Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comments from Area 5 candidate Debbie Martinez. Martinez could not be reached by the Turlock Journal by press time Friday.

With the general election being just over two months away, candidates for the local school board have been finalized. And before a single vote is cast, the Turlock Unified School District is guaranteed to see change. 

The Area 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 seats are up for grabs in November, with two community members running unopposed. One of those individuals is Anthony Silva, who represents Area 7 and is the current board president. The other one-horse race is in Area 1 with newcomer Patti Eighemy, a professor at Merced College. She has no opponent after incumbent Jose Sanchez withdrew his name last month.

Areas 3, 5 and 6 each have two candidates, including all three incumbents.

Paola Maldonado of Area 3 is one of those seeking reelection against retired Chatom Union School District secretary Anna Ramirez.

Over in Area 5, incumbent Daniel Benedict, a stay-at-home parent, will race against retired loan officer and community activist Debbie Martinez.

The Area 6 seat, meanwhile, has been one of much turnover in recent years. In the 2022 election, Rupinder Singh Jagpal won by a single vote over incumbent Jeffrey Cortinas. Less than a year later, Jagpal resigned citing relocation and family matters. On July 15, Joe Souza, a retired dairyman and a tax professional and advisor of over 25 years, was sworn in to fill the seat at a special board meeting. Souza is now running for more years on the board against Patrick Shields, a field representative for the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors.

Area 3

Maldonado began her tenure in 2022. Aside from being a trustee, she serves as a caregiver to her husband who is recovering from bone cancer. A mother of five children with disabilities, she also views herself as an advocate for children of all needs. She described her time on the board as both challenging and rewarding.

“Over the past two years, I’ve helped the Board navigate complex issues during a time of change and uncertainty,” Maldonado told the Turlock Journal. “I’ve worked diligently to promote transparency and accountability in decision-making, and I’m proud to say that we’ve cultivated a more cohesive and communicative board that prioritizes student outcomes and staff support.” 

“I am most proud of the role I played in helping develop the 2023/2024 Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), which directly reflects the needs of our students, families, and staff. As a voice for parents and children who often feel unheard, I’ve ensured that concerns are addressed and that the district is responsive. Additionally, I’m proud of fostering a culture where our board works together with transparency, always putting students first.” 

Maldonado added that, if reelected, she plans to continue learning how to engage with those who may not share the same values, finding common ground to move forward with educational and administrative decisions that support all stakeholders. 

“I will continue being a voice for those students the system has failed, as well as for our teachers, parents, staff, and community. My goal is to represent all perspectives fairly and work toward policies that promote inclusivity and support for every student. I also aim to strengthen parent engagement, ensuring they have a say in their children’s education. As both a parent and a long-time community member, I remain committed to the success of TUSD.” 

Ramirez told the Journal she was compelled to run because of three concerns she had with TUSD: Fiscal transparency, safety in schools, and inclusivity for working families and students. She told the Journal that she has been given insights on how to help make good schools during her 29 years at Chatom. At the rural Turlock school district, she has served on several committees such as safety, LECAP, LCFF and SSC.

“I want to make a positive impact for our school and community,” Ramirez said.

To do so, she would like to “have all stakeholders (parents, teachers, staff) at the table for decision making, to help pass policies that keep our schools safe and keep our district financially stable for years to come.” 

Area 5

Benedict, somewhat an outsider as he had no background in education or government, has served on the Board since 2020. He was first compelled to run out of concern that academics and child mental health would be negatively impacted by the pandemic.

“The data indicates that we are doing an impressive job of getting our kids back on track in regard to academic achievement. We should be so appreciative of the work that our teachers and all staff have done that has made this progress possible. 

“The pandemic also affected the mental health of so many people, including our young people. I'm proud to have been able to support efforts in making sure our students are mentally prepared to learn. This includes making sure our students have access to counseling, mental health professionals, and in-class tools that our teachers use for social emotional learning. I am also proud of what the District has done with the Family Resource Center, which offers resources, workshops, and services to the families of our community.”

If reelected, Benedict says he will continue to focus on improving  academic achievement, expand on the work being done in Career Technical Education and attempt to make progress on building a stadium at Pitman High School.

“I know there is growing interest in building a stadium at Pitman High. Upcoming budget issues may be a concern, but I feel it is something we should continue investigating,” he said. 

