Anaheim Elementary School district officials voted to replace former trustee Mark Lopez, who they ousted out of office earlier this year, with Board President  Juan Gabriel Álvarez’s cousin.

During a special meeting on April 16, the board voted 3-0 to appoint Alva Álvarez to fill the District 4 trustee vacancy. 

“She seemed, to me, to have some valid experience in areas that would be very helpful to us, she hit a lot of the things that made me feel that she would definitely be an asset to us,” Trustee Jackie Filbeck said during the meeting.

Editors’ Note: This dispatch is part of the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service, working with student journalists to cover public policy issues across Orange County. If you would like to submit your own student media project related to Orange County civics or if you have any response to this work, contact admin@voiceofoc.org.

Trustee Ryan Ruelas abstained from the vote, saying he felt uneasy about Álvarez being the cousin of Board President Juan Gabriel Álvarez.

“I do worry that we could always have this kind of cloud hanging over us in regards to [whether] this is ethical or not,” Ruelas said. “I do think she’s great, it’s just the process overall that I find disheartening.”

This comes after the board voted out Lopez during a special meeting on March 3 over concerns about him holding two public offices at the same time despite push back from some residents and elected officials.

[Read: Anaheim Elementary School Board Votes to Oust an Elected Official]

 In November, Lopez was elected to serve on the Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees, after having served on the Anaheim Elementary School Board since 2018. 

To fill the vacancy, the district originally had three candidates. However, according to Superintendent Jesus Chavarria, through the initial process, one candidate was found to have been living outside of District 4, and the other dropped out before the interviews.

Álvarez acknowledged his relationship with the candidate. 

“I’m just going to open up, in the spirit of transparency, the candidate that is left, Miss Alvarez, is actually my cousin,” he said.

He also clarified that there is no conflict of interest as he takes part in the appointment or for them to serve on the same board.

“I just want to make it clear that I am looking at this through objectivity and make it clear that it’s no conflict for me to be participating in the interviews, participating in the voting,” President Álvarez said.

During her interview, Alva said her involvement with the district started in 1985 as a student at Patrick Henry Elementary. She worked for the Orange County Department of Education for 10 years and now serves as a school-based mental health professional at Santa Ana Unified.

Alva said she hopes to create more resources to support students, families, and the community, filling in gaps in services as a board member, including building relationships and creating safe, inclusive environments at school to encourage children to attend school daily to learn.

She acknowledged the responsibilities of maintaining a sustainable budget but emphasized the importance of being open with the community.  

“I understand the responsibility that the board faces and having to make those cuts, but I think it’s also very important to have transparency with our staff, and our constituents, and our community about what’s happening,” Alva said. 

Maritza Bermudez, an organizer with Orange County Congregation Community Organization and a parent in the district, opposed the appointment and called for a more transparent and inclusive process.

“You must engage families and residents in Area 4 in a transparent and inclusive process that restores faith and ensures accountability. Anything less puts the credibility of this board and our district at risk,” said Bermudez. 

Superintendent Jesus Chavarria said voters in Trustee District 4 have 30 days to petition against the appointment by collecting 1.5% of registered voters’ signatures. They then must submit it to the County Superintendent of Schools to call for a special election to fill the vacancy.

“Even though the board, if they do take action to provisionally appoint someone, ‘ Chavarria said, “they don’t become ‘official official’ until 30 days from today.”