Who’s running for Sacramento school board Area 2? Incumbent Leticia Garcia faces Jasjit Singh
Three seats on the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Trustees are on the ballot this fall. The election follows an eight-day strike that shut schools earlier this year and two years of learning under pandemic restrictions.
In Area 2, incumbent Trustee Leticia Garcia is running for reelection against Jasjit Singh, a nonprofit director who has support from unions including the Sacramento City Teachers Association.
The district they’re running to represent covers much of East Sacramento, Tahoe Park and a portion of midtown.
Leticia Garcia
Party: Democratic
Age: 50
Birthplace: Santa Ana
Residence: Sacramento
Occupation: Education advocate
Education: Sacramento State, master of arts degree in international relations; UC Davis, bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology.
Offices held: Sacramento City School Board, Area 2
Campaign website address: n/a
If elected, how would you address labor issues in the district that led to April’s teacher and staff strike?
Hire an outside expert in to help with healing relationships, and rebuilding trust.
What should the district do to improve conditions for Black staff members and students who’ve said they’ve experienced ongoing harassment on campus?
All allegations of discrimination and harassment are taken seriously and investigated to the fullest extent. In some instances, investigations have required the district to bring in an independent party to ensure fairness and neutrality. The district has also appointed Mr. Mark T. Harris, an attorney and trusted voice in the community, to advise and help address issues of racism, and improve issues on equity and social justice. Lastly, the district has invested in professional development on anti-bias and anti-racism for employees from the classroom to the boardroom.
What can the district do to attract more families and students after recent enrollment declines?
With a district budget in the black and projected surpluses for multiple years, the District should begin to reinvest in classrooms and schools, and expand programs and services to meet students needs. Funds should also be prioritized to recruit, support, and retain school teachers and staff to rebuild and streghten schools. Strong schools attract and retain students, families, and workers.
Jasjit Singh
Party: Democratic
Age: 35
Birthplace: Punjab
Residence: Sacramento
Occupation: Nonprofit director
Education: Law degree, licensed in California
Offices held: CA Democratic Party elected delegate for Assembly District 7
Campaign website address: www.Jasjit4Sac.com
If elected, how would you address labor issues in the district that led to April’s teacher and staff strike?
Years of poor communication, broken promises, and the absence of good faith bargaining have led to a deterioration of the relationships between district leadership and its staff. This is exacerbated when the board votes to increase the salary of a superintendent who received a 90% vote of no confidence.
To address the labor issues as an elected official, my commitment will be to fixing the dysfunctional work environment of our teachers and staff. I would function with greater transparency, commit to equitable spending, and focus on creating a culture of accountability.
Building this trust will require healing and rebuilding relationships with union leadership that represent the staff and teachers, committing to proactively providing teachers and staff a living wage, and providing professional development opportunities to our teacher and staff.
What should the district do to improve conditions for Black staff members and students who said they’ve experienced ongoing harassment on campus?
The district needs to listen to and believe Black voices. Anyone who has experienced harassment on campus should be taken seriously, and the district should have a true zero-tolerance policy for harassment. All district employees should be required to complete racial sensitivity training, with annual refresher courses. Other ways to improve conditions would be to update handbooks so they identify language and vocabulary that may offend others or be considered unacceptable.
H.R. guidelines should specifically provide recourse for racial harassment, and explicitly state a zero-tolerance policy. The district should also hire a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer full-time. Currently, the district has only hired a liaison. The district can also create a more inviting environment for Black staff and Black students, by recruiting and retaining more diverse staff members.
What can the district do to attract more families and students after recent enrollment declines?
Enrollment declines are linked to the district’s high vacancy rate and inability to retain teachers. When teachers leave, the students suffer due to the lack of stability in the classroom. When students suffer, parents make the difficult decision to leave the district- and the cycle continues.
As mentioned earlier, the district needs to fix its dysfunctional work environment and build trust with teachers, staff, and their union leadership. The district also needs to proactively increase salaries to provide teachers and staff with living wages alongside professional development opportunities. The district also needs to invest in its school infrastructure and build the schools of tomorrow, right here at SCUSD- so that we can dismantle this cycle of distrust.