BHUSD Candidate Jared Gonzales Hosts Beverly Hills Meet-and-Greet

Beverly Hills Unified School District Board of Education candidate Jared Gonzales hosted a community meet-and-greet on Sept. 15 at Castanea Sicilian Cafe in Beverly Hills, giving residents an informal setting to discuss the district and his campaign.

The drop-in event, called "Java with Jared," drew parents, students, community members and local civic figures, according to a campaign press release. Attendees identified by the campaign included former Beverly Hills Mayor and City Councilmember Dr. Julian Gold, City Councilmember Lester Friedman and former BHUSD Board President Nooshin Meshkaty.

Gonzales, a Beverly Hills resident, teaches seventh- and eighth-grade mathematics at Yavneh Hebrew Academy. He previously taught at Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy in Beverly Hills. His campaign said current and former students from both schools attended the event.

"Running for school board is as much about listening as it is about leading. I'm grateful for the conversations I had and for everyone who shared their thoughts about what they want to see from our schools."

Gonzales is seeking one of two seats on the BHUSD Board of Education in the Nov. 3 election. His campaign identifies student academic success, student safety and wellness, and board governance as his three main priorities.

Gonzales holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Dispute Resolution from the USC Gould School of Law. His campaign describes him as the only classroom teacher in the BHUSD Board race.

"I'm running because I believe educational expertise and firsthand classroom experience have a critical role to play in the decisions made by our Board of Education."

Gonzales said he plans to continue meeting with residents during the campaign and hearing their views about the district.