Gregg Robinson

Gregg Robinson is a member of the San Diego County Board of Education in California, representing District 1. He assumed office on December 11, 2020. His current term ends on December 8, 2028.

Robinson ran for re-election to the San Diego County Board of Education to represent District 1 in California. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

Gregg Robinson was born in Long Beach, California. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego in 1984. Robinson's career experience includes working as a sociology professor, as a principal investigator, as a research advisor, as a reviewer with the Sociology Section of the National Science Foundation, and as a survey research project director. He has served as a president with the Labor Democrat Club, as an associate member with the San Diego County Democratic Central Committee, as an Assembly District Election Meeting delegate, as a board member with the Voluntary Employees Benefit Association, and as a vice-chairperson and as a chairperson with the Affordable Housing Coalition of San Diego. Robinson received an Activist of the Year award from Empower San Diego in 2009 and he received a merit award for Merit Award for Outstanding Housing Advocate from the San Diego Housing Federation.^[1]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for San Diego County Board of Education District 1

Incumbent Gregg Robinson won election in the general election for San Diego County Board of Education District 1 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Gregg Robinson (Nonpartisan)	100.0	198,977

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 198,977
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Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Gregg Robinson advanced from the primary for San Diego County Board of Education District 1.

Endorsements

Robinson received the following endorsements.

San Diego County Democratic Party

2020

General election

General election for San Diego County Board of Education District 1

Gregg Robinson defeated incumbent Mark Powell in the general election for San Diego County Board of Education District 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Gregg Robinson (Nonpartisan)	59.5	166,670
		Mark Powell (Nonpartisan)	40.5	113,239

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 279,909
= 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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Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Mark Powell and Gregg Robinson advanced from the primary for San Diego County Board of Education District 1.

Endorsements

To view Robinson's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

2016

See also: Municipal elections in San Diego County, California (2016)

Mark Powell defeated incumbent Gregg Robinson in the San Diego County Office of Education District 1 primary election.^[2]

San Diego County Office of Education, District 1 Primary Election, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Mark Powell	51.87%	67,827
Gregg Robinson Incumbent	48.13%	62,944
Total Votes		130,771
Source: San Diego County Registrar of Voters, "2016 Primary Election Results," accessed September 12, 2016

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Gregg Robinson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Gregg Robinson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Robinson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have seen what education is able to do to improve the lives of our children. I am a product of that promise of education, coming from a working class family and having to work my way through school. I have spent my life in education. I have taught in the K-12, Community College, and University systems. As the first in my family to go to college, I am proud of having earned not only a Bachelor's degree but also a PhD in the sociology of education from the University of California at San Diego. I have taught at San Diego Unified, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and served as the Chair of the Behavioral Science Department at Grossmont College. I have conducted research into the impact of poverty on students and published in this area. I am proud of having been elected to the County Board of Education in 2012 (serving as president 2015- 2016). I have a proven track record of fiscal responsibility: while on the Board I was often the lone vote against raising high paid administrators' salaries. Over the years I have served on numerous community organizations (See Below).

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I believe we should prioritize the classroom, and focus on the WHOLE child. Less emphasis should be placed on testing and MORE emphasis on the social and emotional needs of children. Children, parents, and teachers are the heart of education, not tests.
The County educates the most vulnerable children in our community (homeless children, foster youth, children with disabilities, etc.) and I will make sure these children are the top priority of the Board of Education
I also believe we should responsibly manage County educational spending. Teachers, counselors, and staff should be prioritized for spending, not administrators.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I believe education is a right of every American, and one that has become too difficult to achieve for too many. Our society is riven by racism, sexism, and growing economic inequality, making access to higher education a distant dream for many of our children We live in a time when evidence, science, and facts have become denigrated by some of our top leaders. This is dangerous at any time, but particularly so given our current crises. It is unfortunate that this disregard for facts has filtered down to our school systems, and I am dedicated to fighting against it. I believe in evidence-driven school reform, and the evidence demonstrates that the attempt to "privatize" education is the last thing we need. Too many of our children are struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic to maintain educational continuity. Our public schools desperately need MORE money to protect and educate these children, and we cannot afford to spend these scarce public dollars on private schools and educational vouchers.

