One of the two candidates dropped out of a Placer school board race. What happens now?
A candidate vying for a seat on the Placer Union High School District board dropped out of the race this week, leaving the other candidate running unopposed. The Area 1 seat represents North Auburn, Colfax and Meadow Vista.
Jeremy Jeffreys said he decided to drop out of the race after finding out he did not receive the endorsement of the district’s teachers union. Jeffreys said he had wanted to win the seat to advocate for school employees. That motivation was defeated, ahead of the election, by the lack of support from their union.
His departure from the race leaves only Gayle Lynn Hamm, a retired school-based occupational therapist. The seat is being vacated by Casey Jeffreys, who is Jeremy’s brother, after one term.
Jeremy Jeffreys shared his decision with Hamm on Thursday afternoon.
“I’m still very much in shock,” Hamm said.
What happens next
Jeffreys has stopped campaigning, but his name will still appear on the November ballot as the deadline to pull out of the election has passed, according to a Placer County Elections Office spokesperson. In the case that he receives more votes, Jeffreys confirmed to Hamm that he would decline the oath of office, in which case the board has the authority to appoint to the board.
The possibility seems unlikely, as Jeffreys has called off campaigning efforts while Hamm has garnered endorsements and will continue to engage with constituents. She said that while it is a relief to not have to campaign in the traditional sense, she wants to use the coming weeks to meet with community members ahead of being sworn in.
Hamm has lived in Meadow Vista for over four decades. Her sons graduated from a Placer Union high school.
“I think they had an excellent education at that school and I want that for all students,” she said. “I want them to have a positive, safe, enriched environment where they can thrive.”
In her career as an occupational therapist, Hamm has also worked at Placer Union schools as well as several other districts in the area. Her job involved working with students with special needs and their families to help them perform in the classroom, often working alongside teachers.
Hamm’s mission is to keep the school district in good working condition. She wants to “keep the ship going and make adjustments as necessary.”
“It seems to be a very efficient and smooth running board with not a lot of controversies compared to some other school boards,” she said. “But my key priorities … school safety is huge, and having diverse programs that appeal to a wide variety of students — whether that’s through clubs or sports and things like that — having a variety of options for students so all students can be included.”
Hamm plans to consider some of Jeffreys’ policy proposals she heard him discuss at candidate forums, including those related to staff protections and a model of suicide prevention.
Jeffreys, who previously worked as a teacher at two high schools in Placer Union from 2017-2023, had a negative experience with school site and district administration in his final two years of employment largely due to a disciplinary process which he characterized as unfairly targeting him. When seeking election, Jeffreys aspired to establish policies that would better protect staff members.
“My primary goal was to make sure what happened to me didn’t happen to any other staff member,” Jeffreys said.
This story was originally published October 1, 2024 at 10:51 AM.
CORRECTION: Gayle Lynn Hamm has lived in Meadow Vista for over four decades. An earlier version of the story misstated her hometown.
