Asi Derechito
Moving Forward, Together
DR. JACINTO RAMOS JR.
about jacinto
Dr. Jacinto Ramos Jr. is a proven leader on educational policy, racial/ethnic equity and school board governance.
Jacinto is the chair of the Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE), serves on the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) board of directors, and is the president of the Mexican American School Boards Association (MASBA). These are all positions that he was elected to by a body of his peers from school boards across the country.
Born and raised on the North Side of Fort Worth, Jacinto is a product of immigrant parents from Mexico, devoting countless hours to the cause of providing a voice to the disengaged and the disenchanted youths of today.
He is a certified multicultural trainer, a certified juvenile probation officer in the state of Texas, a former co-director of the Multicultural Alliance’s Camp CommUNITY, an affiliate of Courageous Conversations About Race, and part of the inaugural 2019 Accelerating Board Capacity (ABC) Institute through Harvard Business School.
Bridging the silos of activism, leadership, and community engagement, Jacinto earned a spot on the Fort Worth Independent School District's School Board of Trustees in June 2013. Two years later, he reached a historic milestone, becoming the youngest board president from Fort Worth ISD. On May 28, 2019, he was selected by his colleagues to take the lead once again as the chair of the board.
He completed his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration in the Spring of 2021.
"The demographics of Tarrant County aren't changing, they have already changed. It is up to us to ensure that the adults in the room have the cultural competency to serve our children, and to see them as worthy of investment rather than problems to be solved."
What's Important
STABILITY
Adaptive challenges require adaptive leadership. As our community encounters growing uncertainty, it has become more important than ever to provide our students and faculty with stability. Cinto has led the FWISD Board of Education as Board President for four of the last eight school years. In those years he navigated some of the district's most contentious issues with grace, transparency, and collaboration. And has recently established an academy for school board members to learn the ins and outs of the role of President in order to create a pipeline of board members who are prepared to serve in this important leadership position.
ACHIEVEMENT
"Student achievement can't change until adult behaviors do." This is the slogan that has changed the way hundreds of Texans lead in education systems across our great state. Cinto believes that public schools exist for the purpose of educating children so they have access to the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case for many children in urban school districts like Fort Worth ISD. Cinto has put young people at the forefront of everything he does. This is best demonstrated by the board's goals that were established under his leadership. All goals are centered on student learning rather than adult interests.
GOVERNANCE
After eight years of service to Tarrant County's largest school system, Cinto experienced the need for strong governance first hand. The ideals that are entrenched in our society is that elected officials should be saviors of the systems they control. This perspective is quite irresponsible and adult-focused. Board members have the responsibility to govern by providing oversight for the taxpayers and stakeholders with transparency. This means hiring a highly competent superintendent and work together to identify the community's vision and establish goals and guardrails then hold them accountable for the outcomes we expect.
RACIAL EQUITY
The demographics of Fort Worth ISD aren't changing, they have already changed. Over 90% of the students our school system serves are children of color. It is past time for our system to catch up to the times and provide a curriculum that is robust, relatable, and empowering for our young people. The Board of Education has been pushing for a more equitable system, and have made sustainable progress. In 2017 we passed the state's first comprehensive racial equity policy, and have implemented training and restorative measures to eliminate roadblocks for our most vulnerable populations. With the onset of COVID-19, this work is now more important than ever.
COMMUNITY FIRST
"You can't love the fruit if you don't love the root."
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