I also believe traditional public schools need to be held accountable as well. We must innovate and provide the highest quality education for every child in our community. Teachers and other school employees are not enemies of this innovation, but the means through which we must accomplish it. Research tells us that the most important contributor to a child's education that a school can control is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. Unfortunately, our teachers a

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Martin Luther King Jr. He was not afraid to stand up for principles even when they were unpopular. We now remember him as a martyr and a Civil Rights leader, but he also opposed the war in Viet Nam and stood up for both racial and social justice. These latter stands were not always popular, but King said his moral values demanded that he speak out.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Here is a link to a list of the writing I have done over the years that demonstrates my political philosophy: https://www.grobinson4countyboarded.com/research_publications

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty.

Empathy.
Intelligence.
Hard Work.
Preparation.

Concern for the most vulnerable

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I believe education is a right of every American, and one that has become too difficult to achieve for too many. Our society is riven by racism, sexism, and growing economic inequality, making access to quality education all the more important-BUT increasingly difficult for too many. I have spent my life in education, and I have seen how education improves the lives of our citizens. I am a product of that promise of education as the first in my family to graduate from college. I have committed myself to providing those educational opportunities for all our children.

I Oppose Privatizing Public Education

I oppose the privatization of public education that is being funded by right-wing billionaires. Some of these efforts are transparently bad for our children: vouchers, attacks on teacher organizations, the undermining of local control of education, the defunding of our public schools. Other initiatives are more complicated, especially charter schools. Charter schools are public institutions that operate like private schools. The best research tells us that some of these schools are good and some are bad. We need someone with a background in education to be able to reward the former and get rid of the latter. I have that kind of background.

I Support TRUE Educational Reforms

I also believe traditional public schools need to be held accountable as well. We must innovate and provide the highest quality education for every child in our community. Teachers and other school employees are not enemies of this innovation, but the means through which we will accomplish it. Research tells us that the most important contributor to a child's education that a school can control is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. Unfortunately, our teachers and other school employees are too often underpaid and underappreciated. The countries with the best educational outcomes such as Finland, Japan, and Singapore are those that honor and fairly compensate g

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. I was in L.A. when Bobby was murdered, and I was 18.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked my way through university. My first job was as a wiper (a kind of janitor in the engine room on board freighters and passenger ships). This was a unionized job and it paid enough that I could save enough money to get through college for a year by working during the summer. My father had been in the U.S. Navy during the Second World War and then he worked in the U.S. Merchant Marine following World War II. He got me a union card when I graduated from high school, and I shipped out. I had this job for two years, but I shipped out only during the summers so that I could continue my education.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughter House Five.

It is a book in which Vonnegut demonstrates his "Twainesque" sense of humor and his political commitments. He shows that a writer can be sympathetic without being maudlin; progressive without being ideological; and insightful without being egotistical.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

When I was a child my family went through a period of homelessness. My parents had a problem with alcohol and we were living in and out of motels (which we often left without paying ). At this point I was taken in by another family, where I lived for a year as my parents got their lives together through Alcoholics Anonymous.

During this period I struggled to get good grades in school. This did not always happen, but I was grateful when I got a B instead of a C. I was particularly appreciative of the family that took me in. They gave me the support and understanding that my own parents could not provide at that point. The mother of that family took me aside and told me she knew how hard school was for me, but she knew I was bright and I could succeed if I just kept at it. That made the world of difference to me. Those Cs more regularly became Bs, and eventually As.

