Brea Olinda Unified Board Seeks Applicants for Vacancy
Trustees voted to vacate the Trustee Area 4 seat after its occupant missed 3 meetings following his arrest.
The Brea Olinda Unified School District Board of Education is seeking applicants to be appointed to the board to fulfill the term of former trustee Christopher Becerra, Ed.D., who was arrested in 2025.
At the board’s March 5 meeting, trustees voted 4-0 in favor of a resolution to vacate Dr. Becerra’s seat representing Trustee Area 4 stating he ceased “to discharge the duties of his office for three consecutive months” since Nov. 6, 2025. Board President Carrie Flanders explained that Dr. Becerra had not provided the district with a reason for his absence from three consecutive board meetings.
The move comes after Dr. Becerra, a former employee of the BOUSD, longtime educator, and district parent, was arrested by the Brea Police Department December 18, 2025. He is accused of possessing child pornography, annoying or molesting a child, falsifying evidence, and other charges. Dr. Becerra’s case is still being reviewed by the Orange County District Attorney’s office, according to spokesperson Kimberly Edds. Spotlight Schools has attempted to contact Dr. Becerra but we have been unable to reach him.
Details for Applicants
The BOUSD is seeking qualified applicants to serve on the board based on requirements outlined in California Education Code section 35107. An applicant must be at least 18 years of age, a registered voter, a resident of Brea in Trustee Area 4, and be a citizen of California.
Anyone interested must download the application and turn in the completed form in person to the superintendent’s office located at 1 Civic Center Circle, Level II in Brea by 4 p.m. on Friday, March 27.
Questions on the application include: “Please describe how as a Trustee you would maintain a focus on maximizing the academic success of each student” and “What about this District motivates you to apply for the position?”
BOUSD Superintendent Brinda C. Leon is scheduled to hold informational meetings for qualified candidates on April 13 at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the district office. According to the application, board trustees will interview qualified candidates for the vacant seat during a Special Board Meeting on April 20. At that meeting, the board will consider making a provisional appointment. The selected candidate will serve the remainder of the current term, which ends on December 14, 2026.
The seat for Trustee Area 4 is also scheduled to be on the ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election. The filing period for candidates seeking to run in that election opens in July, according to the O.C. Registrar of Voters.
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Jeannette Andruss