A longtime teacher from California has appeared to challenge Judy Flores for the elective position of head of schools in Shasta County.
Brian Caples, 53, is gaining support from residents for his stance against government mandates to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools. He describes himself as a conservative voice for students, parents and teachers of Shasta County.
Caples said he was a faithful man and believed God had called him to run for office. It gives bold promises to voters to oppose government mandates and health regulations to combat COVID-19 in schools.
The race will be covered during the primary election in California, scheduled for June 7.
Although Caples is adamant about what he would have done if he had been elected to the post, in reality the powers of the headmaster are limited. The head of the Shasta County Department of Education and the board have no authority over the 25 school districts and can neither change nor prescribe curriculum policies.

Caples spent nearly thirty years as an educator, starting as a teacher’s assistant and making his way to becoming a superintendent.
Over the past two decades, he has worked in several school districts in the state, including the semi-tropical school district in Kern County and the school district of Palermo Union in Butte County, according to Transparent California, an online database of civil service compensation. His experience also includes brief work in the Scott Valley Unified School District in Siskia County and most recently in the Burnt Ranch School District in Trinity County.
His candidacy comes at a time when school boards across the country are seeing increased involvement of parents and political activists in the content of COVID-19 curricula and protocols.
“They have never met a teacher like me”
In an interview with Record Searchlight, Caples said he encourages conservative families to run for office on school boards. If elected, he said he would work against the mandates of COVID-19 – which he describes as “anti-American” and “against freedom” – and policies related to gender identity and curriculum.
The Shasta General Purpose Committee contributed $ 4,900 to his campaign, according to financial information provided to the Shasta County Electoral Bureau. The committee chaired the recent recall of county chief Leonardo Motti.
“If the state wants to follow me and throw me behind bars, let them. If they want to take my ID, let them. They will not do it without a fight, ”he said.
He said he also plans to work closely with the supervisory board, district attorney, sheriff and other elected officials to address issues such as crime, homelessness and tourism, he said.
“I don’t believe any of these entities are working together,” he said.
Caples was born and raised in Ventura County and calls Shasta County home. His children were born in Reading and his relatives live nearby, he said. His four children, two pairs of twins, graduated from Shasta High School, two of whom work in local schools. His wife and several close family members are also educators, he said.
“People are disappointed because no one wants to stand up for them and stick their heads out of the fox hole. They have never met a teacher like me,” he said.

Flores is vying for a second term as head of the school. She was appointed to the post in January 2017 and without opposition in 2019. Flores said she wants to continue to support school attendance, mental health services, access to higher education, family resources and relationships with local Native American communities and public education.
“Any superintendent that comes along will have different priorities,” she told Record Searchlight in December.
The role of county school superintendent
To counter camouflage and vaccines, parents, teachers, and sometimes students rushed back and forth between school board meetings, SCOE board meetings, and supervisory board meetings, hoping to make an impact.
Elected officials sympathized with the speakers and also noted that schools are required to operate in accordance with the recommendations they receive from the state. These rules are sometimes tied to funding.
If states pass laws or legislate in areas of national importance, such as during a health emergency, public schools and municipalities do not have the authority to change them, said Tom Gauthier, a lawyer and partner for Lausanne Smith, who serves to advise school districts in the North. California.
In California, local school districts are run by their own principals and councils. They make decisions about educational programs and employment of employees.

The role of county education departments is to provide financial control over schools and resources, as well as support staff and students. SCOE also offers children’s programs and alternative education.
If school leaders do not require masks and vaccinations, this will only affect SCOE staff and students.
As for public health mandates, all schools need to follow is based on recommendations they receive from the California Department of Public Health, said Derrick Lennox, senior director of public relations and legal affairs for the California County Association of Educational Services (CCSESA).
He said all districts must comply with health orders.
California has announced that Feb. 28 will revise its rules for using masks in schools.
School boards that challenge government requirements are jeopardizing their funding and liability insurance, Lennox said. Health officials can fine counties, and if they are sued for mitigating COVID-19 and lose, they could lose insurance, Lennox said.
In 2021, the Soulsbyville County Primary School Board in Tuolumn County ignored California’s requirements for camouflage and vaccination indoors. As a result, the Tuolumna Joint Authority has waived the district from covering their claims, costs or lawsuits related to COVID-19. The school board was forced to overturn its decision.
The head of schools is not an acting health care provider and has no authority to change or revoke them, Lennox said.
Caples said in an interview with the KCNR California Adventure District that he would use the Office of Educational Funds to support schools that are losing funding as a result of the COVID-19 rule waiver.
It is unclear how this will be done because SCOE funds are already aimed at educating students in early childhood and alternative education, Lennox said.
Residents who want to register their frustration with the mandate should contact the governor’s office or state lawmakers, Lennox said.
“I feel frustrated, but they’re not scolding the tree. I think the best thing we can do for parents is help them be informed,” Lennox said.
Nada Atie is a member of Report For America and an educational reporter on childhood injuries and the breakthrough in achievement for Redding Record Searchlight. Follow her on Twitter at @nadatieh_RS. Help local journalism thrive by signing up today! And if you can, please consider a gift for her work that is not taxable