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San Rafael school board deadlocks on interim appointment; race defaults to special election
Summary
The San Rafael City Schools board did not appoint a replacement for the Area 2 vacancy after a 6-6 tie. Labor unions and several public commenters backed Dr. Jason Lau; the board split evenly, triggering a default to a special election if no appointment is made by Feb. 14.
The San Rafael City Schools Board of Education failed to fill the Trustee Area 2 vacancy on Feb. 7 after the board’s vote ended in a 6-6 tie, leaving the seat to default to a special election if the board does not reach agreement by Feb. 14.
The deadlock came after a public interview process in which two applicants — Dr. Jason Lau and a second community applicant — answered a standard set of four questions with three minutes allotted per answer. Labor leaders representing classified staff and teachers urged the board to appoint Dr. Lau, and several public commenters also backed his candidacy.
The vacancy arose after the resignation of Lucia Martel Dowd; the appointee would serve the remainder of a four-year term that runs through November 2026 and must reside in Trustee Area 2. The board had said it intended to select and swear in an appointee at the Feb. 7 special meeting, using a ranked-choice reporting process in public to record members’ preferences.
Labor leaders delivering a joint statement at the meeting recommended a single candidate. “It is CSCA, SRFT, and SRTA’s recommendation to the board that Dr. Jason Lau be appointed to the Trustee Area 2 board seat,” said Morgan Agnew, president of the San Rafael Federation of Teachers.
Dr. Lau emphasized his background in education and community work during his interview. “I have no hidden agenda, and I’m not bringing anything to this board except the love of my children and the students,” he told trustees.
Board members raised competing priorities in deliberations. Several trustees cited Dr. Lau’s experience with postsecondary programs, community partnerships and budgeting as reasons to appoint him; others said the second candidate’s local volunteer and parent-service background made that candidate their preferred pick. Trustees also expressed concern about near-term budget constraints: “If we hold a special election that is going to cost our district $70,000 to $100,000,” Trustee Klima Marsh said, urging a fiscally prudent outcome.
After trustees publicly announced rankings and individual choices, Superintendent Geisel tallied the results and announced a 6-6 split. The board did not make a formal appointment. The superintendent said the board must either reach agreement before Friday, Feb. 14, or the process will default to a special election as the next step.
Public comment at the meeting included multiple speakers who described working with Dr. Lau in higher education and community organizations and urged the board to appoint him. Union leaders said they polled their leadership committees and were unanimous in recommending Dr. Lau.
With no appointment, district staff will notify the county office of education and begin the procedural steps required to run a special election unless the board reconvenes and reaches consensus before Feb. 14. The board also discussed whether to continue deliberations in the public meeting that night but ultimately did not produce a majority appointment.
The board said it will provide updates on next steps and any special meeting or election timeline through district channels.
