and the superintendent are discussing plans to minimize computer use in classrooms, according to WUSF.

Charter schools: Perez said she opposes giving underutilized school space to "Schools of Hope" charter operators, according to Neighborhood News Online.

School enrollment and immigrant families: Perez said a new challenge facing enrollment is immigrant families feeling hesitant to send their children to school despite being legal citizens. She said elected officials must "continue to raise the alarm" on behalf of those parents and students, according to WUSF.