First published in the April 16 print issue of the Glendale News Press.
Ingrid Gunnell, a Glendale parent and area educator, is seeking the open Trustee Area B seat on the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education.
Gunnell, who was born and raised in Glendale, said in her announcement she plans to be an advocate for students, teachers, staff and parents.
A graduate of Keppel Elementary School, Toll Middle School and the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, she returned to Glendale after college to begin a career with the Los Angeles Unified School District as an elementary school teacher and now works as a teacher adviser within LAUSD.
Gunnell said her “passion for equality, equity and fairness” motivates her to continue being a vocal community advocate on issues supporting Glendale schools and neighborhoods. Her two sons attend GUSD schools, where she has “seen the amazing work GUSD educators do” every day.
“Our school community deserves a board member that will implement transformational change based on stakeholder input and student needs,” she said in a statement. “But more than that, our school community deserves and needs a board member with the experience and the background to make Glendale schools a place where teachers want to teach.”
As an experienced classroom teacher, Gunnell said she supports “truth in education, evidence-based policies and respect for all GUSD students, parents and employees.”
She said she is a longtime advocate for inclusive teaching practices and greater representation of historically under-represented communities. For much of the past decade, as an example, she said she has advocated at the local, state and national levels for Armenian genocide education to be taught in public schools.
As part of the coalition of Black in Glendale, Gunnell said she helped GUSD prepare an unanimously approved resolution supporting Black Lives Matter in school curriculum in 2020, as well as the Safe Zone Resolution in 2017, which was aimed at immigrant families and students.
Gunnell said she will also prioritize mental-health support for students and staff and building on the restorative practices GUSD has been implementing.
“I believe that our employees deserve to be treated with respect and fair wages and will continue to make listening to employees a priority,” she said.
Gunnell said she is an advocate for “community schools,” which she said can transform and uplift a neighborhood and make the school a center for education, socialization, recreation and engagement.
Gunnell has been endorsed by the Glendale Teachers Association; Stonewall Democrats; Planned Parenthood Advocates of Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley; State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond; author and Armenian genocide education advocate Kay Mouradian; and City Treasurer Rafi Manoukian, among others.
She said her commitment to making Glendale schools “the best place to teach, learn and work” has made her the choice of parents, educators, progressive organizations and community leaders.
For more information, visit ingridgunnell.com.
