Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below.<\/p>\n
Name: Zonya Townsend<\/p>\n
Age: 35<\/p>\n
Current job title: Educator | Nurse<\/p>\n
Incumbent: No<\/p>\n
Other political positions held: N\/A<\/p>\n
City where you reside: Fullerton<\/p>\n
Campaign website or social media: zonya.org<\/p>\n
What are the top two needs of your college district, and how are you prepared to address them? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)<\/p>\n
The two greatest needs are student success and fiscal responsibility. Students deserve a high-quality education that prepares them to transfer, enter the workforce, or gain new skills. I will support programs that demonstrate they are helping students reach these goals.<\/p>\n
The district must also be a responsible steward of the money it already receives. I will ask questions about spending, look for inefficiencies, and expect transparency and accountability. Before asking taxpayers for additional funding, we should make sure existing resources are being used effectively and where they are needed most.<\/p>\n
As a trustee, I will listen, examine the facts, and keep students and responsible financial management at the center of my decisions.<\/p>\n
To you, what is the role of community college in education? Is it driving policy, being involved in curriculum, something else entirely? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)<\/p>\n
To me, community colleges should provide affordable, high-quality education that prepares students to transfer, enter the workforce, or develop new skills.<\/p>\n
As a trustee, my role is governance and oversight, not day-to-day management. The board sets priorities, approves budgets and policies, and holds district leadership accountable for the results.<\/p>\n
California law provides for participatory governance, with the faculty academic senate having a defined role in curriculum matters within the requirements of state law, regulations, and board policy. Trustees retain oversight and can work collaboratively with faculty and district leadership to ensure the college fulfills its educational mission and serves students effectively.<\/p>\n
In October, Long Beach City College will break ground on a new student housing facility at its Liberal Arts Campus that will provide 431 total units to students. Is student housing a priority that your college should pursue? If so, explain how you intend to take on such an endeavor in a timely, cost-effective manner. If you don\u2019t, how should your college district support students searching for affordable housing options near campus? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)<\/p>\n
Yes, affordable student housing should be considered because it supports the mission of the community colleges: providing accessible, affordable education and helping students transfer, enter the workforce, or gain new skills.<\/p>\n
However, I would not support raising taxes or issuing new bonds for student housing without first demonstrating that existing resources are being used efficiently. I would want the district to evaluate its actual student housing needs, identify available resources, and explore cost-effective partnerships with local cities, nonprofits, and housing providers.<\/p>\n
If district-owned housing is ultimately determined to be necessary, I would expect a financially responsible plan that uses existing resources whenever possible and clearly demonstrates the long-term benefit to students.<\/p>\n
What actions would you suggest to prevent a cyberattack similar to the Canvas data breach in May? How can your district ensure students\u2019 information is safe? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)<\/p>\n
Students trust our colleges with their personal information, and we have a responsibility to protect it. I would expect the district to be proactive, not wait for another breach to happen. The district should regularly review and test IT security, limit access to sensitive information, train employees to recognize scams and phishing, and make sure outside companies handling student information have strong security practices.<\/p>\n
As a trustee, I would ask questions, expect regular reports on security risks, and make sure problems are addressed promptly. I would also expect the district to use its existing resources wisely to protect student information.<\/p>\n
We cannot guarantee that every cyberattack can be prevented, but we can take responsible steps to reduce the risk, protect our students, and respond quickly when problems arise.<\/p>\n
How do you feel artificial intelligence is, or isn\u2019t, safe in the classroom? In what instances should it be expanded in the classroom? What about when it should be limited? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)<\/p>\n
I believe AI can be a valuable tool in the classroom, but it should never replace the thinking and learning students are there to develop. Used correctly, AI can actually strengthen critical thinking by helping students explore ideas, ask better questions, compare information, and see different perspectives. However, relying on it to provide answers without doing the thinking can weaken those same skills.<\/p>\n
I support using AI for tutoring, research, accessibility, career preparation, and teaching students how to use this technology responsibly. It should be limited when it replaces a student\u2019s own thinking or work, compromises academic integrity, or puts personal information at risk.<\/p>\n
We should use AI to enhance learning, not replace it. Students should leave college more capable of thinking independently, not dependent on a machine to think for them.<\/p>\n
How do you believe schools can better teach or engage students in civil discourse? How would you like to see your district tackle this issue? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)<\/p>\n
I believe education should develop the whole person, not simply fill students with information. Students need to learn how to think critically, manage their emotions, communicate respectfully, and recognize the dignity and humanity of others.<\/p>\n
Civil discourse means understanding that we can strongly disagree about an issue without making it personal. Students should learn to listen, consider different perspectives, evaluate evidence, and respond thoughtfully rather than reacting emotionally. Respect does not require agreement.<\/p>\n
I would like the district to encourage classrooms and campus forums where students can openly discuss difficult issues and hear differing viewpoints in a respectful environment. I would also support teaching practical skills in critical thinking, emotional self-control, and respectful disagreement. Education should prepare students not only for a career, but to become thoughtful, responsible members of society.<\/p>\n
What experiences and priorities do you bring to this role? What have you learned in prior leadership roles that makes you the person for the job? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)<\/p>\n
I bring a career in nursing, experience teaching clinical nursing, and years of leadership and community service. Working in healthcare and education has taught me the importance of listening, mentoring, accountability, and putting the people I serve first.<\/p>\n
My priorities are student success, educational quality, fiscal responsibility, and accountability. I believe every dollar should be used wisely and that decisions should be based on what best serves students and our community.<\/p>\n
Leadership has taught me to listen to different perspectives, seek the facts, make informed decisions, and take responsibility for the difficult decisions. I would bring that experience, perspective, and commitment to serving as a trustee.<\/p>\n
If your campaign had a mascot, what would it be and why? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)<\/p>\n
A German Shepherd, because I love their loyalty, intelligence, protectiveness, and vigilance. My German Shepherd, Snickers, is especially good at sensing when something isn\u2019t right before it becomes a problem. Life has taught me the value of being observant, listening carefully, and addressing concerns early. Those are qualities I also bring to leadership.<\/p>\n
Bonus question: What is the best book you\u2019ve read this year? Explain why you found it compelling.<\/p>\n
Declined to answer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":487603,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[1400,163,165,164,7,126915,204,205,100,13],"class_list":["post-487602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-2026-elections","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-california","tag-candidate-questionnaire","tag-election","tag-local-politics","tag-news","tag-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/487602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=487602"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/487602\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/487603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=487602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=487602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=487602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}