As the Sacramento City Unified School District approaches potential insolvency, the board is heading into what could be the most high-stakes local election of 2020.
The cash-strapped district may be taken over by the state in the coming months (board members are elected officials and would not be removed under insolvency). Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on the campaigns, as candidates backed by opposing interest groups square off in four of the board’s eight trustee areas in the Nov. 3 election.
The Sacramento City Teachers Association’s political action committee is financially backing four candidates. Board president Jessie Ryan is being challenged by Lavinia Grace Phillips, an SCTA-backed candidate. Another board member, Christina Pritchett, is facing Jose Navarro, who is supported by the union.
The union – which has been at odds with the board and district officials for months over the district’s finances and distance learning plan – is also supporting candidates Chinua Rhodes and Nailah Pope-Harden.
The election could change the racial makeup of the school board. Several candidates are people of color, representative of the district’s diverse student population. About 40% of Sacramento City Unified’s students are Latino, 14% are Black and nearly 20% are Asian, according to state data.
Pope-Harden, Phillips and Rhodes are Black, Navarro is Chicano and Vanessa Areiza King is Colombian. Four of the seven current board members are white.
WHO’S RUNNING FOR SCUSD BOARD? CONTINUE READING: Who is running for Sacramento City Unified school board? | The Sacramento Bee
Lavinia Grace Phillips for District 7
Lavinia Grace Phillips, a social worker for Sacramento’s Child Protective Services and the president of the Oak Park Neighborhood Association is running for SCUSD school board in Area 7. The incumbent is Jessie Ryan.
Jose Navarro for District 3
Jose Navarro, is an information technology specialist who works for California’s Franchise Tax Board. He is a member of SEIU Local 1000. He is running for the SCUSD school board in Area 3. The incumbent is Christina Pritchett.
Chinua Rhodes for District 5
Chinua Rhodes, is a community organizer with Mutual Housing California. He currently serves on the City of Sacramento’s Parks and Community Enrichment Commision and the SCUSD LCAP. He is running for the SCUSD school board in Area 5. The incumbent is not running.
Nailah Pope-Harden for Area 4
Nailah Pope-Harden, is a community organizer and statewide climate policy advocate. She is a Sac City schools graduate. She is running for the SCUSD school board in Area 4. The incumbent is not running.
