Fresno Unified School District
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The Fresno Unified School District will hold a special election for Area 5 on April 12, 2022. There are 4 candidates running for one seat.
CANDIDATES
Click on each candidate’s name to learn about their positions.
Allen has denounced cancel culture stating, “one misspoken sentence can end your career.”
Allen says he would like to see better use of district funds and “make better and more efficient use of our resources.”
Allen has not previously run for office and says, “I feel like this is what God’s telling me I need to do.”
Russ Allen is a Libertarian.
Allen has made political donations to a number of Republican causes.
Visit Russ Allen’s website or Facebook for more information.
Russ Allen is a retired Fresno teacher who began his career in the district as a substitute teacher in 1990. He and his children are Fresno High graduates.
Levine is a registered Democrat and has voted in many Democratic primary elections.
Levine says he is “proud” to teach the 1619 Project to his students at Fresno State.
Levine frequently criticizes law enforcement including his assertation that the public safety system “was built to make white people feel safe by quarantining, terrorizing and, yes, killing black and non-white communities.”
Levine has promoted content supportive of Critical Race Theory and its champions including Ibram X. Kendi, 1619 Project creator Nikole Hannah-Jones, and progressive New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Levine is a member of the school renaming committee in Fresno.
Levine frequently posts and retweets content on social media supportive of progressive priorities.
Among the progressive priorities Levine supports is “guaranteed basic income.”
Levine is endorsed by the Fresno County Democratic Women’s Club and two unions, Fresno Teachers Association and SEIU Local 521.
Visit Andy Levine’s website, Facebook, or Twitter for more information.
Andy Levine is a Fresno native and currently teaches in the Sociology Department at Fresno State.
Renteria is a registered Democrat and has voted in several Democratic primary elections.
Renteria is endorsed by Councilmember Esmerelda Soria, who describes herself as an “unapologetic progressive.”
Renteria is endorsed by Henry Perea, a former President Obama appointee and Fresno County Supervisor.
Renteria is endorsed by School Board President Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas who recently announced controversial changes to Fresno Unified School District board meetings which curtail open sessions.
Renteria is endorsed by Dan Ronquillo, a Democrat and former Fresno City Councilmember.
Renteria is endorsed by James Martinez, a founder and current member of the Fresno County Young Democrats and School Board Trustee.
Visit Daniel Renteria’s website,
Daniel Renteria is a father and grandfather who worked for both the County of Fresno and the State of California. He retired as the Central District Administrator for the Central Valley.
Fabela had been previously nominated to serve on the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee but was rejected, twice.
Fabela has used obscene language against those he disagrees with and has reportedly been removed from school board meetings for outburts.
Fabela frequently shares posts on Facebook from liberal accounts including “Left Wing Rising,” “Swing Left,” and California Democrat Andrew Janz.
Fabela criticized former Education Secretary DeVos as “braindead.”
Fabela says Critical Race Theory is “absurd.”
Fabela has no partisan political registration, however, he has voted in several Democratic primary elections. Visit Andrew Fabela’s Facebook for more information.
Andrew Fabela is a father who has attended more than 250 school board meetings and been an active volunteer in Fresno schools. He is the owner of Fabulous Audio.
Unsure which Board of Education Trustee Area you live in? Click here to see the Fresno Unified School District boundary map.
Learn more about the Fresno Unified School District by visiting their website.
Fresno Unified School District news of note:
- During a February 17 School Board meeting “not a seat was empty” and most speakers during the public comment period criticized the district over COVID-19 mask mandates and impending student vaccination requirements from the state. Fresno Unified School District still has a mandatory mask policy for students (3/10/2022).
- In February, the district made big changes to the way school board business is conducted, including changes that reduced public comment. Attendees are now subject to metal detector scanning and an increased police presence. The board also omitted the board / superintendent communication period and changed the format of the public comment period which resulted in shortened speaking time allotments.
- Many school board meeting attendees used a recent meeting to voice frustration about a controversial tweet from School Board Trustee Veva Islas where she “celebrated some short-term infertility issues of men who contracted COVID-19.”
- In October 2020, the Fresno School Board passed a resolution formally declaring Fresno an “anti-racist” institution.
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