Gina Jamerson Appointed To EGUSD Trustee Area 4
In a 5-1 vote, Elk Grove Unified School District (EGUSD) Board of Education on Tuesday appointed Gina Jamerson as Trustee for Area 4. Jamerson was sworn in by Superintendent Chris Hoffman. The Board interviewed candidates four additional candidates for the vacancy in a Special Board Meeting held via Zoom. Newly elected Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen vacated the seat upon her election to the Mayor’s office. The appointment fills the provisional vacancy of the seven-member board.
Trustee Area 4 covers the western area of the District, including Laguna Creek High School. According to California Education Code, the School Board had 60 days to fill the vacancy. The appointment is effective immediately. Gina Jamerson now faces reelection in November 2022. The Board Subcommittee reviewed and selected candidates.
The Candidates & The Process
Additional candidates included Kishaun Thorntona, Khydeeja “KD” Alam, and Ali Mousa. All candidates were asked five questions and given ample time to answer. In addition, each was asked what they would bring to the cohesiveness of the Board. They were also asked to share their experience in leadership roles. Candidates then explained their definition of transparency, inclusion, and accountability as it pertains to the Board of Education. An important question, especially for District 4. Finally, each candidate presented a three-minute closing statement.
Disproportionately Targeting Black Students
In an article published in August of 2020, the Elk Grove community raised serious concerns over EGUSD’s new child abuse standards. Some in the community saw the new standards as harmful to Black Students. Furthermore, the District has a long history of allegations of disproportionately targeting Black students for suspension and other disciplinary action. According to the EGUSD’s own 2018-2019-Quarter 2 Research and Evaluation report, Black students made up 11.8% of the student population. However, these same students accounted for 40.3% of suspensions. This is an ongoing issue confronting the Board, including newly appointed Trustee Gina Jamerson.
The public comment period followed the candidate interviews and statements. Finally, each Board member chose their top two candidates in a straw poll. Board members then spoke for three minutes about their choices. In the end, Jamerson won. She closed by thanking the other candidates for being social justice warriors. Specifically to Mrs. Thorntona, she said, “I definitely felt your passion for the African American community and I hope to be able to collaborate with you to address the needs of the African American community. That is something I am very passionate about.”
