Chula Vista school board race heats up, fueled by national issues

Francisco Tamayo wants a seat on the Chula Vista school board — just not the one he holds now.

Tamayo is among a field of seven candidates running for the Chula Vista Elementary School District board. Though he holds Seat 1 until 2026, his name will be listed on the November ballot as a choice for Seat 4 — currently held by board member Kate Bishop, who’s seeking re-election.

His decision could be costly. Any vacancy could result in a special election, if the board chooses, with taxpayers footing the bill. 

Or, board members could decide to appoint someone to serve the remainder of a term. And this year could bring multiple vacancies, as Vice President Cesar Fernandez is seeking a seat on the Chula Vista City Council — meaning as many as two members could join the board without being elected by voters.

Tamayo told inewsource he’s challenging Bishop so the district can return its focus to improving academics. 

He has accused Bishop of making racist remarks against Latinos and underserved communities, attacking colleagues behind closed doors and trying to force a personal agenda on the district.

Specifically, Tamayo has accused Bishop for her support of curriculum concerning sexuality, saying it is not age-appropriate.

“She can do whatever she wants with her kids. As a parent she has that authority,” Tamayo said. “But I think that mentality should not exist in our district.”

Bishop denied many of Tamayo’s claims, saying she has done anti-racism work since college and cares about “pushing back against racism.” She said she supports students who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, and that Tamayo and others incorrectly interpret her advocacy as sexualizing or grooming children. 

“I grew up myself not kind of understanding who I was or what my feelings were. Were they valid? Were they normal?” Bishop said. “It’s very important to me as an LGBTQ adult to make sure that the kids in the next generation don’t have to go through what I went through.”

Bishop has the support of the district’s union for classified employees, and the local Democratic Party, though the school board race is officially nonpartisan. Tamayo confirmed that the party’s South Area Caucus rated him as “unacceptable” about a week after he announced his run against Bishop.

Tamayo has been endorsed by the teachers union. And at least one other board member has accused Bishop of similar behavior. At a meeting last month, President Lucy Ugarte said Bishop has cursed and yelled at multiple board members out of public view when motions at meetings do not go in her favor.

“Bullying will not be tolerated. It sets a precedent that one will get their way with such reprehensible behavior,” said Ugarte, who is also seeking re-election this year. 

Tamayo declined to elaborate on remarks he says Bishop made during the board’s closed sessions, only saying that they were during discussions about English learners and dual language programs.

But he also alleged that Bishop made disparaging remarks about Mexicans on social media, which national news organizations reported on in 2021. Parents condemned the posts that Bishop made on X, then known as Twitter, prior to being elected. They included what appeared to be jokes about her sexuality, her child hitting on girls at the park and one post about then-presidential candidate Donald Trump’s comments on Mexican immigrants.  

Bishop apologized for the posts and said she was an aspiring comedian at the time. The backlash resulted in her stepping down as president of the school board. 

Bishop said Tamayo’s claims that she made racist remarks during closed session are false. She said she supports both English learners and dual language programs.

“Whatever my personal politics, I always approach my work as an advocate for the whole community. I go into every interaction with, ‘This person cares enough about students to seek me out. I care about their students, too,” Bishop told inewsource Thursday.

The Chula Vista school district serves mostly Hispanic or Latino students in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade, including those from west Chula Vista, Bonita, Eastlake and more. About 29,000 students attended one of the district’s 50 campuses last year, with roughly half qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. 

Although board candidates run for one of five seats, they’re all elected at large. The winners serve a four-year term on the board.

Aside from Tamayo, Bishop faces four challengers for her seat: attorney and gardener Jesus Partida; private school founder and entrepreneur Tanya Williams; and Zenith Khan, a teacher. 

For Seat 2, incumbent Ugarte faces real estate broker Sharmane Estolano.

Tamayo would keep his current position on the board if he loses. But if he wins, Tamayo would be elected to a new four-year term. 

If the board chooses to hold a special election for any potential vacancies, it could cost as much as $2 million, according to early estimates. 

Like many across San Diego County, the district is already facing budget issues. It projected a $15 million shortfall for the 2024-25 school year.

Here’s a look at the candidates: 

Update, 4:45 p.m. Aug. 22:

This story was updated to include the school district’s most recent projected budget deficit and additional comments from Bishop.