First Time in 20 Years Teachers Association Endorses School Board Candidates

From The Castro Valley Teachers Association

The Castro Valley Teachers Association officially endorsed three candidates for the Castro Valley Unified School Board on Wednesday, Aug. 29.

This endorsement will be the first time the CVTA has endorsed candidates for the school board in about 20 years.

“Challengers Charmaine Banther, Mary Pippitt and incumbent John Barbieri will provide the kind of forward-thinking leadership that will keep Castro Valley schools financially stable and moving forward to even higher levels of academic success for all the children of Castro Valley,” said CVTA President John Green.

Incumbents Kunio Okui and Jo A.S. Loss will not receive endorsements from CVTA.

Charmaine Banther is a long time resident of Castro Valley and has 25 years of teaching experience. She is uniquely qualified to be an advocate for children and schools with her many years of experience in the classroom and leading the New Haven Teachers Association. She will be an advocate to limit unnecessary cuts that will hurt programs and hinders students’ learning.

Mary Pippitt Cervantes is a Castro Valley parent.  She also brings years of experience as a teacher, administrator, and professor of teacher development.  She understands curriculum and what it takes to keep Castro Valley a highly successful district in these tough financial times.

John Barbieri has long served on the Castro Valley School Board and has years of financial and business experience overseeing billion dollar budgets. He wants to continue to find solutions to the pressing issue of increasing class sizes and wants Castro Valley Schools to continue to have the ability to provide opportunities for a well-rounded education.

The Castro Valley Teachers Association represents over 420 teachers, counselors, nurses and program specialists for the