Blog Note: This article
references a grand jury report’
MANTECA — The Manteca
Unified School District Board of Education announced a plan to fill the Area 6
trustee position formerly held by Alexander Bronson.
There currently are three
investigations involving Manteca Unified trustees. Bronson resigned from his
seat on May 12 after he was charged with election fraud by the San Joaquin
County District Attorney’s Office.
Bronson and fellow Trustee
Ashley Drain are accused of election fraud. Drain, representative of Area
2, is charged with fraudulently collecting food stamps as well as providing a
false address. A recall petition aimed at her was started recently.
Both claimed to be
“registered to vote and living at” homes in their district, but the District
Attorney’s Office has charged that they were not living in those homes.
A third board member, Sam
Fant, faces a potential censure vote from trustees for several incidents,
including meeting with a television reporter during a Jan. 27 meeting. Trustees
tabled a vote on whether to censure Fant at Tuesday's meeting.
A San Joaquin County civil grand
jury report said that Fant, along with Drain, used inappropriate and
disrespectful behavior to other trustees, employees and community members that
created “a toxic climate.”
The board seeks to fill the
open seat with a member who will serve until the next regularly scheduled
election in November 2016.
The Manteca Bulletin reported
the board voted 5-1 Tuesday to appoint a replacement. Nancy Teicheira was the
only board member to say she was in favor of holding a special public election
at a reported cost of $80,000. Teicheira said members of the public should
decide who represents them.
Area 6 includes schools such
as East Union High School and George McParland and Stella Brockman elementary
schools. Residents of that area interested in the seat are invited to fill out
and submit an application, which can be found on the board website.
The deadline for applications
is 4 p.m. Friday. Interviews of applicants and a final selection will be held
at the June 23 board meeting.
A
preliminary hearing for Bronson has been set for Aug. 5. Drain is scheduled
back in court Sept. 3. Both have pleaded not guilty and say they will not
comment while the case is pending.
June 13, 2015
Stockton
Record
By
Nicholas Filipas
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