Three candidates are running for the Modesto City Schools Board of Education seat for Trustee Area 6. This west Modesto area includes Modesto High School, Mark Twain Middle School and Franklin Elementary. The school board candidates are incumbent Homero Mejia and challengers Rueth Velez-Langrock and Sebastian Jones.
The Modesto Bee asked all candidates to fill out a questionnaire, but only Mejia responded.
Homero Mejia
Mejia was born in Aguililla in Michoacan, Mexico. He is married to Marta Mejia and is a father of two. He attended Modesto City Schools when he moved to the area and he graduated from Modesto High School in 1998.
Mejia has been endorsed by the Modesto Teachers Association and North Valley Labor Federation.
No members of his immediate family work for the school district.
Q: What will be your most important priority if elected?
A: Most important priority is making sure our students continue to grow in all students in core subject areas reading, writing, math, and science. I came into office during the pandemic. Our students, like all students across our state, fell behind academically during this time. We provide as many resources as possible with federal and state funding after the pandemic. We have begun to see a rise in scores across our district and we must continue on an upward trajectory. If elected, we must also provide many opportunities for teachers to continue their professional development to have updated tools to support the success of our students. School safety is a priority if I am elected to continue that work that we have done up to this point by having all school gates and single-point entry into our campuses. Providing all the training necessary for staff to be as prepared as possible to keep students safe.
Q: With the district preparing for its fourth bond measure in the last six years, do you believe facilities at Modesto City Schools are a big issue? Why or why not?
A: Facilities are a major issue in our district because our district has been here for 150 years. Many decades have passed since our facilities have been updated.
Q: Many parents of Black and LGBTQ students have said that bullying has been a major issue in their child’s lives and education. What are steps or plans you have to make sure schools are fostering an open and welcoming environment?
A: Some my plans is to continue providing staff with the skills to:
1. Discuss the diversity of the student body and school community, including their varying immigration experiences
2. Discuss bullying prevention strategies with students, and teach students to recognize the behavior and characteristics of bullying perpetrators and victims
3. Identify the signs of bullying or harassing behavior
4. Take immediate corrective action when bullying is observed
5. Report incidents to the appropriate authorities, including law enforcement in instances of criminal behavior.
▪ Encouraging students to notify school staff when they are being bullied or when they suspect that another student is being bullied, and providing means by which students may report threats or incidents confidentially and anonymously
▪ Conducting an assessment of bullying incidents at each school and, if necessary, increasing supervision and security in areas where bullying most often occurs, such as playgrounds, hallways, restrooms, and cafeterias
▪ Annually notifying district employees that, pursuant to Education Code 234.1, any school staff who witnesses an act of bullying against a student has a responsibility to immediately intervene to stop the incident when it is safe to do so.
Q: Modesto City Schools has had a long history with Modesto Junior College and Stanislaus State. What are some plans you have to strengthen these relationships to help promote more students continuing to higher education?
A: We have strengthened the relationship with Modesto Junior College and we are offering dual enrollment to hundreds of students. We will continue to work with MJC and other colleges to offer dual enrollment to thousands of students in our district. I truly believe that dual enrollment will help promote higher education in coming years for both MJC and Stanislaus State.
Rueth Velez-Langrock
Velez-Langrock did not respond to the candidate profile form The Modesto Bee sent out.
She was born in Michigan and eventually moved to Hughson. She married her husband, Darrel, and she is a mother of two. She works as a facilitator for teen moms at Modesto High School, Downey High School and Elliott Alternative Education Center. She also worked as a counselor for high-risk youth in Patterson Unified School District and as a substitute teacher in Modesto City Schools.
On her candidate website , she said she is concerned with inappropriate materials in schools, involving more parent participation and enforcing strict anti-bullying policies.
Sebastian Jones
Jones did not respond to the candidate profile form The Modesto Bee sent out.
The Bee previously conducted a background check on Jones when he ran in the 2024 primary election to replace Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen.
Prominent things found in the background check included an arrest for battery in 2008 and California Franchise Tax Board filed a lien against Jones for the 2006 tax year and again in the 2019 tax year.
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