Candidate: Yanmei May Liang

Tell us about your high school experience. What clubs or activities were you involved in?

I have never been to any high school at all. When I graduated from middle school at age of 15, I attended a nursing school in south China, which was a boarding school for all girls. There were 10 students living in my dorm room with five bunk beds. No warm water was provided in the shower room. If you want to get a warm wash in winter, you would have to carry a bucket of hot water from another building and climb stairs to our shower room on the ninth floor. Even though the living conditions were not good, it was an unforgettably happy time of my life. I was so glad to leave my home, which was full of tension and arguments. Later I became a nurse in China, England, and the US. I also got my GED and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. On the weekends, my friends and I went ballroom dancing at the nearby medical school.

As of March 5, Metea Valley had the highest number of positive COVID-19 cases in the school district. How would you help reduce the transmission and keep students safe?

I am a public health nurse in the Will County Health Department. In Will County, some school districts started hybrid learning last fall. According to my colleague, a manager for COVID-19, reopening schools has not been an issue for increasing COVID-19 cases except school sports. Therefore, I believe that if all the teachers and students are compliant with CDC guidelines and school policies, there should not be a problem with reopening schools. If I am elected, I will support five-day full-time hybrid learning as soon as the teachers complete their vaccinations. I would plan a full return to school as long as the herd immunity is reached in the area. During the pandemic, I have volunteered as a nurse at Bolingbrook Christian Health Center. My passion for serving others overcame my fear.

There has been discussion in the district about culturally responsive pedagogy. What steps should the district take to achieve equitable outcomes for all of its students?

1) Create an atmosphere of diversity in schools and classrooms, so students from all cultures will feel inclusive. 2) Encourage teachers to learn about each student and the family. Instead of a traditional way of parent-teacher conference, the teacher can invite a student and his/her parent(s) to talk about their family and culture. 3) Bring in guest speakers with different ethnicities and backgrounds to share their stories. For example, I would like to invite my hero Benjamin Carson. 4) Promote movies and books that positively depict cultures.

What are the district’s biggest strengths and the biggest weaknesses?

I think one of the district’s biggest strengths is the good relationship between the board and the superintendent/schools, which made the district more effective and productive. The other biggest strength is the achievement of very high academic outcomes with almost the lowest operating expenditures per student in the area. The biggest weakness is that our teachers get almost the lowest paid but have the biggest class size in the area. I think our teachers should deserve better support!

What is your vision for high school students?

To prepare all students with excellent holistic development, enabling them to tackle any challenges, and become winners for the rapidly changing world with courage and happiness.

What makes you different from all the other candidates?

My global background and vision, my medical knowledge and experience, my empathy for students, and my passion for justice, kindness, and humbleness make me a unique and strong candidate for the board.