Malden Election Profile: Rachael Running For School Committee

MALDEN, MA — There are five contested School Committee races in Malden's municipal election Nov. 5. Rachael Running, 41, is running against candidate for re-election John Froio in Ward 8.

Running lives in Malden with her wife, Sarah, and their two children. She has been a communications coordinator for the Massachusetts AFL-CIO for four-and-a-half years and has 10 years of prior experience in the field.

Running has a master's in labor studies from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a bachelor's in women's studies from Mount Holyoke College.

Are you running for office in Malden? Contact Alex Newman at alex.newman@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Malden Patch.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Lack of teacher diversity. There is no quick path to a more diverse teaching staff that better reflects our diverse student body; but I'm committed to working on this problem in new and meaningful ways. We need to address systemic problems in our hiring, training and retention models to reach our community goal of a diverse teaching staff - this is a goal that is incredibly important to our students and families and must be addressed.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

As a parent of current Malden Public School students, I'm incredibly invested in what is happening today at our schools. I interact with parents, teachers and administrators daily and know the problems we're facing. I love our schools and I'm motivated to work on making these communities as dynamic, welcoming and equitable as they can be.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

I believe that I can bring a higher level of community engagement to the Ward 8 seat and be a champion for the issues of today's school community.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

-Increasing diversity among our educators
-Bettering parent engagement including to our non-English-speaking parents
-Increasing transparency and opportunities for parent input in school decisions that affect our children's lives
-Solving the substitute teacher crisis
-Creating more dedicated recess time for younger grades
-Addressing classroom size and equity across schools in the city
-Championing Social emotional learning and restorative justice practices across schools

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have dedicated my life to working for a better world through nonprofit policy, research, and communications work, and currently work as the communications coordinator for the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, which is the umbrella labor organization in the Commonwealth. In this position I've worked to help pass critical legislation related to funding for our public schools, including the Student Opportunity Act.

I am a proud union member (OPEIU Local 6) and have been a member of a union my entire working life. I serve as a union steward and help negotiate, advocate and resolve conflicts. I believe in democratic and engaged workplaces and societies, and I bring this perspective to my leadership. In my prior work I served as a Senior Policy Analyst at a community non-profit organization and helped craft, organize around and advocate for important policy to improve the lives of working people.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Whatever you choose to do, do it with your whole self.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

If elected I will have an open-door policy and proactively seek community input on decisions. I will reply to emails and calls and will be a voice for parent concerns on the School Committee.