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By Miriam RafteryJuly 16, 2024 (El Cajon) – Oday Yousif, a consumer attorney endorsed by prominent educators in East County, is the third candidate to announce he is running for the Cajon Valley Union School District in Trustee Area 5.
“With a passion for education and years of proven public service, I am running to refocus the district’s values on uplifting the community and creating strong public schools that prioritize educational achievement and student safety,” says Oday Yousif, an attorney and Chair of the Valle de Oro Community Planning Group. Yousif says he aims to refocus the district’s values on core educational principles and moving the district away from “right-wing extremist policies that have harmed district morale,” a press release announcing his candidacy.
The seat is currently occupied by Jim Miller, president of the CVUSD. Miller, a Republican who has been a lightning rod for controversy and ethics concerns, is also being challenged by fellow conservative Alex Welling, an SDG&E communications manager on wildfire resiliency.
The district has seen a steep slide in academic performance as measured by the state’s Smarter Balanced test results, reported by EdSource. Last year, over two-thirds (66.58%) of students failed to meet state standards in English, while only 33.42% met or exceeded state standards. In math, the results were even worse: 75.95% failed to meet state standards, while less than a quarter (24.05%) met or exceeded state math standards. The district has touted its World of Work program focused on career opportunities, with Superintendent David Miyashiro insisting the state measures the “wrong metrics,” he has told ECM in the past, since scores began dropping on his watch even before COVID.
While many schools saw a dip in academic achievements during the COVID-19 pandemic when schools were closed, then operating remotely, Cajon Valley scores continued to tumble even after schools fully reopened. From 2022 to 2023, English scores fell 2.07% and math scores dipped 0.26%. The results were poor among all ethnicities and races, with over 60% of white students failing English standards and roughly 70% of whites failing math standards, though most other racial and ethnic groups fared even worse.This week, the California Board of Education announced that the Cajon Valley district violated state law by removing all mention of LGBTQ+ from its sex education curriculum. That effort was led by Miller. A complaint against the district was filed by classified workers union leader Mark Reagles, who says he was “flabbergasted” by the action and adds that some his union members report seeing discrimination since the change in a district that formerly had policies of inclusivity, NBC San Diego reports.
“As a first generation American, born and raised in Rancho San Diego, I have seen the current board fail our community by politicizing the classroom, diverting attention from academics, and compromising our district’s legal standing, putting our students and staff at risk,” Yousif says. “It’s time to realign our core mission: providing a safe environment where every student can thrive academically and grow toward a successful future.”
Miller, the incumbent, famously ignited controversy over school safety when middle school students fearful after mass school shootings across the nation asked the board to protect students here. Sporting a National Rifle Club hat during the school board meeting, Miller proudly proclaimed his membership in a local gun owners’ club in a letter responding to concerns over gun violence. More recently, Miller has been accused of working to push through some 500 changes to the board’s bylaws without proper public notice required by state law, according to another opponent, conservative Alex Welling. Those changes included eliminating whistleblower protections and eliminating the public’s right to know performance goals for the Superintendent. The San Diego County Republican Party, in an unusual move, opted not to endorse Miller in his reelection race.
Conservative challenger Welling, in an interview with ECM, also faulted the district on academic results and Miller for disrespect toward students and others.
Prior to running for Cajon Valley’s school board, Miller was removed as a judge pro tem of the Superior Court after judicial ethical violations surfaced, including insults he posted on social media about plaintiffs before him in court.
Yousif knows the district as a student who formerly attended Cajon Valley schools, later graduating from Valhalla High School and San Diego State University before obtaining his law degree at California Western School of Law. He currently works for an East County law firm, representing consumers.
Chair of the Valley de Oro Community Planning Group Yousif has been a member of the planning group for the past four years. He is also a Next Generation Leader for the American Constitution Society.
Yousif enters the race with endorsements from Trustees Chris Fite and Elva Salinas on the Grossmont Union High School District board, where Yousif previously ran unsuccessfully for a Trustee seat. Trustees Caitlin Tifany and Brianna Coston on the La Mesa-Spring Valley school board, and Trustee Sabrina Bazzo from the San Diego Unified School Board have also endorsed Yousif’s candidacy for the Cajon Valley board.
Though school board races are ostensibly nonpartisan, Yousif received unanimous endorsement of the local East Area Democratic Caucus, says he is a union member, and is the presumptive candidate endorsed by the San Diego Democratic Party. Other endorsements include Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe and San Diego Councilman Raul Campillo.
With conservatives poised to split their vote among two Republicans in the race, Yousif believes he has a viable shot to win a seat on the board which is currently all Republicans.
For more about his candidacy, visit www.OdayYousif.com.
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