School Board Primary Held on March 26

Three of the five seats on the San Diego Unified School District Board will be up for election this year. Two of these seats are being vacated by current board members Ann Armstrong and Shirley Weber. The third seat is held by Ron Ottinger, current board President, who is running for re-election. Seats for Districts B and C, held by Sue Braun and John de Beck, are not up for election this year. San Diego has a somewhat unusual style of school board election in which the primary election for each seat is limited to the specific district while the final election is held on a city wide basis. Thus, citizens from throughout the city need to be aware of the contests in all districts and can substantially affect the content of the board.

At the moment, Mathematically Correct makes no endorsement of specific candidates, but will solicit and publicize the views of various candidates on math-related issues.

The material below is largely derived from an article by Sharon L. Jones of the San Diego Union-Tribune, January 3, 1995, page B4.

District A Clairemont, La Jolla, University City

Joyce Singer Abrams - Elementary school teacher in Chula Vista. Former Grand Jury member, favors a shift of authority to individual campuses.
P.O. Box 786
La Jolla, CA 92038
[Attended the Math Forum]
[Requested that the Board Delay Math Adoptions on 3/28]

Barbara Carpenter - Educational Consultant. Current member of the County Board of Education. As county board member, sponsored a resolution calling on local districts to use phonics to teach reading and to group students by ability. Also launched an investigation into an intervention program for poor readers called "Reading Recovery".
5520-3 Renaissance Avenue
San Diego, CA 92122
[Attended the Math Forum]
[Comments to Mathematically Correct following the Forum]

Debra Patterson - Financial Planner for an insurance company. Active in Junior League projects related to children. Supports more decision making on campus, focus on educational basics and increased parental involvement.
5960 Camino de la Costa
La Jolla, CA 92037
[Attended the Math Forum]

Elaine G. Springer - School Counselor in San Diego City Schools. Wants to work to improve communication between social service agencies and individual schools. Has developed an anti-violence program for children.
P.O. Box 99985
San Diego, CA 92169
[Attended the Math Forum]

Francis O'Neill Zimmerman - Teaches history and literature as substitute in San Diego City Schools. Believes that higher standards should be set for students, that teachers need more classroom support and questions the effectiveness of some popular teaching techniques such as cooperative learning.
544 Bonair Street
La Jolla, CA 92037
[Attended the Math Forum]

District D Center City, Hillcrest, Little Italy, Logan Heights, and other neighborhoods

Ron Ottinger - Incumbent - Sponsor of policy leading to smaller class sizes in first and second grade with concomitant increase in class size in later grades, which was passed over widespread teacher opposition. Has called for clear district-wide standards.

Les Pierres Streater - Board of Directors of City Heights Community Development Corporation, member of We, the Collective, a group critical of the district for failing to raise the academic achievement of blacks and Latinos. Quoted as saying "People are still being paid by this district for failing to educate our kids."
[Attended the Math Forum]

Jimmy K. Sue - Elementary School teacher in National City. Wants to lift up the education profession so the public respects teachers for their hard work.

District E Paradise Hills, Valencia Park, and other southeastern communities

Ed Fletcher - Education Director for the San Diego Urban League. Thirty-six years as an employee of San Diego City Schools, finishing as Assistant Superintendent. Concerned about the low achievement rate of black and Latino children, especially in court-identified racially isolated schools.
[Offered regrets that he could not attended the Math Forum]

Ed Lopez - Runs student affirmative action and human relations program at UCSD. Law degree from UC Berkeley. Feels that the UC Regents decision to eliminate racial admissions quotas "presented a challenge - - they said we ought to be more involved in K through 12."

The November election will provide the run off races. Both candidates in District D and both candidates in District E will run. The two leaders in the District A primary, Barbara Carpenter and Francis O'Neill Zimmerman, will face each other in November.