The ongoing effort to loosen the conservative hold on the Grossmont Union High School District's board was stymied last month when a recall petition against one board trustee failed to garner enough signatures.
The campaign targeted Grossmont Union High School District trustee Scott Eckert, who represents the La Mesa area.
Recall organizers had to submit more than 9,600 signatures to the Registrar of Voters last month to qualify the recall petition. Organizers collected only a third of the required signatures and didn’t submit the petition, according to Laura Preble, one of the recall leaders.
In addition to Eckert, the board majority includes trustees Gary Woods, Robert Shield and Jim Kelly. The recall effort focused on Eckert because his term runs until 2028. The other three seats are up for election next year.
The recall effort was a response to a series of controversial moves made by the four-member board majority this year, including the elimination of all school librarians in the district and updates to school prayer and protest policies. More recently, the majority refused to consider a resolution regarding immigration enforcement.
Beyond the ideological positions of the board majority, there’s other questions surrounding Eckert.
The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) is currently investigating allegations that Eckert violated California’s Political Reform Act with his decision earlier this year to vote against terminating legal services from one of his campaign donors.
Additionally, the San Diego Union Tribune reported earlier this year that Eckert may have benefited from “ghost” candidates who drew votes away from his political opponent in the 2024 election.
“The thing that got me really engaged at first was the fact that the district wanted to cut all the librarian positions at every school, and having done that job and knowing so many people who do that job, I know how critical it is for students to have a safe place to go,” said Preble, a retired librarian.
Preble said the effort to oust the board majority will continue, but the focus going forward will be on next year’s elections.
“We're not giving up the momentum,” she said. “We feel very strongly that these people are not there in the best interests of students or teachers or community members.”
Stephanie Macceca, vice president of the Grossmont Education Association, said she and others are now setting their eyes on the three contested trustee seats.
“We've started way earlier than we normally do for an election cycle this year with a very strong focus on getting pro-education candidates elected for 2026,” Macceca said.
Eckert declined a KPBS request for an interview but sent an emailed statement.
“Since taking office, my full attention has been on the work I was elected to do: completing Portrait of a Graduate, raising graduation rates, promoting safety and ensuring East County taxpayers’ dollars are wisely invested to create opportunities for all students to thrive,” Eckert wrote. “That focus has never wavered and will not change.”
Trustee Chris Fite, the sole board member in the minority, wrote an op-ed published by East County Magazine in October expressing his support for the recall effort.
“In a sense, [I’m] disappointed – not so much about the recall but that we couldn’t get enough people to sign it… I just kind of came to the growing conclusion that these folks are not serving the best interest of the community,” Fite said in an interview this week with KPBS.
KPBS reached out to board president Gary Woods for comment. He initially sent a highly charged statement in which he called recall organizers “‘socialist’ elected officials,” “political activists” and “radical extremists.”
Later, he emailed asking that his original statement be replaced by one without the more inflammatory language.
“Despite coordinated efforts by special interest groups, political activists, and anonymous social media campaigns, the recall effort collapsed entirely,” Woods wrote in his second statement. “This overwhelming defeat reflects the strength and unity of East County parents and educators.”
When asked why he switched his statement, Woods wrote, “I believe that a more measured tone is more appropriate as we need to work together for the success of all students."
A district spokesperson also declined a KPBS interview request, but issued a statement.
“Superintendent Vital Brulte is working with our Governing Board and staff to move the District forward in a positive direction,” the statement read.
