There are many words that can be used to describe the Morgan Hill Unified School District Board of Education (Board), but “unified” is actually not one of them. The now six member board has consistently split 3 – 3, making virtually no headway on issues important to the education of our children. The citizens of Morgan Hill hope that the Board will be able to find some agreement on a new member this Tuesday. Only a candidate with a fresh perspective will be able to break a tie.
Seven people have applied for the seat vacated by Amy Porter-Jensen, but one, Angelica Diaz, might be able to bring a new and independent perspective to the Board. Ms. Diaz is a newcomer to politics in Morgan Hill. Her work with the Community Health Partnerships gives her experience working with many organizations and politicians throughout the county. The Board would benefit from her experience in community and parent organizing. Ms. Diaz would also bring much-needed diversity to a Board that now includes only one woman and one Latino.
Other applicants for the vacated seat come with respectable qualifications, but none seem likely to bring a clearly independent voice to the Board. Julie Zintsmaster, Peter Mandel, and Adam Escoto all have experience with the district, but they also have strong allegiances to members of the Board and district that would not help to change the divisiveness of the present Board. Other candidates have political ties and agendas that could be counterproductive. Brian Sullivan is the president of the Morgan Hill Charter Board and Mary Ann Groen is the Chief of Staff to San Jose Vice Mayor Rose Herrera. Lastly, Tara Bevington has strong experience in both accounting and education, but her position as Executive Director of Second Start Learning Disabilities, Inc. would cause a conflict of interest on very important decisions regarding the placement of special needs students.
The six members of the present Board should appoint Angelica Diaz if they are ready to change the tenor of Board meetings and gain a trustee who will think independently about how decisions impact all students in Morgan Hill.
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