As a child, I was never able to thank that family for what they did for me, I was too embarrassed. I am now committed in my teaching to provide that kind of help to my students. It is that old notion of not "paying back", but of "paying forward" to which I am committed. That is also why I am running for the school board.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

First, to be knowledgeable about the issues affecting education-both current and historical. Second, to put the interests of children and their education above politics and personal interests. Third, to recognize how social factors outside of schools (racism, poverty, homelessness, inequality, etc) affect education. Finally, to let science and research always guide decisions about what policies to pursue.

Who are your constituents?

Children in general and the most vulnerable children in particular. (English language learners, foster youth, homeless children, etc.) Next are parents, communities, and educational workers (both teachers and classified staff).

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

By reaching out to ALL of these groups and soliciting their input into any decisions the board makes. By being active in community organizations linked to these groups, as I have all my life. My son is an inter-racial adoptee, and I have gone out of my way to provide him the social and cultural contacts of his heritage. I would want to do the same thing for every child in the county.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

I will NOT wait for them to seek me out, but rather reach out to parents and the wider community. I am particularly concerned with outreach to organizations seeking educational reform, racial and social justice, religious organizations concerned about poverty , and community organizations seeking criminal justice reform,.

What will you do to build a better relationship with parents in the district? What plans do you have to be inclusive of parental involvement?

I believe the county board should regularly hold meetings to invite parent participation. These meetings should not merely invite, but solicit participation. That is, phone calls, messages sent home with children , email messages, and even snail mail invitations should be sent out. But even this is not enough. Board members should regularly go out to the community and discuss education at church meetings, community events (festivals, graduation ceremonies, etc.), and club meetings. We should be seen as regular participants anywhere that parents and families get together. Finally, the county office should regularly survey family members in regards to their concerns not merely for education , but for their wider interest in the emotional and social well being of their children. Without these regular surveys, we tend to only hear from the most active and involved parents.

Do you believe it is important to intentionally recruit with the aim of diversifying the district’s faculty, staff, and administration? If so, what would be your policy to achieve this?

Yes, I absolutely do believe this. This means not merely pushing initiatives to diversify hiring of county employees, but provide services to help other school districts do the same. Most crucially this is in provision of education of our English language learners but other poorly served children as well. I would demand that the board receive regular reports on the diversity of our current workforce and how successful are current plans to diversify. I would want to see specific goals set to achieve a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and the needs of our children. This inlcudes not merely racial diversity, but LGBTQ, disability, and immigrant issues as well.

I have a proven record of implementing these kinds of pro-diversity policies. While chair of the Behavioral Science department at Grossmont college I made sure that our hiring brought in more women, teachers of color, and members of the LGBTQ community . While serving on the VEBA board I have pushed to diversity not merely of the direct employes of VEBA (the healthcare association that purchases healthcare for many of the school districts in our county), but of the providers we contract with

What issues get in the way of quality education? How would you address these obstacles?

I Oppose Privatizing Public Education

I oppose the privatization of public education that is being funded by right-wing billionaires. Some of these efforts are transparently bad for our children: vouchers, attacks on teacher organizations, the undermining of local control of education, the defunding of our public schools. Other initiatives are more complicated, especially charter schools. Charter schools are public institutions that operate like private schools. The best research tells us that some of these schools are good and some are bad. We need someone with a background in education to be able to reward the former and get rid of the latter. I have that kind of background.

I Support TRUE Educational Reforms

I also believe traditional public schools need to be held accountable as well. We must innovate and provide the highest quality education for every child in our community. Teachers and other school employees are not enemies of this innovation, but the means through which we will accomplish it. Research tells us that the most important contributor to a child's education that a school can control is the quality of the teacher in the class room. Unfortunately, our teachers and other school employees are too often underpaid and underappreciated. The countries with the best educational outcomes such as Finland, Japan, and Singapore are those that honor and fairly compensate quality teachers. I am dedicated to making sure that every child in our community gets that kind of quality teacher.

