School Board Candidates, Bonds And Term Limits Seek Passing Grade From Voters

UPDATE: 6:05 p.m., Nov. 7, 2018

With 100 percent precincts reporting, incumbents Kevin Beiser and Michael McQuary secured their seats Tuesday night with a significant lead over challengers Tom Keliinoi and Marcia Nordstrom.

Measure H, which establishes a limit of three, four-year terms for San Diego Unified trustees, passed Tuesday night.

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There were two lonely names on the ballot for San Diego Unified School Board during the June primary. This election, incumbents Kevin Beiser and Michael McQuary will be joined by two more names: primary write-in candidates Tom Keliinoi and Marcia Nordstrom.

Keliinoi is challenging Beiser to represent schools in Sub-District B. Nordstrom is challenging Michael McQuary for Sub-District C.

Both challengers were supported by the Republican Party of San Diego County and say their business background would bring a necessary disruption to the board’s democratic majority. Beiser, who is a math teacher and board president, and McQuary, a former teacher, say the district’s success raising graduation and achievement rates prove they know what students need.

RELATED: Businessman And Math Teacher Compete For San Diego Unified School Board

RELATED: McQuary, Nordstrom Vie To Represent San Diego Unified’s Coastal Schools

Whoever wins the school board seats could serve indefinitely — that is, if Measure H does not pass.

Measure H would establish a limit of three, four-year terms for San Diego Unified trustees. If passed, the new rules would go into effect beginning in 2020 and would not count terms served by existing board members, meaning they could stay in office until 2032 if they’re reelected.

The proposal came from the board members themselves, after city Republicans, the Grand Jury and various community groups called for election reform. Those who oppose it say the proposal should have gone further, limiting trustees to just two terms and including a move to sub-district runoffs for school board, as opposed to the current at-large runoffs.

The measure needs a simple majority to pass.

RELATED: Ballot Measure Would Establish Term Limits For San Diego Unified Trustees

Nearly a dozen San Diego County school districts are asking voters to approve school bonds. They include:

In the case of Bonsall and Carlsbad, the impetus for the bonds is to building new facilities that address shifting student demographics. Generally, school bonds have become the main way for districts to finance capital upgrades that keep up with deteriorating buildings and new learning strategies.

School bonds need 55 percent of the votes to pass.

RELATED: Your Guide To San Diego County’s 11 School Bond Measures