Carl E. Torres II, nominated by the governor to serve as the parent representative on the Guam Board of Education, told the Legislatures Committee on Education on Oct. 30 that he brings nearly 20 years of higher-education experience at Guam Community College and about a decade of Parent Teacher Organization leadership.

"I come to you this morning anxious, nervous, and extremely cold this morning...Im asking for the support to be appointed and be the next parent rep on Guam Board of Education," Torres said in his opening remarks, describing prior work at the college and in PTO roles.

The nominees supporters, including elected school board member Ramiq McNinch, urged senators to confirm Torres. McNinch told the committee that the Guam Board of Education has a "very limited role" focused on selecting, approving and overseeing the superintendent, and he emphasized that board members should not recuse themselves from superintendent votes except for narrow conflicts.

Senators questioned Torres about priorities if confirmed. Senator Sean Gumitata asked about charter schools funding and whether Torres would press the board on issues such as busing, double sessions and parent engagement. Torres said he was prepared to gather input from PTOs islandwide and that his priorities would reflect parents concerns rather than a personal agenda. He described displacement and transportation as pressing parent issues in his northern village and said he would seek collaborative solutions.

Vice Speaker Anthony Atta asked whether Torres could commit the time required for the board. Torres described his ability to "switch hats and multitask," said he reviews board meeting recordings when he cannot attend in person, and said he would rely on outreach to parents and community groups to collect priorities.

There was no committee vote in the hearing. The committee adjourned the panel for the appointment and moved to the next agenda item; senators indicated they planned to circulate a committee report and bring the confirmation to a floor vote in a subsequent session.

Less-critical details: Torres said he had worked remotely during the COVID-19 period while parenting children in the public system and that he had served as a union president at Guam Community College. He expressed willingness to continue predecessors outreach to PTOs and to study board responsibilities before pursuing substantive policy proposals.