Erin Jones
Non-Partisan | Washington
Candidate Profile
Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Erin Jones
Party
Non-Partisan
Election Year
2016
Election
General
Race
Supt. of Public Instruction
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Concordia College, Bemidji, MN, Language Immersion Certificate, 2005
Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA, Teacher Certificate, 2002
Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, BA - Comparative Literature, 1993
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
Girl Scouts of Western Washington, Board Member (2 years), College Spark
Board Member (1.5 years), Recruiting Washington Teachers, Board Member (4.5 years)
Trinity Church 3YC Youth Ministry, Leader (9 years), YoungLife, North Spokane
Leader (2 years), Center for the Strengthening of the Teaching Prof., Board member (3 years)
Washington Alliance of Black School Educators, Board member and member (3 years), Martinez Foundation
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
LIBERAL (5)
ATU Legislative Council of Washington State
King County Democrats
NARAL Pro Choice Washington
National Womens Political Caucus of Washington
Young Democrats of Washington
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (6)
King, Snohomish, Skagit County Democrats
Ben Oakley, Former Chair of Spokane Republicans
Marty Shafer, former YL leader + school board dir.
Legislative Districts: 4, 5, 10, 27, 36, 37, 38+
Former State Rep/Federal Way Mayor, Skip Priest
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (2)
Frank Chopp
Local, County, and District Democratic Organizations
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Eric Pettigrew
Kristine Lytton
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Congress should repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
No Answer
It is the government’s responsibility to be sure children are properly educated.
No Answer
Any teaching to children on sex education in public schools must include all contraceptive methods, and should not show preference to abstinence.
No Answer
Biology textbooks which do not teach both the scientific strengths and weaknesses of the theory of evolution should be rejected.
No Answer
The more people live by Judeo-Christian values, the less government is needed.
No Answer
Free enterprise and the right to private property turn mankind's natural self-interest into the fairest and most productive economic system there is, and are the key to national prosperity.
No Answer
The Ten Commandments should not be displayed in public school buildings.
No Answer
Islamic law (Sharia) does not pose a threat to the United States and its Constitution.
No Answer
More restrictive gun control laws are needed to protect public safety.
No Answer
Students should not be taught about intelligent design.
No Answer
Free-market competition for education dollars, rather than a government monopoly, would create a better education for all students.
No Answer
Our state should participate in the nationwide Common Core standards for high-school graduation.
No Answer
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States.
No Answer
It is the government’s responsibility to be sure everyone has health care and a livable income.
No Answer
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
No Answer
Governments should define marriage as between one man and one woman; no other definition of marriage should be legalized or supported with public funds.
No Answer
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
I have spent the last 25 years working with young women who have experienced abuse, neglect and lack of access to quality health care. I would prefer every woman keep a child she has conceived. In fact, the circumstances of my own birth were questionable (older black father, white mother, unwed, 1971). Abortion was not legal at the time. My mother chose to give me up for adoption. My husband and I also chose to adopt. However, I believe the courts have decided on this issue, and the decision should be between a woman and her doctor to determine whether or not an abortion is the best course of action. It has been my experience that wealthy women who are Christians are able to pay for abortions secretly, whereas poor women, who don't have the same access to resources, are put in a position where their choices are much more public. It has also been my experience that the church is not investing in the very young people being criticized for considering abortion. We must do better!
Based on the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, please arrange the following entities, starting with the highest source of authority, and continue the list in descending order of authority, skipping any that do not apply: Academia, Congress, Constitution, God, Industry, Media, Professional Sports, Supreme Court, Voters.
God Constitution Supreme Court Congress (None of the others have any authority)
What in the nature of mankind caused America’s Founders to carefully define, separate, and limit powers in the Constitution?
All human beings are flawed - we are all born in sin and shaped in iniquity. Therefore, the Founders were intentional about defining, separating and limiting the powers of the Constitution. Otherwise, in our humanity and sinfulness, individuals could make poor decisions that could hurt us as a nation (which still happens). Having more eyes and thoughts on a decision allows us to make a better one.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I believe God is my Father. I believe Jesus is His son, who came to us in body and left the earth in Spirit. I believe our job is to love our neighbors, whomever and wherever they are. I believe God saved us not because of our goodness but because of His mercy. With this in mind, I have been serving youth in crisis for the past 25 years - homeless, LGBTQ, teen mothers, foster kids, drug addicts, gang-affiliated, children of all faiths and no faith at all. We could each find a passage that speaks against the actions of each of these communities, but I believe God has called me specifically to love them, regardless of their faults and flaws - "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." I am a broken, flawed human being who desires, above all else, to love the broken and hurting and to use the gifts God has given me to better my community, which is why I am running for office.
Considering all issues (social, economic, national security, etc.), which of these best describes you?
Somewhat Liberal
Please defend your answer to the previous question by referencing your publicly available track record.
I have never run for office, but what has been public is my life. The last 25 years, I have served young people in some of the poorest, most disenfranchised communities in the nation. Homeless, abandoned children have lived with us. We adopted a young woman whose mother and father were formerly members of a gang. Two self-identified LGBTQ young adults "adopted" my husband and I as Mom and Dad when they "came out" and were abandoned by their families. My classroom at lunch was always filled with children who felt "othered" - devout Muslim with hijab, gay Republican boy, recently immigrated, homeless, foster youth, students with special needs. Everywhere I have gone, these same populations have been drawn to me, because, I believe, I do my best to love unconditionally. I do not believe we need to have prayer "allowed" in public places, because we can pray on our own. It is our job to BE Jesus. Public school is not the place to teach Christian values. That is the job of parents/church.
E-mail address and phone number for voters to reach you.
Erinjonesin2016@gmail.com (360)918-3498
Additional comment from candidate:
I did not respond to many of the questions above, because I believe there are several that cannot be answered without explanation. Therefore, I made the conscious choice not to answer any of them. I am more than happy to respond to questions the public might have about specific issues. Please feel free to send me an email to ask for a specific response. I am a biracial woman (Black and White), abandoned at birth by my white mother in MN, raised by White teachers in The Netherlands. I returned to the United States for college, married a Black man from Tacoma, formerly a preacher, now serving in ministry as a high school teacher. I speak 4 languages, am a musician, writer, teacher and speaker. My experience is unique and vast. I believe God has called me to this time and place to be a bridge, and I believe education is the platform God has given me for ministry. Please see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ7xY60a6z4&sns=em to learn more about my personal story.