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

Good teaching involves the complex interaction between a student and a teacher that can NOT be reduced to a simple formula. Obviously at teacher must be prepared and knowledgeable in the subject matter that s/he teaches. But good teaching goes way beyond this. It involves empathy and a willingness to understand a child's emotional, social , AND cultural needs. Our children must be mentored and supported-not merely taught facts, but taught how to learn and how to ENJOY learning. We need teachers who are able to address the diverse needs and interests of a child. The arts, music, civics, physical education, sports , and moral values are all part of the emotional and intellectual growth of a child.

I will be able to support this kind of high-quality teaching because I have done research in this area and because I keep up on the latest literature. More importantly, I will be able to push for advanced teaching techniques because I have spent my life in education and have regularly evaluated other teachers as part of my responsibilities as both a faculty member and as chair of my department.

What type of skills should students be learning for success in the 21st century?

Students need the technical knowledge so important in a high-tech/ bio-tech community like our own. But more importantly is learning how to be creative and flexible in problem solving. We need to teach children how to be adaptable to a rapidly changing economy and how to be self-motivated learners.

However, we also need to recognize not all children will go onto college. We need to train students in the vocational skills that are in high demand. Because I have extensive connection in the building trades, I plan on creating links to apprenticeship programs that already exist.

How might you improve the value of a high school diploma? What should a 21st century diploma reflect?

The value of that diploma should be measured in more than dollars and cents. Yes, we want our children prepared to enter college or the workforce upon graduation, but we also want them ready to become good citizens and responsible parents. In this era of information overload we need them to be critical consumers of information; we want them to know how to lead a healthy lifestyle.

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

As I indicated above, I strongly support technical training and especially apprenticeship programs.

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

I support proportions like Prop 15 today and Proposition 30 in the past.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

"A reliance on school police is ineffective to creating better conditions of learning and safety for students."UCLA Study on LA School Police

Numerous academic studies have found that the presence of police on campus turns normal adolescent behavior into criminal violations.  This police presence is particularly tragic when children as young as 9, according to the UCLA study above, are given arrest records.  According to this UCLA study, 1 in 4 charges by LA Unified School Police were of elementary or middle school students!  There is no better way to insure that there will be a flood of children into the "school to prison pipeline" than to criminalize the behavior of children who are so young.    Equally disturbing, this criminalization of student behavior has racial implications.  Monique Morris in her book Pushout, for example, has shown that police on campus has led to disproportionate arrest rates of adolescent African-American girls.

Instead, there are more effective programs to reduce school discipline problems that avoid the risk of criminalizing student behavior. Restorative Justice programs have proven effective in other countries, and, while research into effectiveness of these programs in this country is too recent to draw hard conclusions, they are promising. One of the most rigorous studies performed by the RAND corporation found that these programs were particularly effective at reducing discipline disparities based on race and positively contributed to school climate. A meta-analysis of these programs nationwide by WestEd found "(Restorative Justice) may have positive effects across several outcomes related to discipline, attendance, graduation, (school) climate, and culture.".

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

By first admitting these concerns for mental health are essential to a quality education. Too much of what passes for "reform" over the last few years has focused on tests, tests, test. This means we have lost sight of the needs of the WHOLE child. We need funding not merely for more technology, but more psychologists, social workers, and school nurses!

What role do you imagine technology playing in (and outside) the classroom in the future? How would you prepare the district for this?

Technology, yes is important but it should NOT overshadow those emotional needs mentioned in the previous question. We will need flexible learners who are not merely prepared for today's technology, but for tomorrow's. We will need apprenticeships and internships now and in the future, but these should not merely be in high- and bio-tech, but also in social , cultural, and community organizations.

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Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 13, 2020
↑ San Diego County Registrar of Voters, "Primary Election Candidate List," accessed September 8, 2016

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 13, 2020

[2] San Diego County Registrar of Voters, "Primary Election Candidate List," accessed September 8, 2016

[1]

[2]

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Gregg Robinson

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for San Diego County Board of Education District 1

Nonpartisan primary election

Endorsements

2020

General election

General election for San Diego County Board of Education District 1

Nonpartisan primary election

Endorsements

2016

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

2020

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

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Public Policy

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