It is good to finally see a viable opponent challenging Joshua Cerna, who has served as the District 1 board member for more than 10 years. Cerna has been an embarrassment to the district for too long.
One of the more memorable Cerna incidents occurred about 18 months ago. Cerna was found in the closet of one of the school district’s female principals by the woman’s husband, a law enforcement officer. Cerna told a local television reporter he had been at the principal’s home at 10 p.m. to deliver some food for a school function. There were no criminal charges filed, but it left the district in an awkward personnel situation regarding the principal.
“Harlandale Board needs some change”, San Antonio Express-News, May 2, 2013.
As an alternative to Cerna for District 1, the Express-News has endorsed Juan Mancha, “a small business owner who has worked tirelessly to help South Side schoolchildren by donating, collecting and distributing school supplies and sneakers for the last 10 years.” Mancha also has the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio.
The Express-News also endorses Erma Vianney Casarez for District 3 and Norma Cavazos for District 4.
For more back story about the Harlandale ISD Board of Trustees, see “Harlandale ISD elections a street fight under the radar”, Francisco Vara-Orta, San Antonio Express-News, April 29, 2013, and this earlier post.
More information about other area school board elections here and at Bexar County Elections.
