Bee endorsements: The top two candidates for open seats on Clovis Unified school board
In the first election since COVID restrictions were lifted from schools, two central themes have emerged this fall in races for the Clovis Unified School District: parental choice and back to basics.
Everyone hopes the pandemic is history. And no candidate would ever get elected to the Clovis school board without preaching academic excellence, given how CUSD prides itself on being a top performing district.
Two seats are open: Area 1, which covers northwest and northeast Fresno, and Area 6, which takes in southern Clovis.
Susan Hatmaker, who had represented Area 1 since 2018, resigned in February as a result of moving out of the district.
An even longer-serving trustee, Betsy Sandoval of Area 6, decided not to seek re-election. She was first elected to Area 6 in 1981 and served for 12 years, then returned to the board in 1996 and has served to the present.
Four people are competing for Area 1: Samantha Bauer, Joanne Burton, Chuck Der Manouel and Clint Olivier. In the Area 6 race, two candidates — Deena Combs-Flores and Bill Whitmore — are running.
The Bee Editorial Board recommends Bauer for Area 1 and Combs-Flores for Area 6.
Area 1
Bauer is a parent whose two children have been Clovis Unified students (her daughter is a Clovis West High graduate and her son attends there now). But she has been involved with the Clovis district in other ways. She chairs the Measure A citizens bond oversight committee, a panel that makes sure the $335 million generated by the measure is being spent properly. She has also participated in various district advisory councils, including site councils at Clovis West High and Kastner Intermediate.
Among her professional experience was working in communications for Elk Grove Unified School District near Sacramento. She was there in 2003 when a student came to an alternative school campus armed with a shotgun and a vice principal tried to wrestle it away. The student wound up getting shot and wounded by officers.
Bauer demonstrates strong command of the key issues facing the district. At a recent public forum, she was asked for her views on the teaching of sexuality. She made a key distinction: Teaching about sexual behavior should be the parents’ role, but teaching about sexual health threats, such as AIDS, can be done at school.
When given a hypothetical situation — a pandemic breaks out and state officials ask for students to wear masks — Bauer said she would want parents to make the decision on what is best for their child.
Her top priority is setting high academic standards for students.
The other candidates are Joanne Burton, a real estate agent; Chuck Der Manouel, who is in the insurance business; and Clint Olivier, a former Fresno city councilmember who is now an executive with a nonprofit.
Area 6
Of the two candidates, Deena Combs-Flores is better suited, thanks to 16 years of working as a teacher.
She has taught in Merced and Madera counties, and today is a math instructor for the Fresno County Office of Education’s court school.
Combs-Flores has had four children attend Clovis Unified schools — three graduated from Clovis East High and one from Clovis High. A niece is now attending Clovis High.
She believes in the basics of education — reading, writing and arithmetic — and also supports the daily Pledge of Allegiance. (Students are not required to stand or say the pledge in California schools).
Bill Whitmore is retired from operating a plumbing business. His oldest son was in Buchanan High’s first graduating class. His youngest son graduated from Clovis High.
Whitmore is sincere in his appreciation of Clovis Unified and a desire to help it retain strong academic performance, but he lacks the education experience of Combs-Flores and is not ready for the school board.
In summary: Voters should elect Samanta Bauer for Area 1 and Deena Combs-Flores for Area 6.