Pasadena Unified Cuts Two From List of Qualified Candidates for District 3 Seat

Pasadena Unified has disqualified two applicants from the group of eleven who submitted paperwork to fill the vacant seat on the District 3 Board of Education created by the resignation of Board Member Tyron Hampton after his election to the Pasadena City Council.

Pasadena Unified spokesman Adam Wolfson said that, according to the LA County Registrar of Voters, applicant Stephen Acker is not registered to vote in District 3 and is therefore not eligible for consideration; the District’s requirement is to reside and be registered to vote within the vacant district.

Wolfson said applicant Ivan Elder submitted incomplete paperwork, prompting his disqualification.

The School Board next will  formally approve the list of the nine eligible applicants, who are:

1. Debra Sylvester, retired PUSD security guard
2. Samuel Estrada, retired Deputy Sheriff, Altadena Sheriff’s Office
3. Carol Potter, retired PUSD teacher
4. Andrew Vasicek, Attorney, State Bar of California
5. Michelle Bailey, PUSD Secretary
6. Ruben Hueso, LAUSD Teacher
7. Keith Russell, CalTech Graduate Research Assistant, former Muir teacher
8. Guillermo Arce, Human Services Administrator, LA County
9. Adrienne Mullen, Ed.D., Dean, LA Community College District

To be considered for the position, each applicant must attend a special meeting of the school board tentatively scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 2015 at which time all prospective applicants will be interviewed. A provisional appointment could be announced as early as that meeting.

Unless a petition calling for a special election with a sufficient number of signatures is filed in the office of the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools within 30 days of the date of the provisional appointment, it shall become an effective appointment. The term of service for the appointment for PUSD Board District 3 is from the date of appointment to May 1, 2017.