Political Notebook: Out leadership critical, says Sonoma superintendent Carter

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• by Matthew S. Bajko, Assistant Editor

• Wednesday, May 7, 2025

  
  

At a time when LGBTQ students are being targeted by the Trump White House and conservative school board leaders across California, it is more important than ever for LGBTQ adults to step up and defend them, contends Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools Amie Carter, Ph.D. It is a large factor in her decision to seek a second term in her elected education post in 2026.

“Honestly, that is almost the point here. Because it is such a challenging, difficult time, I think it is more important than ever to just plant our feet and have people from the LGBTQ community step into these high-profile, high-demand roles and stand up for equity at a time when so many other leaders are not,” Carter told the Bay Area Reporter in a recent phone interview.

Elected in 2022 to her North Bay countywide post, Carter is one of two out female county superintendents in the Bay Area. But her counterpart in San Mateo County, schools superintendent Nancy Magee, has decided not to seek a third term in 2026, as the B.A.R.’s online Political Notes column reported April 21.

Carter is set to stand for reelection in next year’s June primary. She plans to officially launch her reelection bid in either late August or early September.

Should no one else enter the race, there will be no election and Carter automatically wins a second four-year term. If she is opposed then a candidate needs to receive more than 50% of the primary vote to avoid a November runoff, otherwise the top two vote-getters advance to the fall ballot.

It is unclear if Carter will face a challenger in the race. To date, no candidate has filed paperwork to begin raising money for a campaign per the county registrar’s website.

“At this point, it doesn’t seem to be anybody making that play, but that of course doesn’t mean much. My hope is my body of work has been impressive enough that I have the support of my community and I will get the opportunity to serve Sonoma County another four years,” said Carter.

Three years ago, after finishing first in the primary, Carter sailed to victory in the fall when the second-place finisher suspended his campaign months before the November election.

“Ideally, nobody else runs but that is wishful thinking,” said Carter, who turned 54 on Tuesday. “Honestly, I am getting to the age where I could retire, but it now seems a call to action to step into this role with veracity.”

In March, following a number of executive orders signed by Republican President Donald Trump that targeted LGBTQ and immigrant students as well as pupils of color, Carter and all five trustees on the Sonoma County Board of Education issued a joint statement declaring their support for immigrant families, the LGBTQ+ community, and other protected groups.

It noted that the actions taken by federal officials, “while upsetting to many in our community, do not carry the effect of law and frequently contradict existing laws or policies in the U.S. and California.” The county education leaders pointed to various California education codes that require public schools to provide students with environments “free from discrimination, harassment, bullying, violence, and intimidation” and curriculum representative of the Golden State’s diverse populations.

“We strive for our schools to be welcoming, safe places that reflect the diverse voices and stories that make America and California great,” stated their letter. “We are steadfast in this commitment because it is both the right thing to do and the literal law of our land. The Supreme Court in Plyler vs. Doe established that all children, regardless of citizenship, have the right to a free, public education.”

In addition to laying out how individual school site administrators should respond if federal immigration officials show up on campus, the letter also specified how state laws protect LGBTQ students, especially those who are transgender.

“For example, the Safe Place to Learn Act, AB 827, mandates that age-appropriate, medically accurate information about sexual orientation and gender identity be taught in our schools. And Assembly Bill 1266 allows transgender students to use restrooms and other facilities consistent with their gender identity,” noted the letter.

According to data collected by Sonoma County’s 40 school districts, 8% of the roughly 62,000 students enrolled in K-12 identify as LGBTQ, with 14% of students identifying themselves as prefer not to say when asked about their sexual orientation and gender identity. It was important for them and their families, in addition to any other families targeted by Trump’s edicts, to know the county education office would fight for their rights, Carter told the B.A.R. when asked about the decision to issue the statement to the community. She also likened it to how during Pride Month in June in her first year as county superintendent, she raised the rainbow flag at her office. She did so to send a signal to her local schools and the broader community that showing public support for the LGBTQ community “is important” and OK for them to also do.

“It is reflective of our county’s values,” contended Carter, adding of the recently issued statement that “taking actions like that provide clear coverage for local school district superintendents to follow our lead and follow our courage.”

It is the support for LGBTQ students expressed by Democratic state officials, from the governor and attorney general to the state superintendent of instruction, that lends Carter courage for standing up so publicly to a White House that is quick to take vindictive actions against its critics. It is a level of support that her counterparts in other states led by Republican elected officials do not enjoy, noted Carter.

“I am comfortable leaning in on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion because that permission is coming from the very top leadership of our state,” she said. “That is a great position to be in; not all my colleagues are in the same position across the country.”

As for the backlash Governor Gavin Newsom received over his podcast comments supportive of not allowing trans female athletes to play on women’s sports teams, Carter told the B.A.R. the issue “hasn’t risen” to her level in Sonoma County. She said schools in her jurisdiction follow the guidance of the California Interscholastic Federation, which is the governing body for high school sports in the state. It is being investigated by the federal Department of Education over its pro-trans policies.

Declining enrollment a concern

A more pressing matter for Carter is the county’s declining student enrollment numbers and the corresponding drop in state funds tied to it. Her office has seen revenues fall by $5 million from last year, decreasing from $88 million to $83 million.

“Increasingly, there are fewer and fewer students or kids of school age in our county. That is impacting the revenues here,” said Carter. “Every district across my county is trying to right-size for the number of students we have.”

To imbue as part of a schoolwide culture support for LGBTQ students and families that isn’t dependent on one position that could be cut to save money, Carter during her first term has utilized the “Welcoming Schools” anti-bullying program by the national LGBTQ rights group the Human Rights Campaign to help train educators at school districts across the county on how to advocate for their LGBTQ students and families at their campuses and in their classrooms.

“A part of the strategy we have been focused on at the Sonoma County Office of Education is how do we make a stand for these students and make sure inclusionary practices are just backed into the cake, so it is not vulnerably tied up into one position or one individual but taking a broader approach,” said Carter, adding that by making such an investment via the HRC program, “my hope is you have changed the culture and it is not as vulnerable to budget cuts as it could be.”

And her office received a $20 million state grant last year to provide guidance on equity initiatives in the schools. The Sonoma County education officials are working with their counterparts at the countywide education offices in Los Angeles and Kern counties on how to address the needs particularly of Black students and will produce a report with best practices to be shared statewide.

“I think I am really proud of the way our agency has leaned in on matters of equity,” said Carter.

A mother of five adult daughters with her former wife, Carter remarried last year. She had first met her new spouse, Annika, three years ago; last weekend they attended one of Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” concerts in Los Angeles as a birthday gift for Carter.

“I have never been so happy; I am lucky,” said Carter.

She hopes her being an out and proud gay official counters the anti-LGBTQ discourse that the queer and trans students in her county are subjected to.

“They see the national rhetoric. It is impacting them and their well-being,” said Carter. “It is up to the adults around them to send the message they belong and they are safe and supported in our schools.”

Doing that can positively impact all students, she noted.

“Any time you are standing up to protect the identity of anyone, you are helping everyone in the community,” said Carter.

Web Extra: For more queer political news, be sure to check http://www.ebar.com Monday mornings for Political Notes, the notebook's online companion. This week's column reported on the reintroduction of a federal omnibus LGBTQ rights bill.