FFRF AF endorses Austin Bruckner Carrillo in bid for Hayward School Board
Austin Bruckner Carrillo is committed to protecting state-church separation in Hayward’s schools and has pledged to oppose any attempt to bring religion into them. Once elected, Bruckner Carrillo will propose a policy prohibiting board members from reading religious texts during board meetings, a notable problem for the current school board. Bruckner Carrillo is a part of the Freethought Community and identifies as an atheist.
Bruckner Carrillo is a first-time candidate for the Hayward Unified School District. He is the Chair of the City’s Community Services Commission and was recently a finalist to fill two vacancies on the Hayward City Council in early 2024. He describes himself as a passionate grassroots community organizer with extensive experience working in the non-profit sector and with influential leaders in government.
Three seats on the Hayward School Board are up for election in 2024, and Bruckner Carrillo is running against three incumbents and three challengers. An openly homophobic school board candidate filed an unfounded restraining order against Bruckner Carrillo as an intimidation tactic against the only openly gay candidate in the race. Despite opposition, Bruckner Carrillo has a robust, organized campaign and has shown a clear path to victory. Bruckner Carrillo is endorsed by the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.
Bruckner Carrillo currently serves as the Associate Director of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Community Support Bureau. He also leads Alameda County’s longest-running LGBTQ pride organization and is a Delegate to the California Democratic Party.