Wednesday, November 4, 2026

Kealing, Bailey, Torres Headed to Victory in School Board Races

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Felita Kealing, Michelle Richardson Bailey and Cynthia Torres

Pasadena Now has called the school board races in districts 1, 3 and 7.

Based on the votes released on Wednesday, Felita Kealing, Michelle Richardson Bailey and Cynthia Torres will be seated on the Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education.

Kealing pulled off a major upset defeating longtime incumbent Kim Kenne.

According to the latest results, Kealing has picked up 57.54% of the vote to Kenne’s 42.46%.

Kenne was among four trustees accused by some of violating the Brown Act, California’s open-meeting law, in connection with the board’s school consolidation process.

Critics, including attorney and district parent Warren Bleeker, who sent the board a May 15 letter demanding it cure and correct the alleged violations, contend that Kenne, board President Tina Fredericks, Trustee Scott Harden and Vice President Yarma Velázquez engaged in unlawful serial communications about school closures before the board’s 4-3 vote on Dec. 11, 2025, to approve Resolution 2852, which set the process in motion.

Because the four make up a majority of the seven-member board, critics argue the communications amounted to a prohibited serial meeting.

The four trustees have denied coordinating to steer the closures, and in June the district said its legal counsel had reviewed the allegations and concluded that board members did not violate the Brown Act.

No court has ruled on whether a violation occurred.

Fredericks and Harden face recall and Velázquez opted not to seek re-election.

Richardson Bailey has garnered 62.73% of the vote in her race against Veronica Elias.

Cynthia Torres leads Dennis McNamara with nearly 59% of the vote.