Job for a Day tour takes Aguilar into a high school classroom

A server at Mitla Cafe, a sorter at Amazon, a Goodwill employee, and a baseball concessions salesman, Rep. Pete Aguilar can now add high school civics teacher to his growing list of jobs he has performed as congressman of the 31st District.

On Wednesday, May 2 Aguilar taught Robert Grande’s 12^thgrade government class at Cajon High School in San Bernardino during the second, third and fourth periods.

“My job is to represent the Inland Empire and vote for things that are in your best interest,” Aguilar said in introduction.  “I make the best vote for you by talking to you and finding out what your concerns are, and one of the ways I do that is by means of performing different jobs.”

An online survey of his constituents resulted in the overwhelming number of responses that Aguilar should take on the “toughest job in the world – go into the classroom and teach.”

According to Aguilar he decided to teach students the basic levels of government because as a public servant he has observed that people were unsure of which jurisdiction or department to reach out to when faced with a problem such as potholes, broken traffic signals, or housing assistance.

“It’s most effective if you reach out to the layer of government to fix your concerns,” Aguilar explained to the dozen or so students.

This is the eighth stop Rep. Aguilar has made on his Job for a Day tour, and the third this year. The tour gives him an opportunity to work alongside Inland Empire residents in a wide range of jobs so that he can better understand their concerns and be a better advocate for them in Congress.

“There aren’t many jobs that are more important or more challenging than being a teacher, and I learned that firsthand today,” said Aguilar. “Making sure that our kids are ready for the next stage of their lives after high school is a monumental responsibility, and I have so much appreciation for the people who do this each and every day. My Job for a Day tour is all about connecting with the hard working people who drive the Inland Empire, and today I was lucky enough to spend time with the next generation too.”