Sonora, CA — Another forum was held Thursday evening featuring the two candidates running for Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools.
Zack Abernathy, the incumbent, was first elected in 2022, and challenger Gabe Wingo is the Superintendent of the Twain Harte School District.
The event, in the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors meeting room, was put on by the League of Women Voters of the Mother Lode, and lasted just under an hour.
The candidates were allowed time for opening and closing statements and answered several questions.
During opening statements, Wingo noted, “The county schools office exists to serve the districts and the students of our county. Funds should be tied to programs and services that our districts use and that our students need. Currently, the county schools office has $24 million in its General Fund balance that is not being used to support students. This race is about ensuring that these resources are utilized to benefit the students and families of Tuolumne County.”
Abernathy noted, in his opening, that his family goes back generations in Tuolumne County and highlighted the work of educators. He stated, “As I grew up in Tuolumne County, I had some of the best teachers in the world. I wasn’t a real ‘school guy,’ and those teachers were really integral in keeping me in school and keeping me going. I found myself working extra hard for the ones I loved and respected. As I got older, I wanted to do that for other kids, like they did for me, and that’s what led to me ending up in this position.”
One question was in relation to how they would prioritize the various supplemental programs offered by the superintendent of schools’ office.
Wingo highlighted what he feels are current shortcomings in special education, stating, “Right now we spend $2 million a year to send kids out of our county for their education, and that is not acceptable. We need to find opportunities and solutions to provide those programs in our county to make sure that those kids have an opportunity to learn and grow in their own community, near their families, instead of sitting on a van for an hour and a half.”
Abernathy praised several supplemental programs that are done at the Juvenile detention facility, and things like the TLC program for expelled youth. He noted that there are also three special needs preschools. He said, “One of the county functions is to run these programs, and we have never turned the districts down for a program that they wanted or felt they needed. And so, any adjustments that need to be made there, we’re willing to look at, and try to figure out. But, it is really 13 superintendents trying to agree on what’s needed. It is a lot of good ideas. We just need to settle on what we do.”
Asked about their three biggest issues and priorities, Abernathy said, healthy school budgets, improving the mental health of students, and making improvements to special education.
Wingo spoke about the need to improve academic achievements and learning outcomes, addressing staffing shortages, and improving special education.
Both agreed on the importance of expanding the Career Technical Education offerings. Abernathy highlighted achievements to this point and initiatives in the works, and Wingo added that he would like to see it expanded into the primary schools as well.
One question was about whether there are programs or offerings in other counties of California that could be beneficial in Tuolumne County.
Abernathy said that he’s witnessed some county offices purchase apartment complexes to provide workforce housing for educators. He said it would be one of his “dream” scenarios. Wingo questioned the concept and said money should instead go to services for students.
They also talked about the role of the superintendent of schools’ office, the need for teacher retention, and things like the relationship with the county’s board of education.
Thursday’s forum was filmed by Access Tuolumne and can be found here.
Central Sierra Broadcasting also recorded and aired a forum with the two candidates earlier this month, which can be found here.
