When it comes to education, Democrats may finally be turning to the ideas that Republicans have been supporting for several years. The City Council pushed a proposal to have San Diego Unified move to district-only elections. The same Democrats on the City Council who vetoed the plan just two years ago are now in full support of the proposal, highlighting their political shortsightedness inconsistency.
As of now, the school board members go through a district-specific primary which then turns into a general election. The general election comprises of all voters within the city of San Diego. Not only is the district-wide election expensive, but it has also brought on legal challenges. Currently, the district is being sued for diluting minority votes, which is a violation of the California Voting Rights Act. As a result, the majority of local cities switched to district-only elections, with the exception of San Diego Unified.
Back in 2017, the district formed a group to investigate the issue. The investigation found strong support in favor of district-only elections, but the Democrats shut down the change because they felt it would not help people of color get elected. Furthermore, Democrats felt that representatives should have a general concern about the entire district since some students attend schools outside of their neighborhoods.
However, Democrats on the City Council have changed their tone. In 2017, the City Council claimed it was not in their jurisdiction to interfere with the district. City Council President Georgette Gomez, along with Councilmembers Barbara Bry and Chris Ward, noted their discomfort and uncertainty with district-only elections. As of last week, they all approved the transition to district-only elections without hesitation. In the end, they supported a Republican plan and showed their lack of knowledge and understanding of the issue.
Even back in 2016, Democrats dodged questions about being very inconsistent on education policies. Clearly, nothing has changed three years later. The Democrats have realized their policies are failing and are flipping sides for political expediency.
Photo by Tim Mossholder
