Barbara Calhoun
2018 - Present
2028
7
Barbara Calhoun is a member of the Compton Community College District in California, representing Trustee Area 2. Calhoun assumed office in 2018. Calhoun's current term ends in 2028.
Calhoun ran for re-election to the Compton Community College District to represent Trustee Area 2 in California. Calhoun won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Calhoun previously served on the Compton City Council from 2003 to 2011. She ran for a seat on the city council again in 2015, but was defeated in the general election on April 21, 2015.[1] She also previously served on the Compton Unified School District Board of Education. Calhoun worked for the City of Los Angeles for 34 years before she retired. She has served with a number of organizations, including SEIU Local 347, the A. Phillip Randolph Institute (APRI), the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), and the Coalition of Labor Women (CLUW). She also served as a delegate and representative to the executive board for the California Democratic Party.[2]
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Los Angeles County, California (2024)
General election
General election for Compton Community College District Trustee Area 2
Incumbent Barbara Calhoun defeated Carol Jordan and Adrian Cleveland in the general election for Compton Community College District Trustee Area 2 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Barbara Calhoun (Nonpartisan) | 45.3 | 5,948 |
| Carol Jordan (Nonpartisan) | 35.5 | 4,665 | ||
| Adrian Cleveland (Nonpartisan) | 19.1 | 2,511 | ||
| Total votes: 13,124 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Calhoun in this election.
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Los Angeles County, California (2020)
General election
General election for Compton Community College District Trustee Area 2
Incumbent Barbara Calhoun defeated Adrian Cleveland in the general election for Compton Community College District Trustee Area 2 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Barbara Calhoun (Nonpartisan) | 66.0 | 11,160 |
| Adrian Cleveland (Nonpartisan) | 34.0 | 5,743 | ||
| Total votes: 16,903 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
Special general election for Compton Community College District Trustee Area 2
Barbara Calhoun defeated incumbent Nicole Jones in the special general election for Compton Community College District Trustee Area 2 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Barbara Calhoun (Nonpartisan) | 51.0 | 5,512 |
| Nicole Jones (Nonpartisan) | 49.0 | 5,293 | ||
| Total votes: 10,805 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2017
Four of the seven seats on the Compton Unified School District Board of Education in California were up for at-large general election on November 7, 2017. In their bids for re-election, incumbents Margie N. Garrett, Alma Taylor-Pleasant, Mae Thomas, and Satra D. Zurita defeated former member Alita Godwin, former candidates Barbara Calhoun, Willie Dewitt Carson, Joseph L. Lewis, and Gregory Pitts, and newcomers Barbara Banks, Rodney Lonnell Curry, Jesse Harris, Ricky Hicks, Mary Jackson-Freeny, Luis Landeros, Anthony Lee Perry, Shawn Poole-Louis, Jonathan Taylor, and Tracy Shawn Wiggins.[3][4]
Results
| Compton Unified School District, At-large General Election, 4-year terms, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Mae Thomas Incumbent |
13.50% | 2,654 |
| Satra D. Zurita Incumbent |
12.36% | 2,430 |
| Margie N. Garrett Incumbent |
10.19% | 2,003 |
| Alma Taylor-Pleasant Incumbent |
7.72% | 1,517 |
| Gregory Pitts | 7.62% | 1,497 |
| Rodney Lonnell Curry | 6.35% | 1,248 |
| Barbara Calhoun | 6.20% | 1,218 |
| Jonathan Taylor | 5.95% | 1,169 |
| Alita Godwin | 5.08% | 998 |
| Mary Jackson-Freeny | 4.67% | 918 |
| Barbara Banks | 4.33% | 852 |
| Luis Landeros | 3.90% | 766 |
| Joseph L. Lewis | 2.54% | 500 |
| Shawn Poole-Louis | 2.52% | 496 |
| Willie Dewitt Carson | 2.08% | 408 |
| Tracy Shawn Wiggins | 1.88% | 369 |
| Jesse Harris | 1.27% | 249 |
| Ricky Hicks | 0.97% | 190 |
| Anthony Lee Perry | 0.88% | 172 |
| Total Votes | 19,654 | |
| Source: Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Local and Municipal Consolidated Elections November 7, 2017," accessed November 21, 2017 | ||
Funding
At the time of this election, the Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk did not publish school board candidate campaign finance reports online. Ballotpedia staffers requested this information, but the only free method of viewing the files was at their office.
The Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk targeted the end of 2018 to make school board candidate campaign finance reports available online for free. From that point forward, Ballotpedia began including campaign finance data for Los Angeles County school board candidates.[5][6][7]
Endorsements
Calhoun was endorsed by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and the community organization Evolve.[8][9]
2015
Three of the seven seats on the Compton Unified School District Board of Education were up for general election on November 3, 2015.[10] Incumbents Micah Ali and Skyy Fisher sought re-election to their seats. Incumbent Emma Sharif did not file to run for re-election, leaving a seat open to a newcomer. In their bids for re-election, Ali and Fisher faced 18 challengers: Richard Alatorre, Lizette Arevalo, Barbara Calhoun, Charles Davis, Arturo Frazier, Maria Hechavarria, Carol Jordan, Justine Landeros, Jolena Lomax, Janette Mora, Sandra Moss, Francisco Orozco, Diana Padilla, Denzell Perry, Gregory Pitts, Jerry Randle, Kim Smith, and Omar Spry.[3][11] Arevalo and Orozco ran together as a slate.[12]
Ali, Davis, and Moss won the election. Davis was already a member of the Compton Unified Board of Education. His term was not supposed to be up for election again until 2017, but due to the at-large election process, he was able to run early. His election to a different term left a vacancy on the board.[13][14]
Marketta Martin initially filed as a candidate, but she withdrew from the election.[15]
Results
| Compton Unified School District, At-large, General Election, 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Micah Ali Incumbent |
15.7% | 2,282 |
| Charles Davis |
9.7% | 1,412 |
| Sandra Moss |
8.3% | 1,204 |
| Gregory Pitts | 7.2% | 1,049 |
| Carol Jordan | 7.0% | 1,021 |
| Barbara Calhoun | 6.6% | 960 |
| Richard Alatorre | 6.4% | 932 |
| Jerry Randle | 5.5% | 795 |
| Skyy Fisher Incumbent | 4.4% | 637 |
| Arturo Frazier | 4.2% | 612 |
| Francisco Orozco | 4.2% | 602 |
| Lizette Arevalo | 3.8% | 547 |
| Diana Padilla | 3.2% | 466 |
| Kim Smith | 3.2% | 457 |
| Omar Spry | 2.7% | 387 |
| Justine Landeros | 2.3% | 331 |
| Denzell Perry | 1.8% | 258 |
| Maria Hechavarria | 1.7% | 242 |
| Janette Mora | 1.1% | 161 |
| Jolena Lomax | 0.9% | 135 |
| Total Votes | 14,490 | |
| Source: Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "NOVEMBER 03, 2015 - LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL CONSOLIDATED ELECTIONS: Final Official Election Returns," accessed November 24, 2015 | ||
Funding
At the time of this election, the Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk did not publish school board candidate campaign finance reports online. Ballotpedia staffers requested this information, but the only free method of viewing the files was at their office.
The Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk targeted the end of 2018 to make school board candidate campaign finance reports available online for free. From that point forward, Ballotpedia began including campaign finance data for Los Angeles County school board candidates.[16][17][18]
Endorsements
Calhoun received endorsements from the following organizations and city officials:[19][20][21][22]
- Los Angeles County Democratic Party
- Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
- Evolve
- Compton City Clerk Alita Godwin
- Compton City Treasurer Douglas Sanders
- Compton City Attorney Craig Cornwell
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Barbara Calhoun did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Barbara Calhoun did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2015
Ballotpedia survey responses
Calhoun participated in Ballotpedia's 2015 survey of school board candidates. The following sections display her responses to the survey questions. When asked what her top priority would be if elected, the candidate made the following statement:
| “ | Compton schools do not have any type of advocacy at their schools for crisis intervention, advocate for our homeless/foster care students, smaller class sizes. more arts, teacher mentorship.[23] | ” |
| —Barbara Calhoun (2015)[24] | ||
Ranking the issues
Calhoun was asked to rank the following issues by importance in the school district, with 1 being the most important and 7 being the least important. This table displays this candidate's rankings from most to least important:
| Education policy |
|---|
 |
Click here to learn more about education policy in California. |
| Education on the ballot |
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | |
| Improving college readiness | |
| Improving education for special needs students | |
| Expanding career-technical education | |
| Closing the achievement gap | |
| Expanding arts education | |
| Expanding school choice options | |
Positions on the issues
Calhoun was asked to answer 10 questions from Ballotpedia regarding significant issues in education and the school district. The questions are in the left column, and the candidate's responses are in the right column of the following table:
| Question | Response |
|---|---|
| "Modifications are required before they are implemented." | |
| "No" | |
| "No" | |
| "No" | |
| "By starting at the elementary school levels to ensure our students are given information about college, trade, community colleges, university to be prepared by the time they get to middle and high school they will have been immersed in all aspects of knowledge and have the knowledge that they are college material and can and will succeed. Start teaching early about science, medicine, dental, NASA, bio-chemicals, becoming a teacher. Let our students along with their parents the SKY IS THE LIMIT!" | |
| "Practices such as positive behavior strategies should be used before expulsion is considered." | |
| "The board should know first hand that the school is failing. The board members, superintendent, staff, and every teacher along with the principles should have a meeting to find out what that school needs in order to succeed. Then the board should have a separate meeting with the parents and students to get their view and opinions to the situation without being retaliated or called trouble makers. Once the board does that, then put a plan in motion for changes at that school. Work closely with the superintendent and staff to correct all problems." | |
