BC Doyle worked for Gilroy schools for 30 years and now in retirement wants to help make policy and move the school district forward.
A former Navy SEAL who served in Vietnam, he is one of a trio of candidates actively seeking three seats on the Gilroy Unified School District Board of Trustees. A fourth, Paul Nadeau, withdrew from the contest but his name is on the ballot.
The election comes at a time when trustees are poised to begin $170 million in Measure E building projects, are struggling with somewhat improved but still lackluster test scores and are battling a lawsuit over the district’s decision in 2014 to not fire a teacher now accused of sexual misconduct that targeted students.
Doyle’s is the first of three profiles the Dispatch will run before the Nov. 8 election. The others are incumbents James Pace and Mark Good.
Each candidate was asked to respond to three questions. Each was given a 700-word limit but could submit less, as did Doyle.
Doyle, 67, worked for 15 years each in the district’s maintenance and food services departments. A father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he was born and raised in Michigan and has lived in Gilroy 32 years.
Doyle is a former union president, vice president and shop steward of the Gilroy chapter of the California School Employees Association.
His wife, daughter-in-law and a granddaughter are GUSD employees. He has a grandson at Gilroy High School and a great-grandchild in the district’s pre-K program.
Asked why he is running, he said, “I figure with 30 years of experience working with the school district I could add a new voice and new views on how things are going and keep the district running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.”
Here are the questions posed to each candidate and Doyle’s responses:
DISPATCH: What are some of your specific goals if elected and how would you achieve them? Please discuss your three top priority goals.
DOYLE: I believe that overcrowding, low wages, and deferred maintenance should be and are priorities. The district has already passed a bond to build new schools, now the district needs to staff the new schools with skilled and trained staff. The district needs to find ways to offer a living wage so our staff can and will want stay in Gilroy. The district has already passed a bond to bring two of the older middle schools up to par. If elected, I would do what I can to ensure that all monies are spent to ensure the district gets what it pays for.
GUSD has been successful in passing bond measures to improve facilities but arguably has been less successful in student test results. While at or near state averages and showing some improvement, in almost all categories Gilroy’s scores are below minimum state standards. What will you do to improve test scores? While attending school board meetings I have heard and seen that the district has several programs already in motion. Test scores are always a priority and the district is always looking at ways to improve test scores. As a board member I will do what I can [to make sure] every effort is taken to always improve test scores.
Gilroy’s public charter school, Gilroy Prep, has consistently been one of the highest scoring schools in the state in key categories. Should GP’s methods be mandatory in all GUSD elementary schools, and why or why not?
I am not sure Gilroy Prep’s methods are different from GUSD. Gilroy Prep has lower overhead due to the fact they use GUSD facilities and receive monies from GUSD. They are allowed to have smaller class sizes and can choose their students. GUSD must take all students no matter how it impacts class size and school overcrowding. By being able to have lower class sizes GP teachers can spend more time helping each student. GUSD teachers can have over 30 students per class.
