Two More Vie for Seats in District School Board Races

With the deadline to file for candidacy in the Nov. 8 school board elections just one day away, two more individuals have thrown their hats into contention.

David Rose will run in the Charter Oak Unified School District election, while Irene Miller, a small-business owner, is running in the Glendora Unified School District race.

Rose served as board member in 2005 and ran again in 2009, but unsuccessfully. He is compelled to run again saying Charter Oak’s school board misprioritizes what is cut from the budget.

“They’re cutting teachers first and they should be cutting the general budget,” Rose said. “They could do it [make cuts] between three percent, to six percent, maybe up to 10 percent in general expenditures.”

Rose is a father of three Charter Oak students and teaches special education in San Bernardino.

Irene Miller could not be reached for comment.

In late July, incumbents Joseph Probst, Bob Cruz and Brian Akers filed for candidacy in COUSD’s election. Doris Blum and current School Board president Douglas Ferrell are the incumbents in the GUSD.

Probst, a 19-year member of the COUSD board, said the district has made great strides despite fiscal woes and would like to expand the high school’s International Baccalaureate program.

“The international baccalaureate program is a very high academic standard program. It’s one of our goals to bring the … program down to the middle school level,” Probst said.

As a member of the California School Board Association, Cruz seeks to initiate legislation to develop a funding mechanism more stable then Prop 98 to consistently fund K-14 education.

Akers, current board president, has children who are products of Charter Oak. He also works closely with the Charter Oak Education Foundation to provide scholarships for COUSD graduates.

Blum wants to continue serving Glendora Unified because the budget crisis is the worst she has seen in 28 years as board member.

“Continuity is a great thing … I have certainly hope time demonstrated that I have the knowledge and ability to be a effective school board member.”

Farrell did not seek reelection, but felt the budget crisis was reason enough to serve again.

“What I can do is work closely together with my colleagues to keep a united front to pinch every penny we can and to continue to deliver,” Farrell said.

A final list of candidates will be available Monday.