Groups Back 2 Latinos for Oxnard School Board

Two Latino candidates for the Oxnard elementary school board, which a Latino teachers group has criticized for its lack of Latino representation, have received endorsements from a teachers union and the Oxnard chapter of the Assn. of Mexican-American Educators.

Mary Barreto, a former teacher and counselor with El Concilio, a Latino rights advocacy group in Oxnard, and Manuel R. Razo, a youth worker with the state, are two of the seven candidates seeking seats on the Oxnard Elementary School District board in the Nov. 6 election.

The endorsement is the first by the union, the Oxnard Educators Assn., since 1974, President Ann Hendricks said.

The 505-member union also endorsed incumbent William D. Hill.

The endorsements of the two Latino candidates comes after a year when board member Jack T. Fowler, who is seeking reelection in November, was criticized by the Mexican-American teachers group for being insensitive to Latino issues.

Fowler was endorsed by the union in 1974.

Three seats are open on the board, which represents a district that is 72% Latino. Only one Latino has been elected to the board before, nearly 20 years ago.

Former Latino board member James Gallardo was appointed.

The union “has discussed in the past how our board doesn’t represent the community as far as nationalities and race” are concerned, Hendricks said. “We would have to have several Hispanics on the board to show what our population is. Our entire board is Anglo.”

But Hendricks and members of the Mexican-American teachers group said Tuesday that race was not the issue when the endorsements were made.

“They’re very qualified candidates,” said Sandra Echavarria, president of the Mexican-American teachers group. She said Razo and Barreto were the only candidates who approached the 96-member group to seek endorsements. “They just happen to be Latino.”

Ray Alvarez, union vice president, said the fact that both candidates are Latino “is not intentional, but we do recognize a need there.”

Officials from the union and the Mexican-American educators group said they will give financial help to Razo and Barreto.

Members from both groups will campaign on the candidates’ behalf, they said.

Incumbent Dorothie J. Sterling said she is uncertain whether the endorsement will make a difference.

“I would hope the election would hinge more on who the voters feel has the experience, the knowledge, the background and the desire to do the job, rather than whether you’re black, white, purple or brown,” she said.

Sterling, Hill and another candidate, Jim Suter, are retired teachers.

Bob Hansen, an Oxnard engineer, is also seeking election.