“NOW MORE THAN EVER, we need dedicated public school educators on school boards,” says Victoria Chon, Fremont Unified District Teachers Association president and member of the Santa Clara County Board of Education.

Running for reelection this fall, Chon’s race is one of more than 2,000 school board elections statewide that will have significant impacts on our students and communities. The importance of these races to our public schools cannot be overstated — educators in Chino, Orange and Temecula (see page 26) organized and mobilized for the past two years to defend their students after decisions at the 2022 ballot box put extremists on their school boards.

CTA President David Goldberg commends members who serve as elected officials and those taking the leap for the first time this year. He says it’s up to all members to put in the work to elect fellow educators and union siblings to school boards and win for our students, families, communities and our very democracy.

“People trust us — showing up on their doorstep matters to them. Every one of us has a role to play,” Goldberg says. “We have to take these school board races seriously. Our opposition does. We all need to get stronger together. We cannot let them win.”

Meet a few of the CTA members running for election this fall and join the movement to win on election day. Visit cta.org/election to read about other members running for office and how you can be a part of our winning team on Election Day.

Lucy Ugarte

Sweetwater Education Association
Running for: Chula Vista Elementary School Board
lucyugarte.org

Why are you running?
I am a candidate because educators/teachers belong on school boards. Teachers, counselors and classified staff have first-hand experiences that lend a critical lens that is integral to the school board’s decision making. The best way to support students is to empower educators — those who work with students daily. My experience in the classroom the last 28 years, during which education has evolved exponentially, provides me with a perspective of the impact of school board decisions. I support teachers daily and the work of a school board member is an extension of that support.

What are your top priorities?
• To increase collaboration between district leadership and labor;
• To strengthen, expand and sustain community schools; To develop and support legislation that protects teachers’ vulnerabilities and promotes teacher retention.
• I will advance my priorities through continued work with administrators to ensure labor partners are included in decisions that impact them. This includes participating in local interdistrict collaborative efforts that develop community schools’ capacity and through supporting codified language that lends to sustainability, teacher retention and empowerment of the educator voice.

Why is it so important to have educators on school boards?
Our voices are important on school boards so that students and educators are first and foremost in decision making, not personal or political gain. Decisions are made more thoughtfully when a school board member is knowledgeable about all aspects and impacts of said decision, and better outcomes occur from better informed decisions. As a teacher and local association president, I bring a practical perspective from experience and understand first-hand the challenges faced by educators.

What does it mean to you to be part of the movement to protect and defend our public schools?
It means being part of a movement that will define the future of public education. We are in exigent times when it comes to recruiting and retaining educators. The challenges faced daily make it difficult for those who would normally be attracted to the profession to even consider a career in public education. Being part of this election and winning a seat on the CVESD School Board is an opportunity to not only protect and defend public education but empower educator voices.

How important is the November election?
Public education is always under attack. Educators are constantly questioned about our professionalism around curriculum and craft despite years of education and experience. The details of a plan to deconstruct the Department of Education further threatens the expertise and masterfulness of educators. Therefore, voting and getting friends and family to participate in this election is urgent.

For more information and updates, see our Election 2024 webpage at cta.org/election.

For a personalized list of CTA’s recommended candidates appearing on your ballot, visit cta.yourvoter.guide.