Schools superintendent candidates vie for votes at forum

Hector Camacho Jr. and Chelsea Bonini sought support from Portola Valley voters for San Mateo County schools superintendent. Camacho said his classroom and administrative experience prepares him to handle obstacles and to lead with fidelity to education code. He referenced a claim that candidates without full administrator credentials are not legally eligible to appear on the ballot. Bonini said credential questioning is a distraction and that her credential differs only in that she does not hold an administrative position. She said her background as a business attorney and founder of Kiski Law includes reading the education code. Camacho cited real-time crisis management and limited time to respond as reasons experience matters.

"You want to make sure that the person that is leading the education system in this county is aware of all the pieces that matter in terms of education code and how we implement that with fidelity,"

"On April 15 the Post published an article quoting the nonprofit California County Superintendents Association, which represents the 58 county superintendents of schools and county offices of education, saying it is illegal for a candidate who doesn't have the full credential held by school administrators to appear on the ballot."

"Bonini said the only difference between her credential and Camacho's is that she doesn't hold an administrative position. She said that, as a business attorney who founded Kiski Law, she has read the education code."

"Camacho said there are many challenges administrators face, such as students showing up to school hungry, and years of experience prepare you for that. Working in a classroom for 16 years has taught him that there is very little time to formulate a plan when students face a crisis. "You don't really have very much time to get it wrong, and that comes from experience," Camacho said."

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