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Sunol Glen School parent, resident and substitute teacher Erin Choin has declared victory in the race against previously recalled trustee Ryan Jergensen for the open seat on the Sunol Glen Unified School District Board of Trustees.
The two were competing for the four-year seat formerly held by former trustee Linda Hurley, whose two-year term was set to end this year but was cut short when she and Jergensen were recalled by a majority of voters in July.
As of the latest election results count released by Alameda County, Choin was ahead by 58.29% (369 votes) while Jergensen trailed behind with 41.71% (264 votes).
“After the November 15th vote update, almost every ballot has been counted and there are not enough outstanding to change the current lead I have,” Choin told the Weekly on Nov. 19. “The community has acknowledged me as the winner of the election with the information we have.”
Jergensen told the Weekly this week that despite the current results, he still holds the school close to his heart and everything he has done in the past as a board member and community volunteer has always been for the kids and the community.
“I always wanted to do what is best for the kids and the community as a whole. My supporters and many in the community understand that, and I thank them very much,” Jergensen said. “If the county certifies Erin as the newest board trustee, I hope she will do as she promised and listen to all citizens, and help all citizens feel welcome.”
Choin is a parent of three children who have attended Sunol Glen for the past five years.
She recently moved to Sunol two years ago because she loved the community and area so much and she wanted to thank that same community for placing their trust in becoming their next trustee.
She said over the past few months, engagement with residents has been “positive and hopeful,” which shows how much they all care about the continued success of the school.
“My election win is a win for the families at the school and the students and teachers as well,” Choin said. “The Sunol community voted for a committed school volunteer to assume the role and responsibilities of being a school board trustee and I take that role seriously.”
Choin, who was also one of the people to work on the campaign to recall Jergensen and Hurley, had been very vocal at school board meetings throughout the past year about what she claimed to be examples of bad governance from Jergensen, which is why she joined the recall efforts.
Jergensen was first appointed to the board in 2021 to replace former trustee Denise Kent-Romo, who resigned one year into her second full term because of health issues. He was then formally elected in 2022 to serve another four years on the board.
But ever since the later half of 2023, Jergensen — along with Hurley — had been under scrutiny by dozens of community members, teachers and local elected officials after the then-trustees voted in favor of a flag resolution in September 2023 that limited the school to only fly the U.S. and state flags on district grounds.Â
Many parents, students and Sunol Glen School employees spoke out for months — Choin included — calling the two trustees out because certain flags like the LGBTQIA+ Pride flag were now not allowed at the school. They also criticized Jergensen for several instances of bad governance.
Jergensen pointed to that contentious past as one of the reasons he might have failed to connect with more voters this fall.
“Unfortunately, I was accused of falsehoods, and smeared unjustly and falsely by fellow citizens and outsiders,” Jergensen said. “I feel bad for my supporters who were treated badly and for how the community was divided by those factions.”
However, he said he remains hopeful for the community and that civil discourse along with civil interactions in any manner will be the best way to move forward after the election.
“We need true kindness, understanding, patience, and empathy for those with differing views to help all feel truly welcome on neutral ground, and avoid contention,” Jergensen said. “I will continue to do my best to avoid focusing on the negative and move forward hopeful for Sunol, hopeful for each student, each family, and each resident.”
As for Choin, she said as she gets set to get started in her new role she plans to attend a California School Board Association conference in order to learn more about that role and to network with others.
“I am honored to serve our school,” Choin said. “I look forward to working with the rest of the board and the superintendent.”
