Anaheim Shocker: Why is Mark Lopez on TWO School Boards?

AESD trustee Mark Lopez, NOCCCD trustee Mark Lopez, & AUHSD social-studies teacher Mark Lopez.

Last month the usually-collegial Anaheim Elementary School Board (AESD) voted 3-2 to censure one of their trustees, six-year incumbent Mark Lopez (who was endorsed by this blog last year when he ran for a seat on the North OC Community College District, and hence won 67%-33% against rightwing “businessman” Steve Slawson.)

Skipping past all the boilerplate WHEREASes, that censure read:

• “…Whereas the AESD Board needs all five members to contribute to a positive working environment for colleagues on the Board and within the district;
• …Whereas Government Code Section 1099 prohibits individuals from holding “incompatible offices;”
• Whereas legal counsel has advised the Board of Education that the offices of school board member and community college board member are incompatible;
• Whereas Board member Mark Lopez was elected to the governing board of the North OC Community College District and was sworn into office in December 2024;
• Whereas Board member Mark Lopez has not resigned from the Board of Education of the AESD, despite his ethical duty to do so;
• Whereas as a result of Lopez’ refusal to resign, the Board may be required to initiate costly litigation to remove him;
• Whereas the continued participation of Lopez in violation of Government Code 1099 could subject Board actions to legal challenges;

NOW THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: Based on the above recitals, the Board proclaims publicly that it disapproves of Mark Lopez’ conduct, and the Board censures Mark Lopez for his conduct.”

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Fighting words! From the Board chairman Juan Alvarez, backed by trustee Jackie Filbeck and brand-new trustee Julie Diep. Disagreeing were Mark himself, and his steadfast ally Ryan Ruelas.

Mark questions WHY the board would “be required” to remove him through “costly litigation,” and has a hard time envisioning any “legal challenges” brought against the Board on account of him being on two boards. The legal opinion that the two seats are “incompatible” is a gray area where lawyers disagree.

And what Ryan says, as an OG of district elections, is that neither he nor Mark have yet to hear from ANYONE in Mark’s district that they have a problem with him continuing to serve on AESD. Mark was elected overwhelmingly in 2018, and then in 2022 he had no challengers. No complaints, and also nobody coming forth to say “I want to do that job, appoint me!” By the way here is Mark’s district, in case anyone really DOES feel strongly about this one way or the other (it’s the blue part):

Julie Diep, who sided with Alvarez and Filbeck against Mark, had only been on the Board a couple weeks before filing to run in the special state senate race (in which she came in third this week.) Not the sign of someone who’s serious about the school board! Her input at January’s meeting was, first to congratulate Mark at “moving up to higher office,” and then decreeing that, “giving up your lower office, that is what we do when we get higher office.” The way Julie Diep thinks. And Mark says “I don’t even think of the NOCCCD board as ‘higher office.'”

I’ll give you this much: When I voted for (and endorsed) Mark last year, I assumed he’d resign his AESD seat when he won the NOCCCD seat, and the remaining AESD board would appoint his replacement – that’s what generally happens. And I don’t think he ever said he wasn’t gonna do that. Why DOES he want to serve on two boards, while teaching? It couldn’t be for the AESD stipend, which is only $400 a month, so I guess I won’t be using THIS image:

Well, when I asked Alvarez his side of things he told me to watch the January meeting and read the censure, which I did. When I called Mark he had a lot to say.

In case you hadn’t noticed, there is a lot of fucked-up shit going on in the world right now (my words not Mark’s) – the Trump-Musk takeover of the nation including the evisceration of the Department of Education AND the war on immigrants, combined with budget shortfalls in the state. And Mark (who pleads “don’t make me sound conceited”) firmly believes that his skills and experience are especially needed right now at AESD. Among other things he is a staunch fiscal conservative and budget balancer – remember, he first came onto the Anaheim scene as a protege of Tom Tait.

“Do you really have time to serve on two Boards, while teaching at Gilbert?”

“Well, I have been. In fact I’ve been doing more on the AESD Board these last two months than most of my colleagues.” He doesn’t feel good leaving that board to some inexperienced replacement AT THIS POINT IN TIME, although he allows that he probably won’t run for a third term on AESD next year. He’s not sure why the Board majority has it in for him, and especially resents his choice being called “unethical.”

But they sure do want to get rid of him! And they’ve called an EMERGENCY MEETING this coming Monday night apparently to do just that. (Shades of Jordan Brandman’s “emergency” 2013 meeting to shut up Tait on the Angels Stadium giveaway.) SHOW UP if you care about this, to support or oppose double-trustee Mark, especially if you live in that BLUE area above! See you there!

EMERGENCY MEETING on the BURNING MARK LOPEZ PROBLEM
MONDAY March 3, 6pm
AESD District Office, 1001 S East St