Parent and longtime community volunteer Eric Mark is running for a seat of the Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District's board with a focus on proactively addressing the growing mental health challenges that the district is experiencing, as well as creating an inclusive environment for students from diverse backgrounds.

The father of three children who have attended local schools (his youngest is a senior at Mountain View High), Mark is a retired engineer who provided tech support to local small businesses.

Over the years, he has volunteered in various capacities serving young people. When his children were at Oak Avenue Elementary School in Los Altos, he was on the PTA, chaired the Junior Olympics and ran the walk-a-thon. He has also tutored kids at Graham and Crittenden middle schools, as well as teens in the AVID program at Mountain View High School, which helps prepare students for college. He is also a mentor with the nonprofit Mentor Tutor Connection.

Mark is one of six candidates running for three seats on the high school district's five-member board this November.

If he wins a spot on the board, Mark has said that a top priority will be finding ways to confront the root causes of the mental health issues that students are facing. He said he is supportive of the steps that the district has already taken to address student wellness, but wants to do additional work to reduce the stress that students are experiencing. He has also pointed to the particular impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had.

“Mental health continues to be an issue; the pandemic exacerbated an already increasing problem, and we must continue to provide support services for students who are experiencing both academic stress as well as the stresses of readjusting to a campus life,” Mark wrote in response to a Voice candidate questionnaire.

He is a strong supporter of having students take an ethnic studies class. The district began offering an elective ethnic studies course this fall, with plans to make it a requirement for freshmen next school year. That's ahead of a state requirement that is set to take effect in the 2025-26 school year.

Mark has said that he supports the district's new program, as well as making continued improvements over time. On his campaign website, Mark writes about watching the anti-Asian violence that has taken place during the pandemic and wanting all students to see themselves and their communities reflected in the education system, regardless of racial and ethnic background. He supports offering ethnic studies in public schools nationwide.

“Ethnic studies will be a pillar for a holistic education that embraces our multicultural society. … I would continue collaborating with our community to create and improve curriculum that celebrates the heritage of every student,” Mark's website states.

He is also interested in exploring the possibility of offering courses like Latino, African American and Asian American studies.

More broadly, Mark has said that he supports offering a diverse array of classes that teach “real world” skills, including things like digital literacy, career development and financial education. He also wants to expand the district's Career Technical Education program, which offers courses tailored to help students pursue jobs in given career fields.

Mark has drawn attention to achievement gaps in the district, particularly the lower average academic performance of students who are learning English and those living in poverty. To combat this, Mark supports having the high school district work with local middle schools to provide coordinated guidelines and resources.

Because he was traveling, Mark was unable to participate in the Voice's candidate forum Oct. 13, which he had been scheduled to attend.