Modesto City Schools trustee stepping down to attend law school

Modesto City Schools trustee Jordan Dickson will head to law school this fall, resigning his post, effective Aug. 21.

“It was a very difficult decision to make, but it is the right time for me to do this,” Dickson said by email Friday. He will attend Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

“I continue to care deeply about this city and especially about its children. So, I will be back one day, I promise,” he said.

His plan at this point, he said, “is to continue working with children, but as a legal advocate for youth caught up in the system.”

Dickson, 25, was elected to a two-year post in November 2013. His seat is up for election this year, and he said the board likely will not appoint a trustee in the interim.

“Given the time frame, it makes sense to let the standard election fill my vacated seat,” he said.

Though one of the junior members of the board, Dickson was an active participant, often referring to research he had done or parents and staff he had spoken to on the topic when asking questions of presenters.

“Jordan brought a wise yet youthful perspective to the board. His passion for the well-being of all of our students was the driving force behind all of his decisions. I will truly miss him,” Superintendent Pam Able said Friday.

Reached by email, board President Amy Neumann called him “a hardworking and insightful board member,” and wished him well.

“Jordan added a younger slant to the board discussions. He did a good job while he was on the board,” said board Vice President Steve Grenbeaux.

“He will be missed,” said trustee David Allan, calling Dickson “an invaluable, intelligent presence” on the board.

Cindy Marks, the most veteran trustee, said Dickson is the youngest board member she has worked with in 18 years on the board.

“I really appreciate and admire how well he fit right in with the board. He is considerate, hardworking and has had the perfect comment at the right moment. He has brought great insights into our decisions and discussion,” Marks said.

Dickson was a Modesto role model, said Desiree Romo, the newest member of the board. “Jordan is an exemplary example of Modesto City Schools’ graduates who continue to lead by example,” she said.

But he saw it the other way around, Dickson said Friday. “We have a resilient, tough, hardworking group of 27,000 kids who are going to shock the world with all that they will accomplish,” he said.

Dickson, who mentored local students and also coached youth teams, repeatedly brought up at meetings his concerns for at-risk youths. He spoke forcefully for buying impact-monitoring helmets when the topic arose in June, and in January he supported expanded employee training on cultural differences.

“(Kids) don’t come from the same place or respond in the same way,” he said at the time. Though usually voting with the majority, he cast the lone vote for a proposed charter school based on Waldorf principles, saying it offered parents another option.

Dickson came on the board in 2013 in the election to fill the seat of Cathy Hallinan, who resigned nine months into her four-year term. Stacie Morales filled the seat by appointment, but did not run in 2013.

This year, the seat is one of three four-year terms up for election. Neumann and Grenbeaux have filed to run for re-election. Chad Brown, a past Sylvan board member, and John P. Walker, a Modesto resident, have also declared their candidacies.

This story was originally published August 7, 2015 at 9:04 AM with the headline "Modesto City Schools trustee stepping down to attend law school."