GUHSD Trustees targeted librarian based on personal campaign donation

Independent investigation shows Kelly, Shield, Woods, and Eckert violated public trust

On June 13, 2025, reporters at The San Diego Union-Tribune broke a shocking piece of news.

Their investigation into the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) Governing Board revealed that the elected Trustees discussed district business through secret text messages and emails for at least a year. [Read full article]

According to the article:

In private messages obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune via public records request, a select group of trustees and their advisers arranged for allies to be named to key positions and plotted against administrators they believed disloyal.

This inner circle was led largely by a man named Jerry Hobbs, a former Grossmont teacher who was disciplined seven years ago for allegedly making dozens of offensive comments to students and staff.

Since at least the spring of last year, trustees relied on Hobbs — who was not a district employee at the time — for intel, advice and directions to help guide their decision-making in matters of district business, including budget planning, curriculum, union relations and administrator hiring, records show.

*“GW” or Trustee Gary C. Woods discussed school board plans in one text thread that also include Trustee Jim Kelly, as well as lawyer John W. Howard and Jerry Hobbs.*

*Jerry Hobbs plans for layoffs (“RIFs”). Trustees Jim Kelly and Gary C. Woods agree.*

The revelations don’t stop there. The San Diego Union-Tribune has now published an archive of Trustee text messages and emails.

Legal ramifications for the Trustees

Some secret text threads included four Trustees: Jim Kelly, Robert Shield, Gary C. Woods, and Scott Eckert. Having this number (four out of five) of Trustees on a private text thread is illegal. California’s Brown Act requires local agencies, including school boards, to follow to a set of rules so that government officials are not meeting in secret.

*This text thread is from Trustee Jim Kelly’s phone, and the conversation includes Trustees Robert Shield, Gary C. Woods, and Scott Eckert.*

The Brown Act states safeguards the public’s right to be informed of official business and the right to comment on matters that affect their community.

As the Union-Tribune explains:

The Brown Act prohibits serial meetings, or discussions among a majority of trustees outside of a properly noticed public board meeting.

Serial meetings can take place in person or virtually, such as via text messages and emails. But they can also occur when two trustees talk with each other about a topic, then one of the trustees continues the conversation with a third trustee, eventually comprising a majority.

By including a majority of Trustees on private messages, these elected officials violated public trust—and they appear to have violated California law.

But the story gets worse. By targeting an employee for layoffs, the Trustees may have also violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

A potential First Amendment violation

The Trustees singled out an individual librarian who gave a small personal donation to Scott Eckert’s campaign opponent. This librarian also served as the Vice President of the Grossmont Education Association (GEA), so the Trustees refer to her as “GEA VP” in their messages.

*This message was obtained from a Trustee’s cell phone. The sender’s name (who sent the finance document screenshot) was omitted.*

The text messages include a screenshot from a 2024 campaign finance document. The document shows that “GEA VP” made a $100 donation to Trustee Scott Eckert’s political opponent.

An unidentified sender points out that “the GEA VP gave him [Eckert’s opponent] $100.” This sender then tells the group:

“Hopefully when it comes time to RIF the librarians Rob [Trustee Robert Shield] will keep this in mind.”

Jerry Hobbs replies:

“He has/will”

The term “RIF” stands for “reduction in force.” Following these text messages, Robert Shield voted to eliminate this librarian’s position, ignoring months of public comments urging the opposite. Shield was joined in that vote by Kelly, Woods, and Eckert.

In the text messages, the librarian’s campaign donation was clearly noted as a reason for her “RIF.” The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that campaign contributions are a form of “free speech” protected by the First Amendment.

If that weren’t enough, California’s Labor Code 1101 also prevents employers from controlling the political activities of their employees.

California’s Labor Code 1101 states: “No employer shall make, adopt, or enforce any rule, regulation, or policy — Controlling or directing or tending to control or direct the political activities or affiliations of employees.”

So what can we do?

East County needs a school board that is focused on supporting students. We don’t need elected officials who hide their plans from the community and taken unethical actions against employees.

We must remove these Trustees from office. To do so, we are relying on community support and volunteers. Please visit our Upcoming Events page and consider attending our “Petitions in the Park” event on Sunday, June 29. You can also address the Trustees directly at the next GUHSD Governing Board Meeting on July 17 @ 6 PM, in the Grossmont High School Event Centre.

If you are registered to vote in Trustee Scott Eckert’s Area (see map) you can now sign the Eckert Recall Petition. Learn how

Please spread the word: Our students deserve better.