Special SJUSD Board Meeting: Thursday, July 1, 6:30 p.m.

What:

San Juan Unified School District (SJUSD) currently employs a winner-take-all system to elect five district-wide board members, in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Since February 2020, the San Juan Community Action Network (SJCAN) and other community groups have demanded that SJUSD comply with the law by electing one board member from each of seven neighborhood districts. Five citizens filed suit in October 2020, seeking a court decision requiring SJUSD to comply. SJUSD is one of the largest districts in the state to have at-large elections or to have only five board members. Neighborhood candidates cannot compete district-wide with slates funded by special interests that dominate the Board. Seven area elections mean new seats for Arden Arcade, which has segregated, low-performing schools, and Citrus Heights, which has not been represented on the board for nineteen (19) years. SJUSD will hold hearings to decide whether to comply and, if so, what area boundaries they will propose, on July 1 and 13. San Juan requires attendance in person, discontinuing community input by Zoom. The Board is excluding those recovering from COVID, and those whose health, job, or childcare responsibilities make it unsafe or impossible to attend large gatherings.

When:

Special SJUSD Board Meeting: Thursday, July 1, 6:30 p.m. (Litigants and SJCAN members will be there to answer questions by 6:00 PM and again after the Board meeting.)

Where:

Board Room: SJUSD District Offices, 3738 Walnut Avenue, Carmichael, CA 95608

Who:

The San Juan Community Action Network is a group of volunteer parents and community members from around the San Juan Unified School District who envision a District where all students, especially our most vulnerable students, receive a quality education that helps them succeed in school and in life after graduation: https://www.sjcan.org.