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Updated February 22, 2024
By Miriam Raftery
February 21, 2024 (El Cajon)— A resignation letter from Trustee Jo Alegria dated February 15 was read aloud this week at the Cajon Valley Union School District board meeting by board president Jim Miller.
The County Office of Education has now confirmed that the Superinendent of Education has received a formal resignation letter from Alegria, who has represented seat 3, making the effective date February 21.. The office’s chief of staff, Music Watson, says that within 60 days of a vacancy occurring, a district’s governing board must either order an election or make a provisional appointment to fill the vacancy. View full procedures here. See map of district seats,below right.
Alegria has served on the CVUSD board for nearly a decade. Elected in November 2014, she has also served as board president. Her resignation follows her missing the past two board meetings, and comes after critics posted negative remarks on social media.
In her resignation letter, Alegria said it has been an “honor and a privilege to serve on the board, adding that she believes “passionately in the importance of public education and public service...”
She indicated that she is leaving the board to “fulfil my obligation as an employee in a new position.” Alegria did not respond to ECM's request for comment, however she told Times of San Diego editor Ken Stone that she will be a bus driver for MTS. Her Linked In bio indicates that she also directs post abortion ministries with the Pregnancy Care Clinic in East County and San Diego through Shadow Mountain Community Church Small Group Ministries.
She alludes to conflicts that have made her service uncomfortable at time, noting, “...We all take our responsibility to vote on issues before us seriously, and that those decisions may not always be popular with others. Recently I have experienced disgraceful personal attacks...I categorically deny all of the recent vicious personal attacks. They saddened me on a personal level, but more importantly they are grossly misleading this community that I have faithfully served. “
She adds, “Social media and bullying have become a serious issue for all of us to guard against. We are role models for students, and it is important that no one be bullied or intimated by lies or inuendo. I have not served in this position to gain popularity, nor do I believe that any of my fellow Board Members do so. Please continue to do the right thing for the District and do not allow threats or intimidation to obstruct your obligations to do the right thing.”
Alegria did not specify the nature of the personal attacks on social media. However, Times of San Diego reports that Ashley Carnevale, wife of CVUSD trustee Anthony Carnevale, had posted that Alegria used an Instagram account under the alias SaltyBeachKiss to "troll my husband and other parent advocates. But it wasn't until after she stalked my sons that I went public with this."
Ashley Carnevale had also requested during the Jan. 10 CVUSD board meeting that an item be placed on the agenda fortheFebruary meeting to ask that the board adopt a policy to "prohibit members of this board from following, engaging with, or stalking students of the distrtict on any social media platforms."
Priscilla Schreiber, a former trustee in the Grossmont-Union High School District board and president of Literacy First Charter Schools Board, said,"There's been talk about her wanting to step down for a while now," adding that she'd heard Alegria's husband had health issues, according to Times of San Diego.
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