| "Yes" | |
| "Set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district." | |
| "Have a community forum, with the school board members, every three month to find out what the community sees that are schools are not providing, how we can improve, and what we need to correct. Start a community oversight commission where they will have community on the board to ensure information is gathered and attend the board meetings to bring to the board about their findings." | |
| "Compton students are hurting, racial profiling, class to large. Cafeteria food is awful, just the basis. We need cleaner restrooms, we need our school to come into the 21st century, the schools infrastructure is crumbling. There is a $350 million dollar bond on the November 3, 2015 . The last school built in Compton was in 2001-2002, William Jefferson Clinton, when I was on the Compton school board at that time." |
Smart Voter profile
Calhoun shared the following political philosophy on her Smart Voter profile:
| “ | My name is Barbara Jean Calhoun, a Mother of three, Grandmother of five, and great grandmother of one. My family moved to Compton in June of 1968, where all of my children and grandchildren attended Compton schools. l My grandchild was diagnosed with ADHD -a disorder that makes it difficult for her to focus and learn. She is now failing academically. Not because she is a bad student, but because the schools do not provide the resources or help she needs. Now she will be retained a grade. But why? We have asked, begged, and cried out for help from this District and the only thing they have given our family is more grief. My daughter has removed her daughter from the district, I was very disappointed. This case is not unique to me. Countless more families have suffered these same educational injustices. I'm running because Compton families deserve better. We have students that homeless, nowhere to turn, we need a homeless advocate at our school sites. Our students deal with death, suicide, drive by, fights, drugs, problems at home, we need a crisis advocate at our schools, to help assist our students/parents. We have good schools, we have caring teachers, employees, but they will never perform better unless we make changes. This race is about bringing effective change. It begins by helping our teachers with the tools they need. Our employees must also work in a less stressful environment that builds a better educational culture. When our staff has everything they need, our children will succeed. As a former school board member, I took on the issues that kept our schools in terrible shape. In 2001, we returned from state receivership and took local control -we rolled up our sleeves and got down and dirty. We worked as a community. From our Board, to the teachers, the administrators, the employees, parents, students and the unions, all sectors were included and appreciated. We transformed Compton schools, meeting and surpassing what guidelines were set before us. We even build the first new school in 35 years: William Jefferson Clinton Elementary School. We succeeded because we all worked for a better education. I ask for your support and confidence in this very important race. We made Compton Schools a great place for our teachers, students, parents, employees and the community before, now let's do it Again!
Barbara Calhoun[23] |
” |
| —Barbara Calhoun (2015)[25] | ||
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Compton City Council Barbara Calhoun, "Home," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ Smart Voter, "Full Biography for Barbara Jean Calhoun: Candidate for Governing Board Member; Compton Unified School District," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Candidate List: Local And Municipal Consolidated Elections 11/7/2017," accessed August 12, 2017 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "candidates" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Local and Municipal Consolidated Elections," accessed November 8, 2017
- ↑ Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Campaign Finance Reports," accessed July 2, 2014
- ↑ Daniel Anderson, “Email communication with Brenda Duran, Los Angeles County Public Information Officer," October 7, 2016
- ↑ Abbey Smith, “Email communication with Brenda Duran, Los Angeles County Public Information Officer," January 2, 2018
- ↑ Los Angeles County Democratic Party, "Endorsements," accessed October 25, 2017
- ↑ Evolve, "Endorsements: November 7, 2017 General Election," accessed October 25, 2017
- ↑ Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, “2015 Scheduled Elections,” accessed January 27, 2015
- ↑ Compton Unified School District, "Board Members," accessed January 27, 2015
- ↑ A Better Compton, "Your Candidates for a Better Compton School District," accessed October 15, 2015
- ↑ Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "NOVEMBER 03, 2015 - LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL CONSOLIDATED ELECTIONS: Semi-Final Official Election Returns," accessed November 4, 2015
- ↑ Abbey Smith, "Phone communication with Charles Davis," October 20, 2015
- ↑ Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Final List of Qualified Candidates," September 1, 2015
- ↑ Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Campaign Finance Reports," accessed July 2, 2014
- ↑ Daniel Anderson, “Email communication with Brenda Duran, Los Angeles County Public Information Officer," October 7, 2016
- ↑ Abbey Smith, “Email communication with Brenda Duran, Los Angeles County Public Information Officer," January 2, 2018
- ↑ Smart Voter, "Additional Endorsements for Barbara Jean Calhoun: Candidate for Governing Board Member; Compton Unified School District," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ Los Angeles County Democratic Party, "Endorsements," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, "Endorsements," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ Evolve, "2015 Endorsements: November 03, 2015 Election," accessed October 16, 2015
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2015, "Barbara Calhoun responses," September 18, 2015
- ↑ Smart Voter, "Political Philosophy for Barbara Jean Calhoun: Candidate for Governing Board Member; Compton Unified School District," accessed October 16, 2015
