In the raucous Santa Clara Unified school board race, incumbent Albert Gonzalez and newcomer Chris Stampolis were elected from Area 2, while incumbent Elise DeYoung lost to challenger Michele Ryan in Area 3.

Gonzalez and Stampolis finished ahead of two other challengers, Jim VanPernis and Ashish Mangla.

"The challenge now for our community and board members to come together in a collegial manner so we can bring some positive energy to children's education," Stampolis said Tuesday evening.

While precarious education funding, the need for new schools to accommodate a growing population, and the drive for high student achievement were considered pressing issues in the K-12 district, the main issue in the campaign quickly became Stampolis himself.

Four ex-Santa Clara superintendents, two former chancellors of the West Valley-Mission Community College District and all six trustees who serve on the West Valley board with Stampolis joined a campaign against him. They called him disruptive, disrespectful and damaging.

Stampolis said he's disliked because he challenges the status quo. He argued the district needed to provide more transparency and accountability, to work harder to help struggling students and to offer parents more choice in schools.

DeYoung, a volunteer, said her priorities would be fiscal solvency, student achievement and educating the whole student. Gonzalez, an engineer, also stressed increasing accountability, closing the achievement gap and involving parents.


VanPernis, a volunteer who is married to the superintendent's secretary, stressed teacher training, ethical leadership and restoring confidence in the board's governance.

Ryan sought more accountability, holding more budget hearings and reaching out to the community. Mangla, an engineer, said he valued raising academic standards, increasing salaries and improving transparency in the district.
