MISSION VIEJO : 2 Education Groups Endorse 2 Trustees

Saddleback Valley Unified School District Trustees Raghu P. Mathur and Marcia L. Birch have received a boost in their reelection bids from the two education associations representing district teachers and employees.

Recently, members of the local California School Employees Assn. chapter voted to endorse Mathur, 44, a chemistry professor, and Birch, 42, a homemaker, after interviewing six of the 10 candidates running in the Nov. 3 election for three open seats on the seven-member Board of Education.

Association members said the incumbents have been supportive of district classified employees through their “fairness in dealing with the budget crisis.”

Earlier this month, the Saddleback Valley Educators Assn., or SVEA, which represents the 1,200 teachers, counselors and librarians in the district, endorsed Mathur, Birch and challenger Tim Stone, 46, a software development business owner, for the seat being vacated by R. Kent Hann.

“They are all strong supporters of quality public education,” SVEA president George Anderson said. “They care about kids, and they know what goes on in classrooms.”

Recently, the Saddleback Republican Assembly also announced the endorsement of Mathur and challengers Frank L. Ury, 28, an electrical engineer, and Debbie J. Hughes, 39, a homemaker.

“We just think the world of all three of them,” assembly president John Ben said.

The remaining school board candidates include Karen Irvine, Gardner K. Hussey, Norma E. Graves, John P. Chihorek and Jolyon V. Druce.