Sequoia Union High School District trustee-elect resigns to avoid ideas of conflict

Thompson will be sworn in to the district’s Board of Trustees at the meeting Dec. 18.  

“I wasn’t ready to leave the community, but I also recognize that the important work at Summit Prep and in our district should not be overshadowed by distraction or division that is being perceived from my new position,” Thompson said. 

School district employees are not allowed to serve on its board of trustees due to the conflict of interest that could arise from serving both as a subordinate to the administration and a member of a governing body that supervises that same administration. Whether Thompson, as a charter school employee, falls in a similar vein was the cause for concern.

In Morgan’s letter, he stated “charter schools are a creation of the public school system and exist only with permission from the public school district that granted their charter” despite their operational independence, and this demonstrates an “irreconcilable conflict” that could arise.

In her campaign for the trustee position, Thompson said she had consulted with a lawyer and concluded there would not be any conflict of interest with her employment and, if elected, her position on the district’s Board of Trustees. 

Thompson maintains she doesn’t believe there would have been any legal wrongdoing, but said her decision was made “prioritizing our young people over my desires.” 

“This was an extremely difficult decision to step down but, like I ran my campaign on, I asked myself what is best for students,” Thompson said. “That’s what I’ve done for 15 years and what I will continue to do.” 

Thompson ran for the trustee position because of the lack of educators on the board, she said previously. The campaign for the Area B seat included former student trustee Jacob Yuryev and Daniel Torunian. Thompson was victorious with 63.68% of the vote.