Fremont residents toss names into hat for school board race
By Linh Tat
The Argus
Article Created: 05/25/2008 12:00:51 AM PDT
FREMONT — Since former
Trustee Bryan Gebhardt officially kicked off his
campaign in February, two more people have announced to
The Argus their intention to run for the Fremont school
board — Desrie Campbell, a Fremont Education Foundation
board member, and Lily Mei of the Fremont Council PTA.
That would mean at least a three people running for
three available seats come November, with at least two
of the seats to be filled by newcomers.
Peggy Herndon and Nina Moore, both of whom are
completing their second term, have chosen not to seek
reelection, but board President Ivy Wu has not yet
committed to running again.
The two women who have tossed their hats into the ring
said they're fairly certain about their decisions.
"I've always been passionate about education. When I
think about how I can use my passion and where I can
use my passion, I believe education suits me best,"
said Campbell, a political newcomer who has thought
about running for office the past two years. Her four
grown sons attended Fremont schools.
A local business owner, Campbell chairs the Gender,
Racial and Equity Committee on the county's Commission
on the Status of Women.
In January, she became a board member for the Fremont
Education Foundation, which raises money for
scholarships as well as sports and music programs.
The foundation is viewed by some as a breeding ground
for future board members. Current Trustees Moore and
Lara York were involved in the foundation before their
election to the school board.
Campbell's rival, meanwhile, has been attending board
meetings for the past year as the school board liaison
for the Fremont Council PTA.
The mother of two Gomes Elementary students, Mei also
serves on the school's site council and was president
of its PTA for two years.
"Serving on the school board is an opportunity to see
your children's education, and the city, as a whole,"
said Mei, who also sits on an ad hoc task force that is
assessing the district's ability to accommodate
additional students and other potential impacts of new
developments in the district.
Besides new development projects, Mei is concerned
about the massive cuts to education being imposed by
the state and the safety of outdated school facilities.
Like Mei, Campbell, too, said the budget is a high
priority. She'd also like to focus on making sure all
students meet grade-level standards and increasing the
community's involvement in schools.
If no one else enters the November race, Campbell, Mei
and Gebhardt would be assured a seat on the board.
Herndon, an outgoing trustee, said that after eight
years on the board, and with both her sons grown and no
longer in Fremont schools, it is time for her to hand
over the reins. In Trustee Moore's case, the time
demands of her new job as director of government and
community affairs for the Fremont Chamber of Commerce
make it difficult for her to continue being "the type
of trustee I would want to be," she said.
That leaves Wu, the current board president, to decide
if she will seek office again. Wu was diagnosed last
year with breast cancer, which is in remission. She is
not due for a physical checkup until August. "(Running
for office) is a big decision," she said. "I've got to
make sure that if I want to take on the challenge, I'm
in good physical condition."