Benedict believes that the current board functions great as a team. 

“We may not always agree on everything, but we work well together, and are able to communicate with each other in a civil, constructive manner.  I feel, as a Board, we have fostered positive relationships with District administrators, staff throughout the District, community partners, and the families of Turlock.”

Martinez is the founder of We "R" La Raza Parent Union and the current Stanislaus County chairperson of the California School Choice Foundation. She said she is running to help stakeholders, particularly parents, have a seat at the table when it comes to decision-making within TUSD and to ensure that all students are afforded their right of attending public schools that are safe, secure and peaceful. 

Martinez has been at staple at board meetings and community town halls from throughout the Central Valley. In January, she called for the resignation now-retied TUSD Superintendent Dana Trevethan and current Medeiros Elementary Principal Anna Ellerson after former campus supervisor John Snoke was arrested on felony child pornography charges. She has also advocated for the family of Angel Dominguez Jr. after the 17-year-old Turlock High senior drowned in the campus pool after-hours in 2022.

"That is the big thing that compelled me to run for the seat," Martinez said. "There was so many things that were claimed that just don't add up and nobody wants to take responsibility... I just was tired of what I call the CYA, Cover Your Ass response for educators. 

"I do foster care, so my children have went through the district. I just see it to be more and more decayed when I'm at the school sites with these families. These educators are not being held accountable for their actions. And so I think it's time to clean house. What I want to accomplish is breaking what I call 'curbside service,' where stakeholders drop their kids off at the curb and pick them up at the curb without ever getting out to be involved or be informed. The stakeholders need to be back in the schools,and we need to let them have a voice."

If elected to the board, Martinez hopes to create partnerships with the school district, unions, stakeholders and other community members.

"We can all come together to agree to disagree, but at the end of the day, we need to make sure that what we're here for the benefit of our children and sharpening their future."

Area 6

Souza, who majored in political science at Stanislaus State, has always had an interest in public office, but had always been occupied with work. His children went through the TUSD system and his grandkids are now doing the same. When he saw the seat open last year, he “put my name in the hat and it worked in my favor.

“As a resident of this area for 49 years, as a parent and grandparent of children who have attended schools in this area, I have a deep and profound vested interest in what happens within our school district,” he told the Journal. “I am here to serve and I will stay. My expectations for the future do not exceed the boundaries of our school district.”

Souza described the 13 months he has served as a trustee as “exciting, rewarding and satisfying. He hopes to help improve test scores, enrollment and continue to lower expulsions while exemplifying civility on the Board and improving communication between the community and staff.

“We need to continue to prepare our students for the future. We need to be mindful of what is expected of us. It takes all of us working together to accomplish our goals,” he said.

Shields has also been through the TUSD system, which he says has given him a great understanding of the history and tradition that makes TUSD so special. Nevertheless, he believes that the community is capable of so much more. 

“Turlock is my home, this is where my wife and I grew up. This is where we chose to raise our daughter and part of that decision is being active members of our community. As a graduate of Turlock schools, I am proud to step up and throw my hat in the ring to represent my community.”

If elected as a trustee, Shields says he will “bring transparency, accountability, and a clear vision to the board.”  

“It’s important for the community to truly know what’s going on within our schools. I will make it a priority to advocate for the district and bring back valuable tax dollars from state and federal partners. I want to see more investment in trade based programs and vocational education opportunities. Our students deserve the best education possible and that means our board of trustees must be accountable for the quality of programs and services.”

Shields said he has longed to serve the community since the birth of his daughter. 

“As a new father, I felt compelled to step up and be a voice for the next generation. Too often we wait until our children are in the schools to look for ways to be involved. I felt it was important to be involved early and have a chance to make sure the next generation of students are represented by a younger voice.

As a as a field representative for the Board of Supervisors, Shields says he has experience working directly with community leaders, elected officials and county staff.

“In this position, I listen to constituents concerns and at the direction of our elected officials, work with local government staff to ensure critical policy objectives are completed. This role has given me the ability to work side by side with key stakeholders in and around the county and the opportunity to be involved in the various county wide initiatives to make our community better.

“I know that voters will have a lot to think about leading up to November 5th, but I want them to know that I am committed to making a real difference for the future of our community and the students of Turlock.”