By John Glidden

The atmosphere was thick with tension during the Vallejo City Unified School District Board of Education meeting Wednesday night as the board decided, defined and attempted to set the parameters to fill a vacancy on the board.

The board eventually disclosed the names of six candidates who applied for the vacancy – Brenda Crawford, Ruscal Cayangyang, Hazel Wilson, Blance Groves Vaughn, Shelee Loughmiller, and Julian Vaughn – and set a date of Jan. 21 for filling the vacancy, but not before much debate ensued.

The vacancy occurred when trustee-elect Richard Porter failed to take the oath of office during the board’s organizational meeting on Dec. 14.

Porter — who filed candidacy papers in August — suspended his campaign in early September to teach mathematics and science at the Mare Island Health & Fitness Academy. Despite halting his campaign, more than 7,000 Vallejo voters placed him second out of three available seats.

via Five submit applications to fill Vallejo school board vacancy.