With Election Day just days away, voters in East County are facing a closely watched school board race that could shift the balance of power on the Grossmont Union High School District Board.
Three seats are up for election, with several candidates campaigning on promises of increased transparency, accountability, and a renewed focus on students.
The district serves more than 16,000 students, and candidates say the decisions made by the board will have a direct impact on the future of education in East County.
In Area 3, Jenee Littrell is challenging longtime incumbent Gary Woods. Born and raised in East County, Littrell has spent 15 years working in the district. She says her campaign is focused on rebuilding trust between the board, parents, and the community.
One issue that prompted her to run was the board's 2025 decision to cut librarian positions, which were later reinstated following community pushback.
Littrell also pointed to a $1.2 million settlement involving the district's former special education director, saying she believes the board's financial decisions have taken resources away from classrooms.
In Area 4, three candidates are competing for the seat left vacant by Robert Shield.
Charissa McCullough, a local mother and educator, says her priorities include improving academics, student safety and increasing parent involvement.
In a statement to 10News, McCullough said, "My priorities include academic excellence, student safety, parental rights, and common sense leadership."
She is facing Jimmy Merino, a district parent and public adjuster, who is campaigning on increased accountability and restoring confidence between the district and the community. 10News reached out to Merino's campaign but did not receive a response.
The third candidate, Steve Mull, served as principal of Lakeside Middle School for 20 years. He says he wants to move away from politics and refocus the board's attention on students.
"I wanna take the politics out of the situation and put back putting kids first," Mull said. "I feel it's the job of the board to support, so we need to work together with teachers, administrators, staff, and look at the budget together and determine what the priorities are, and parents and families and kids and everybody together deciding what the priorities are."
In Area 5, the district's largest area, Pete Mergens is challenging incumbent James "Jim" Kelly.
Mergens spent 36 years teaching at West Hills High School. He says his experience working in the district gives him an understanding of its needs and that he wants to bring greater trust and transparency to the board.
"I was here for over a third of a century. So what I plan to bring is trust and transparency, a leader who knows this district inside and out," Mergens said.
The election comes amid growing tensions at board meetings, where heated exchanges between trustees and public displays of frustration from community members have drawn attention.
Several candidates say they want to change the tone of those meetings and rebuild relationships between district leadership, parents and educators.
10News reached out multiple times to incumbents Gary Woods and Jim Kelly for comment but had not received a response by the time of reporting.
With three seats on the ballot, the outcome could change the board's majority and help determine the direction of the Grossmont Union High School District moving forward.
