San Dieguito School Board Gets Union-Backed Majority

Two union-backed candidates and one candidate supported by Republicans appear to have won seats on the San Dieguito Union High School District board. 

Rimga Viskanta (Area 1) and Jane Lea Smith (Area 3) will join the new union-backed majority. Phan Anderson (Area 5) will be part of the Republican-endorsed minority. The board is currently split 2-2 and held a conservative majority up until the resignation of Trustee Melisse Mossy in April.

San Dieguito has cycled through multiple controversies and superintendents in recent years. Area 4 Trustee Michael Allman is currently under fire for comments he made regarding transgender students. Former superintendent Cheryl James-Ward was fired in June for offensive comments she made about Asian students. 

The candidates in this election promised to bring much needed stability and civility to the district. 

The election had its fair share of controversies too. Just days before, one of the candidates for Area 3 allegedly hosted a party where two boys were stabbed. The candidate, Sheila King, appears to have lost that race.

Read more about the board’s incoming trustees here.