Candidates backed by local Democrats won two seats on the North East ISD school board Saturday night, once again shutting out conservatives in a district that has struggled with partisan divides.
Trustees Diane Sciba Villarreal and Marsha Landry were both elected with the help of conservative groups in 2022 — now the high-water mark for right-leaning education PACs that haven’t found traction in Bexar County since.
On Saturday, Sciba Villarreal lost her District 3 reelection race to accountant Michael Adam Wulczyn, who had the backing of the North East Bexar County Democrats, 41% to 59%.
Landry didn’t seek reelection to her District 7 seat, but longtime Democratic congressional staffer Caprice Garcia beat out realtor Cheryl “Cheri” Ann Ettinger, who was recruited for the race by conservative state Rep. Marc LaHood (R-San Antonio), 67% to 33%.
“I think that people have realized that our schools are not a place for political agenda,” Garcia said of the results Saturday night. “It’s been refreshing to hear from people from both sides of the aisle … that they’re more concerned with the health of our school districts and with our classrooms.”
In an overall low-turnout election, the raw vote totals were incredibly small, with 801 ballots cast in the District 3 race and 1,104 cast in the District 7 race.
Of all the independent school districts serving Bexar County, none have battled with the effects of national and state politics on local classrooms — particularly around issues like parent choice and book bans — more than North East ISD.
After a trustee died in 2023, the remaining six members were split evenly between those backed by local Democrats and parent-teacher groups, and those backed by conservative groups trying to replicate the success they’ve had across North Texas.
The factions locked horns frequently, but with five seats on the ballot last year, conservatives were shut out across the board.
This year campaign finance reports indicated that teachers’ unions and Democratic groups dominated the spending in these races. The North East Bexar County Democrats even hired a campaign field director to organize voters around the school board races.
A conservative Parents United for Freedom PAC that’s been involved in past NEISD races folded before this election cycle, but the Republican Party of Bexar County backed both Sciba Villarreal and Ettinger.
Meet the newcomers
Garcia, 55, is a Houston native whose three children all graduated from NEISD schools, and her youngest will be starting her freshman year at Madison High School next year.
She spent much of her career working for Houston Democrat Gene Green when he was in both the Texas Legislature and in Congress, before becoming a stay-at-home parent.
Garcia told the San Antonio Report she’ll put her political experience to use on the board, saying in her voter guide questionnaire that as Texas “continues to pass legislation that is harmful to public schools and our district … I will continue to communicate with our elected officials sharing how their decisions are affecting our district and fight for fully funded public education.”
She’s a longtime PTA mom who also went through the Leadership North East program that trains interested residents for potential future leadership positions.
Wulczyn is a U.S. Navy veteran and NEISD parent with advanced degrees in computer science, public administration, public health and social justice.
“The voters have spoken,” he said Saturday night. “Tonight they chose a future rooted in accountability and academic excellence. I have a deep respect for the dedication it takes to serve and I’m eager to move forward and work with my fellow board members to keep NEISD a premier place to learn and grow.”
