Advocacy can improve education in Iowa City

I have been committed to service and public education since I was a teenager and my classmates and I had to advocate to bring college preparatory classes to our public high school in Chicago, which had only a vocational curriculum.

It was daunting to push for this change but I was following the example of my mother, who despite having only an elementary school education, served and advocated as president of the boards of my and my siblings’ elementary and high schools. Watching her lead instilled in me a deep sense of responsibility to our community.

Because of our self-advocacy, my classmates and I attracted the attention of the University of Iowa Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. They offered us summer classes to prepare for the AP calculus test. Then they offered a postsecondary pathway and I came to the University of Iowa where I ultimately earned a bachelor’s in psychology and master’s in rehabilitation counseling.

Throughout my daughter’s education in ICCSD, I was an active volunteer in the schools, serving as treasurer of the Lucas Elementary PTO and the City High School PSTO. In 2017 was elected to the ICCSD Board of Directors and, and I have served proudly since then, winning re-election in 2021 and being elected president by my fellow board members in 2022. I also serve as the director for District 6 on the Iowa Association of School Boards.

Ruthina Malone is running for re-election to the Iowa City school board.