Sacramento Bee Editorial: Geeting for Sacramento County board of education, Area 1

Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, May 20, 2008

In a special election for the Sacramento County Board of Education, two strong candidates are vying to finish the term of the late Elinor Lincoln Hickey, who died in January. Hickey, a retired teacher and former Sacramento City Unified board member, had served on the board since 1990. Her greatest contribution was first-hand knowledge of the county's little-publicized but crucial programs that serve 30,000 students: job training for the region, community schools for expelled and high-risk kids, court schools for incarcerated youth and facilities for severely emotionally and physically handicapped kids. She visited schools often.

The voters of Area 1 (College Greens, Curtis Park, downtown and midtown Sacramento, East Sacramento, Elder Creek, Hollywood Park, Land Park, Lemon Hill, McKinley Park, Perkins, River Park, Tahoe Park, and portions of Airport, Oak Park and South Land Park) will elect a board member to serve until June 2010. Voters have a choice between two public servants. Greg Geeting has just finished a distinguished 30-year career in public education at the state level (in the Legislature, California Department of Education and state Board of Education). He has 20 years of volunteerism in local schools, winning awards for his PTA service, and is a court-appointed advocate for abused or neglected kids.

Leticia Garcia is beginning a public service career, with five years on the staff of Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, focusing on health and education. She, too, is active in the community.

Both have compelling personal life histories. Geeting and his wife have cared for their severely disabled daughter for 19 years. Garcia is the eldest of eight children born to immigrant parents. Geeting's experience makes him the stronger candidate. He already has demonstrated that he will follow in Hickey's footsteps with a presence in the county's schools. He has visited 10 of the county's sites. He can rattle off details about each program and inspiring stories of teachers working with kids. He wants to give back to society by making a difference in the lives of students, particularly those in difficult circumstances – "who need our help to another pathway." Geeting also brings other skills to the mix. The county office plays a huge role in providing training for teachers in the 16 school districts in Sacramento County. Geeting has a long background in curriculum and teacher support. And at a time when the county office of education plays a large role in overseeing local district budgets, Geeting has done financial reviews and financial forecasting. He can ask the right questions.

Garcia is politically well connected, beginning with Sacramento City Council member Kevin McCarty (her husband). Her passion is for those "who are not getting their share of the pie." She would like to see the county office do more to reach underserved communities – particularly non-English speakers – and she would focus on making sure that staff are culturally sensitive. She has a future of public service ahead of her. She'll be back.

In this race of two outstanding candidates, we recommend Geeting for his hands-on approach and a life-time of knowledge.