Grijalva keeps TUSD post; 2nd seat too close to call

Jen Darland and incumbent Michael Hicks were neck and neck, separated by fewer than 1,000 votes.

Others who put their names in the hat included Rene Bernal, Debe Campos-Fleenor, Don Cotton, Miguel Cuevas, Betts Putnam-Hidalgo and Francis Saitta.

Throughout the campaign, debates on how best to achieve transparency, fiscal responsibility, student achievement and equity in Tucson’s largest school district have been ongoing, with all candidates supporting those goals but differing on how best to address them.

The Tucson Unified School District has long struggled with academic achievement, declining enrollment, criticism on spending and its ability to offer an equitable education to minority children who over time have become the district’s majority population.

The five-member TUSD board has been described as dysfunctional, regularly squabbling on the dais with each other and sometimes with district administration.

Grijalva said Tuesday night that her win is evidence that the community responded to what she has been calling for — stabilizing the district and providing a quality education for children.

She added that she wants to “ensure all of our children have a voice. I’m honored the voters think they can trust me to be their advocate.”

While Darland hoped to secure a seat to help the district “tackle issues more thoughtfully and strategically,” she felt the election served an important purpose.

“As parent to two kids in the district, it’s an opportunity to have a conversation about what our children need,” Darland said.

Hicks, who has been part of the minority vote as of late, had no qualms Tuesday about the outcome, saying: “If I win, I get to keep doing what I’m doing. If I lose, I win because I get my life back.” He added, however, that retaining his seat with Grijalva would keep the status quo.

“I don’t believe that’s a positive path; I believe that path is pretty devastating for the Tucson Unified School District, the city of Tucson and the Pima County region,” he said.

Darland has vowed to focus on restoring trust and credibility; ensuring budget transparency; protecting student-teacher relationships; and supporting continuing dialogue that addresses equity and student achievement.

Grijalva has pledged to ensure that every child has access to a quality public education including preschool, arts, music, languages, librarians, counselors and extracurricular activities.

Hicks’ top priorities are fiscal responsibility, developing a culture of achievement, high expectations for student achievement, mandatory minimum percentages for classroom spending and reducing class size.

TUSD also asked voters for permission to sell or lease nine schools closed in 2013 as a cost-savings measure — a proposal that 68 percent of voters supported.

Having the authority to sell does not require the district to get rid of the properties; rather it gives it the option to do so in the future if needed. Any gains from sales must be used to benefit students with improved school facilities or to benefit taxpayers with reduced district bond debt or lower taxes.