● GUHSD Board of Trustees · Area 3 · November 2026

She’s been fighting for these schools for 25 years.

Jeneé Littrell grew up here. Raised her daughters here. Her grandchildren will attend these schools. When the board voted to fire your child’s librarian and eliminate school safety — she decided enough was enough.

“I attended school here, and today I see our schools through my daughters’ eyes — they’re teachers right here in East County.”

Why I’m Running
See Gary Woods’ Record

“I will bring that same commitment, experience, and accountability to the board.”

Jeneé Littrell · Candidate, GUHSD Board Area 3

School Safety Dept eliminated — Woods voted yes, May 2024

91 staff laid off — teachers, librarians, counselors

Recall effort underway against board majority

Election: November 3, 2026

25+

YEARS IN GUHSD

1999

FOUNDED CAMP LEAD

2001

SANTANA RESPONSE TEAM

2014

DOJ CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

4+

GRANDCHILDREN IN GUHSD

— Why I’m Running

Our children deserve a board that puts classrooms first.

Our schools should be safe, supportive, and focused on preparing every student for what comes next. Instead, the board majority voted to eliminate the School Safety Department, lay off 91 staff — teachers, librarians, counselors, psychologists — and then created a costly new Chief of Staff position while refusing to reinstate those jobs.

I am not a career politician. I’m a community member who attended these schools, raised my daughters here, and has four grandchildren who will grow up in these same classrooms. This is personal.

Taxpayer dollars belong in the classroom — not in avoidable legal settlements, not in backroom deals, and not in political agendas that have nothing to do with students.

Read My Full Story
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Gary Woods’ Voting Record
Area 3 Incumbent Since 2008

Eliminated School Safety Department

VOTED YES · MAY 2024 · 3–2

The entire School Safety Dept was disbanded — director ousted, infrastructure dismantled. A trustee who helped rebuild after Santana voted to gut the systems that protect students.

Laid Off 91 Staff — Refused to Reinstate

VOTED YES · SPRING 2025

49 credentialed teachers, 9 librarians, counselors, and psychologists received pink slips. When the community rallied, the board refused to second a motion to rescind.

Secret Texts & Ghost Candidates

REPORTED · SD UNION-TRIBUNE · 2025

Board business conducted in private texts, a policy-bypassing Chief of Staff hire, and alleged “ghost” candidates engineered to split the vote in the 2024 election.

New Chief of Staff While Cutting Teachers

VOTED YES · FEB 2025 — BOARD POLICIES BYPASSED

After laying off teachers, the majority created a costly new administrative position — bypassing every standard hiring policy and board bylaw to do it.

Sources: East County Magazine · Recall the Trustees · San Diego Union-Tribune

— School Safety

She was there when Santana happened. She built what came after.

In 2001, Jeneé was working inside GUHSD when a student opened fire at Santana High School — two students killed, thirteen wounded. She didn’t just mourn. She helped build the district’s first Family Resource Center, creating the support infrastructure that kept families connected to schools in crisis.

That same board majority voted to eliminate the entire School Safety Department in 2024. Gary Woods voted yes.

“True safety requires leadership, preparation, and systems that protect every student and staff member. I have built those systems before. I will build them again.”

Jeneé Littrell

2001

Built GUHSD’s First Family Resource Center

Created in direct response to the Santana High School shooting — connecting families to support and counseling during a community crisis.

2014

Department of Justice, OJJDP Administrator Missing Children’s Citizen Award

Named Citizen of the Year by the U.S. Dept. of Justice and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for her work protecting vulnerable students.

2014

Co-Authored Federal School Safety Guidance

Co-wrote “Human Trafficking in America’s Schools” with the U.S. Dept. of Education — the first national guide of its kind for school systems nationwide.

1999–Present

Founded Camp LEAD

Built a student leadership program from the ground up that has served youth across San Diego County for over 25 years.

— A Classroom-First Platform

Five priorities. One focus.

Restore Professionalism & Transparency

Every vote in the light. No private text threads, no secret agendas, no backroom deals. Open, accountable governance.

Classroom-First Budgeting

Every financial decision measured against one question: does this help students and teachers in the classroom?

Restore School Safety

Rebuild the safety infrastructure that was dismantled. Every school, every student, properly protected.

Restore Student Support

Bring back librarians, counselors, and instructional staff. These are essentials — not luxuries, not line items to cut.

Fiscal Accountability

Taxpayer dollars spent on students — not legal settlements, political projects, or administrative vanity positions.

“I have spent my career stepping up for students when it matters most — from testifying before the U.S. Senate on child safety, to building the programs that protected our most vulnerable kids. I will bring that same commitment and accountability to the board.”

Jeneé Littrell · Candidate, GUHSD Board of Trustees · Area 3

— Community Roots

This isn’t political. It’s personal.

Jeneé attended schools in this community. She raised her daughters here — both of whom became teachers right here in East County. She has four grandchildren, with another on the way, who will grow up in these same classrooms.

Fletcher Hills, La Mesa, El Cajon — these aren’t campaign stops. They’re home. Jeneé has spent her life in this community and in these schools because she believes a strong school district is the foundation of a strong community.

She holds two Master’s degrees and dual educational credentials — a PPS and an ASC. She knows how school districts work from the inside. And she knows exactly what this one has lost.

Meet Jeneé

A community is fighting back — and Jeneé is part of that effort.

A formal recall effort is underway against Gary Woods and three other GUHSD trustees, backed by parents, teachers, and community members who have packed board meetings for over a year. The board majority has been the subject of San Diego Union-Tribune investigations into private texts, policy violations, and alleged ghost candidates in the 2024 election. Read the full record →

Ready to help take back our schools?

Volunteer, donate, or simply spread the word. Every conversation in Area 3 between now and November 3rd matters.

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