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Activists, teachers call school board's replacement-pick side step undemocratic, push for special election
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When Ellyn Bell decided to leave the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Trustees earlier this year—so she could live closer to a new job in San Francisco—her colleagues on the board decided it was too late and too expensive to call an election to fill her seat.
They decided instead to pick their own replacement to represent the district’s Area 1 (Land Park, Curtis Park and the grid) for the remainder of Bell’s term, which ends in December 2014.
This is allowed by state education law. But some community activists and labor leaders say it’s undemocratic and are now calling for a special election to replace Bell.
And they’re threatening a petition drive that would force an election, even if the board makes its own pick, which is expected to happen on December 20.
Annette Deglow is leading the effort. She was also one of the community activists who helped to write and pass measures J and K, which brought area elections to the district and replaced the at-large system in 2006. Deglow says the school board’s decision to appoint a new board member rather than allowing area residents to pick their own representative undermines the
They decided instead to pick their own replacement to represent the district’s Area 1 (Land Park, Curtis Park and the grid) for the remainder of Bell’s term, which ends in December 2014.
This is allowed by state education law. But some community activists and labor leaders say it’s undemocratic and are now calling for a special election to replace Bell.
And they’re threatening a petition drive that would force an election, even if the board makes its own pick, which is expected to happen on December 20.
Annette Deglow is leading the effort. She was also one of the community activists who helped to write and pass measures J and K, which brought area elections to the district and replaced the at-large system in 2006. Deglow says the school board’s decision to appoint a new board member rather than allowing area residents to pick their own representative undermines the