Politics & Government

Capo Trustee Seat Attracts 3 Suitors

Another candidate has come forward in the area which represents San Juan Capistrano, Ladera Ranch and Coto de Caza.

A third candidate has entered the race for the trustee seat which represents parts of San Juan Capistrano, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores and Coto de Caza.

Don Franklin Richardson declared and filed for his candidacy Tuesday for Trustee Area 2. .

Richardson identifies himself as a public school teacher on the Orange County Registrar of Voters website. He does not appear to work for Capistrano Unified, as his name is not on a complete list of teachers Patch obtained in April.

Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to a Los Angeles Times report, Richardson ran for CUSD’s governing board in 1996 as part of a "back-to-basics" platform demanding a return to traditional math and phonics. “Like a number of candidates running this year, Richardson had advocated teaching creationism in public schools.”

The Capistrano Dispatch reported that Richardson considered a run in 2008. For a day.

Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Don Richardson, a public school teacher of 41 years, was set to challenge Brick for Darnold’s spot on the dais, but dropped out of the race after the August 11 meeting. “I went to that school board meeting Monday night, and I thought, ‘This is out of control—the animosity, the accusations,’” Richardson said. He said he thought he would have support from conservatives and Christians, as well as from fellow teachers, and that those who urged him to run believed he could unite both sides. “I thought, ‘Nobody’s going to do this.’”

Meanwhile, in the other trustee areas, , Trustee John Alpay is the only one who has shown interests in running in San Clemente and no one has pulled papers for Trustee Area No. 1, which includes parts of San Juan Capistrano, Capo Beach and Dana Point.

Earlier this year,  they represent. This November will be first time trustees – who have always had to live within certain areas – will not be elected at large but .

Stay tuned to Patch for more CUSD election updates.


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