Two familiar faces and one new one who are running unopposed for seats on the Goleta Union School District Board of Education weighed in this week on issues facing its schools. 

Goleta nonprofit Learn. Engage. Advocate. Partner (LEAP) hosted a bilingual webinar Monday night in which the school board candidates shared their views on federal immigration enforcement activity, declining school enrollment, high staff vacancy rates, and the recent gun store controversy.

The terms for the three seats for Trustee Areas 1, 3 and 5 are set to end in December. 

The candidates seeking 4-year terms are Eric Bowers for Trustee Area 1 and incumbents Ethan Bertrand and Emily Zacarias for Trustee Area 5 and Area 3, respectively.

Richard Mayer, who has served on the Goleta Union School Board since 1981, is not seeking re-election for the Trustee Area 1 seat. 

However, voters will not see the candidates’ names on the Nov. 3 ballot because only one person qualified for each seat. 

The four Goleta City Council candidates also participated in the one-hour webinar.

The school board candidates were asked about the district’s role in addressing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity locally.

LEAP CEO and forum moderator Lori Goodman noted that she received various alerts on Monday about ICE activity in the county. 

All school board candidates advocated for supporting and notifying families of federal immigration enforcement activity on school campuses. 

Bowers said immigration agents need to show a valid warrant, and that the district should ensure they follow “proper legal requirements” to step onto campuses.

The school district has collaborated with local activist groups, including 805UndocuFund, to train office staff and school leaders about proper protocol if ICE agents show a warrant at a campus, according to Zacarias.

“We have really beefed that up since this started happening last year,” she said.

Bertrand is proud of how the district has supported its families through actions under its standard response protocol if ICE shows up to a campus, and through a letter to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. 

“Our sheriff is not standing up to ICE,” he said.

The candidates also discussed the effects of low housing availability in Goleta, which they pointed to as causing high staff vacancies and inhibiting student academic performance.

“We have vacancies that we can’t fill because people can’t afford to live here, especially with our classified staff like our paraeducators who work directly with our most vulnerable populations,” Zacarias said.

One of her priorities, she added, is exploring whether the district’s Phelps property could be transformed into partial employee housing.

Bertrand agreed with Zacarias and added that the school district should be playing a supporting role with the City of Goleta and “working in partnership.”

Planning a career in Goleta “is difficult,” he said, adding that he’s seen firsthand how it has led to families leaving the area.

“In my Trustee Area of Isla Vista, we have seen a significant exodus of families who used to live in I.V.,” he said.

Isla Vista Elementary School was once the district’s school with the highest enrollment numbers, but has since lost that distinction, he added. 

Declining enrollment also is seen across the district, he said. 

Ten years ago, the Goleta Union School District had 3,800 students. Now, it has 3,219, according to Bertrand. 

Lack of housing also impacts students’ academic performance.

“When we look at our students who are the most housing impacted, we see clear differences in how students are performing in literacy and math,” Bertrand said.

Bowers also agreed with the two candidates, supported staff housing, and proposed a stipend for housing and transportation for school staff to “alleviate the financial strain” of living in Goleta.

He also wants to look at the district’s budget regarding staff salaries, and proposed an annual gross increase.

“We budget right now based on a percentage; that’s the same as with the teachers and the administration,” Bowers said.

The candidates also supported new housing projects in Goleta that could mean growth amid declining enrollment.

Zacarias said she would support increasing developer fees, which means that when a new housing unit is built, the district gets some money to support its facilities and accommodate students. 

“In the next few years with all the homes that are being built, we’re going to need that money,” she said.

Bertrand also warned that the district has to consider the fiscal impacts of new growth and development. 

“Unlike other districts in California, we do not see increased revenue just because we have more students,” he said. 

Bowers weighed in on the controversial relocation of Goodland Guns next to a preschool and near Ellwood Elementary School, an issue that Bertrand and Zacarias have publicly spoken out against.

“There should never be guns or gun sales anywhere close to a school. Full stop. I don’t think that’s political grandstanding,” he said. “I think that’s me being concerned for my kids.”

Bowers said it’s ultimately the City of Goleta’s responsibility to make a change in its zoning laws.

“But as trustees, we can use our platform to advocate for change, and I think we need to,” he said.