Your vote decides our community's future
Cast your ballot now for a better direction on Temecula's School Board
Your ballot arrived in the mail, and it’s a big one. So many candidates, so many propositions, and the big names at the top to worry over.
But don’t get lost in all that and forget our local races. It’s our local officials in cities and school districts who impact your everyday life, your kids’ future, and our community’s health. And local races can be decided by a single vote. In 2022, one school board member won the seat by just 35 votes.
That’s frightening.
That means you and a few neighbors will decide Temecula’s future right now. Voting has already begun.
Four out of five seats on the TVUSD School Board are up for election, and you can vote for one of them. You have your ballot; the decision is yours.
You can choose a candidate who divides our community, who promotes costly political issues or pet projects, who wants what they want and not what’s best for Temecula.
Or you can vote for a candidate who works to unite us, who ignores politics, who prioritizes EDUCATION for all Temecula students and makes intelligent decisions based on facts.
We’ve been watching our Temecula School Board for two years. We have a good handle on which candidates want to genuinely improve learning and safety in our public schools and which ones are in it for themselves.
Here are our recommendations for TVUSD School Board Trustees. Read on for why we support them. And please tell your friends and neighbors.
Allison Barclay, Trustee Area 1
Gary Oddi, Trustee Area 2
David Sola, Trustee Area 4
Steve Schwartz, Trustee Area 5
You can find your School Board Trustee Area (as well as your city council district, if you’re within city limits). If you haven’t received your ballot, you can check your voter registration status.
TVUSD Trustee Area 1
Re-elect Allison Barclay.
Allison Barclay has been the voice of reason on the board for three years, focusing on what’s best for students and families. She consistently opposed the political, divisive, unnecessary policies of the “conservative” board members while remaining professional and always willing to work with other trustees on solutions. We always listen for her perspective at meetings.
Allison is the mother of three TVUSD graduates and a consistent school volunteer as well as a trustee, so she knows what’s happening at our schools. As CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of North San Diego County, she understands kids and the issues families face.
As CEO of a nonprofit and our trustee, she’s also familiar with multi-million-dollar budgets that still don’t cover all that’s needed. That budget expertise is especially important as TVUSD funding drops over the next 3-4 years.
We need Allison Barclay’s professionalism, knowledge, and balanced views on our board.
See more information on Allison’s website.
TVUSD Trustee Area 2
Elect Gary Oddi.
This seat is currently vacant due to Danny Gonzalez’s resignation in December 2023 and the board’s failure to appoint a replacement.
Gary Oddi is by far the best candidate to fill this seat. Unlike his opponents, he is a longtime resident of Temecula, and he and his wife Debi have served our community for 35 years as teachers and community volunteers. Their three children attended TVUSD schools and their grandchildren are currently students here.
Gary knows parents’ concerns because he’s had children or grandchildren in our schools for years. He knows education issues because he’s still working and volunteering in our schools.
Gary is well known and admired by community members across the political spectrum. According to required election filings, Gary received donations for his campaign from more than 200 local people and organizations, while his opponents had almost none.
Gary’s servant leadership has shone through in his work as a school principal, Athletic Director at Great Oak High School, City Commissioner, youth sports coach, and co-founder of a local nonprofit. Gary gets people to work together. He’s the ideal person to heal the division in our community.
We need Gary Oddi’s collaborative approach, vision for the future, community support, and experience on our board. Read more on Gary’s website.
TVUSD Trustee Area 4
Elect David Sola.
This seat is also vacant, because voters recalled Joseph Komrosky in June 2024 for fiscal mismanagement and violating laws about public schools and school boards. The recalled trustee decided to ignore voters and run again.
Fortunately, David Sola—a father of four TVUSD students, a 20-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and a volunteer in our schools and community—has stepped up to give us an excellent candidate for this seat.
David credits three public school teachers with giving him the personal skills and inspiration to make a success of his life, so he knows the value of public education. He earned his college degrees while in the military. He currently works for an online company matching special education students with the services they need.
We’re impressed with David’s leadership ability, composure, intelligence, and dedication. His primary concerns are student safety, encouraging parental involvement, and using data to improve academics.
We need David Sola’s perspective and integrity on our board. Learn more on David’s website.
TVUSD Trustee Area 5
Re-elect Steve Schwartz.
Like Allison Barclay, Steve Schwartz has spent the past two years opposing the politically motivated policies of the “conservative” majority on the TVUSD School Board.
In his four years on the board, Steve improved educational programs like Career & Technical Education (CTE), increased reserves to avoid layoffs and program cuts, and personally helped numerous parents find the answers and resources they need.
With 40 years’ experience as a teacher and administrator, Steve understands schools and students. He regularly visits Temecula schools and talks with everyone there—teachers, principal, volunteers, custodians, classroom aides—to learn what’s going well and what needs improvement. He’s a knowledgeable, kind, and no-nonsense supporter of teachers, students, and families.
We need Steve Schwartz’s enthusiasm, honesty, and dedication to public school success on our board. Read more information on Steve’s website.
A note on other candidates…
In all four School Board races, the main opponents are aligned with the extremist group we’ve reported on for the last two years. Please do not vote for them. We do not need the political distractions, the division, or the fiscal irresponsibility of the last two years.
Barclay, Oddi, Sola, and Schwartz will get our school district functioning again. These candidates understand their job as a trustee. They will work to repair our district’s reputation, to improve test scores and learning, and to plan for the future of education.