Rutkowski, Richard

Meet the Candidate

Running For:
School Board
District:
Fountain Hills Unified School District
Phone:
(480) 836-0568
Age:
66
Occupation:
Associate Director & Clinical Assistant Professor of Family, Community & Preventive Medicine
Education:
Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences and Doctor of Medicine - University of Chicago
Biographical Info:

I was born and raised in the Chicago area and received my formal education, including a Bachelor’s degree and Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Chicago. I completed my residency training and practiced for fifteen years in the Chicago suburbs. A significant portion of my work also included teaching medical students and Family Medicine resident physicians. My wife, our two children, and I moved to AZ in 2001, where I continued working as a Family Medicine physician, combining direct patient care with a substantial emphasis on and commitment to the education of medical students and Family Medicine residents. For over 20 years, I have also been an active volunteer in a variety of roles in Fountain Hills schools and Scottsdale schools, including providing tobacco-use prevention programs to 5th graders in both school districts. I also participate in several other volunteer community and church activities, including teaching faith formation classes to children at a variety of grade levels since 2004. I served as a member of the AZ Board of Education Standards Development Subcommittee in 2015-2016. That group produced the current Math & English/Language Arts Standards for the state of AZ. I currently serve as a member of the Fountain Hills Unified School District Governing Board. I consider myself fortunate to have participated in so many education-related actvities and roles, and contributed my experience, skills, and energy to help others pursue and achieve their full potential.

Statement:

A strong K-12 education provides the foundation for future success and a purposeful life. This is true whether a person chooses college, vocational training, military service, or the workforce directly from high school. Regardless of one’s path, a love of learning and recognition of the value of lifelong learning contribute to ongoing success and personal fulfillment amidst a changing world. I believe in a strong education. I am a lifelong learner. I’ve actively volunteered in our schools and education in many roles for 20 years. As a member of the FHUSD Governing Board, I strive to do whatever I can to support a quality education and encourage lifelong learning in our students. I would be honored to continue serving our students, parents, and community.

Survey

Response Legend

  • SSupports
  • OOpposes
  • *Comment
  • −Declined to respond
  • †Declined to respond, Position based on citation

Question Response Comments/Notes
1. Requiring district and charter school officials, including teachers, to inform parents about their child’s social, mental, emotional, or physical health. S
2. Allowing parents to opt their children out of activities or lessons that offend their personal, moral, or religious beliefs. S* Personal, moral, & religious beliefs must be respected.
3. Increasing state and local taxes to provide more funding for schools and school facility projects. O* Unless the increased funding and projects are clearly justified and fully explained to & accepted by taxpayers, and all possible alternative sources of funding have been pursued and exhausted.
4. Requiring signed permission from a parent before a student may participate in any sexuality related instruction, activities, or clubs. S
5. Allowing all parents to use tax credits and publicly funded empowerment scholarship accounts to enable their children to attend any private, homeschool, or online academy of their choice. S* Competition in an "industry" generally results in a better "product." However, the much higher cost of providing services to students with special needs appears to fall disproportionately on public schools, which makes it more difficult for them to compete with other schools.
6. Making available books and instructional materials that include sexually explicit images and themes in school classrooms and libraries. O* The exception would be educational material needed to properly teach academic courses such as Human Biology and Anatomy & Physiology in the higher grade levels. These materials could be interpreted as including "explicit images & themes."
7. Acquiring parental consent for school faculty and staff to refer to students by pronouns that do not align with the student’s birth sex. S
8. Allocating teacher pay raises based upon merit rather than providing uniform salary schedule increases based upon years of teaching or additional credentialing (e.g. master’s degrees) S* I support a policy that includes merit-based salary increases in addition to a consideration of years of teaching and advanced credentialing or special skills.
9. Implementing policies to allow students and faculty to use the restroom, locker room, and shower room based on self-identification rather than biological sex. O
10. Teaching what is known as diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI); social, emotional learning (SEL); or critical race theory (CRT) in public schools. O* I support treating everyone with respect and fairness, and offering equal opportunity to all. I believe that the United States is a great country. When we have fallen short of our founding ideals, we strive to recognize it and correct it.
11. Requiring each district and charter school to post online a list of all curriculum and instructional materials being used in the classroom. S* Full disclosure and transparency regarding curriculum and instructional materials and methods are essential elements of a responsible school