UKIAH, CA., 10/16/24 – Two trustees of the Mendocino County Board of Education will step down from their service in December. Charline Ford and Drew Duncan have chosen not to seek re-election, meaning the board will welcome new trustees after the Nov. 5 election.
Both soon-to-be former trustees are educators, according to the Mendocino County Office Education. They have used their roles to help develop educational policies for public schools in the county while advocating for the areas each represents.
Charline Ford has served as a trustee for 17 years. Ford represents Area Three, which comprises Covelo, Laytonville and Willits.
Ford taught in Arcata before moving to Willits, where she taught for 21 years. During her career in Willits, she taught English and leadership classes. She advised the school’s first student-led Christian Club and helped coach track and field.
According to Ford, her favorite part of serving as a trustee were school visits, during which she was able to meet with students and teachers and learn about the diverse educational environments throughout the county. “It’s the people that make it worthwhile and fun,” she said.
After her service, Ford plans to stay active in her church, spend time with family and friends, and explore new ways to be involved in local education.
Trustee Drew Duncan is also leaving the board after four years. He represents Area Four, including Caspar, Cleone, Fort Bragg, Leggett, Piercy and Westport. He steps down as board president.
Born and raised in Mendocino County to a family of educators,he will be leaving the board to pursue a full-time career in teaching. He’ll be teaching social science to eighth graders, with the hopes of inspiring students to be civically engaged and better understand politics.
Area Three, which Ford currently represents, has two challengers for her seat: Michelle Hutchins, former Mendocino County Superintendent of Schools and current organization lead for the Blue Zones Project, and David R. Strock, a planner for the county and former substitute teacher.
Only one candidate is running in Area Four, Nancy J. Bennett. Bennett is self-employed and will assume Duncan’s seat uncontested.
The new trustees will join the board on Dec. 16.
Interesting to read about the religion influenced people leading education. We uprooted to Ukiah from SoCal where my husband taught shop classes at Ukiah High. It was the 1989-90. He was popular and drew kids from other electives, which made some other elective teachers either jealous or threatened. And we weren’t Mormons. It was a big focus to be a Mormon in that period of time. There was internal prejudice towards him because of this and his second year he was offered a little over half time position. We had bought a home there, we were invested in the school system with two kids, and we left. I was thrilled to live there. Even though we came from a beach city south of LA with only 27,000 people in it, we were continuously referred to as “those people from LA” a place we avoided like the plague. We sold our beautiful home in the country and left. I hope religion is not a focus in Mendocino Co. when people make these election decisions. It drives good people with just a different philosophy in life out. It shouldn’t even come up in an election.