Public office demands more than ambition. It demands principles. It demands courage. And above all, it demands accountability.
That is why I cannot stay silent about San Diego Unified Board President Richard Barrera and his bid for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Leadership is not defined by titles held or campaigns launched. It is defined in moments of crisis, when speaking up carries risk, when loyalty to power conflicts with loyalty to people, and when silence becomes a choice.
During one of the most painful chapters in our union’s history, Barrera made that choice.
For years, former United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 135 President Mickey Kasparian faced multiple public allegations and lawsuits involving sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliation. These were not whispers. They were reported, litigated, protested and deeply felt by labor and the broader community.
At that time, Barrera served as secretary-treasurer of the union. He was widely regarded as Kasparian’s right-hand man, a senior officer with influence, access and authority. If there was ever a moment that called for moral clarity, this was it.
And yet, he remained silent.
He did not publicly challenge Kasparian. He did not stand with the women who came forward. He did not demand transparency or accountability. He did not use his leadership position to draw a line.
Silence in the face of harm is not neutrality. It is complicity in preserving the status quo.
Now, as Barrera seeks to oversee California’s public education system, a system responsible for millions of students and tens of thousands of educators, voters and organizations are being asked to trust his judgment and integrity.
Integrity is not theoretical. It is tested behavior.
We have heard a great deal about his experience and willingness to support organized labor. What we have not heard is a clear acknowledgment from Barrera that he failed to act when it mattered most. There has been no meaningful reckoning, no public reflection, no acceptance of responsibility for the role he played or failed to play during a time when the community was demanding accountability.
That absence matters.
When institutions are rocked by scandal, they have two choices: confront the truth or circle the wagons. Real leaders choose the harder path. They risk relationships. They endure criticism. They prioritize people over power.
Barrera chose power.
This is not just about my union’s past. It is about a pattern that echoes far beyond San Diego. Across the country, we have watched leaders avoid accountability by deflecting, minimizing, or simply refusing to engage. The culture of evasion has become so normalized that many shrug when powerful figures decline to answer for their actions.
We see it in Washington. Under President Donald Trump, accountability is treated as optional, oversight dismissed as partisan, criticism labeled disloyal, and responsibility routinely sidestepped. Institutions are pressured to protect personalities rather than principles.
When organizations enable that behavior, they become part of the problem.
That is why the decision by the California Teachers Association to recommend Barrera is so troubling. Recommendations are not casual gestures. They signal values. They communicate judgment. They tell educators and families: this is someone we trust to lead.
But trust cannot be built on avoidance.
When concerns were raised directly with CTA leadership, they declined to reconsider. That decision mirrors the very pattern we should be rejecting: doubling down instead of reflecting.
Education is about modeling values. We teach students about ethics, responsibility and courage. We tell them that doing the right thing matters, even when it is difficult. We teach them that leadership requires standing up when others sit down.
How can we send that message while elevating someone whose defining leadership moment was marked by silence?
Richard Barrera had an opportunity to demonstrate courage. He chose not to. He had the platform to demand accountability. He did not. He had the influence to shift culture. He preserved it instead.
If we are serious about building institutions rooted in respect and safety, we cannot reward leaders who avoided confronting abuse of power.
I call on individuals and organizations, within labor and beyond it, to examine the full record. Look past titles. Look past campaign language. Look at actions taken and actions avoided.
And then act.
Rescind endorsements. Withdraw recommendations. Demand higher standards.
We cannot rebuild public trust in our institutions by lowering the bar for those who seek to lead them.
Integrity is not partisan. Accountability is not optional. And silence, when it protects power over people, is disqualifying.
California’s students, educators and working families deserve leadership grounded in principle, not convenience.
Todd Walters is president of UFCW Local 135, San Diego’s largest private-sector union with over 11,000 members in various industries including grocery, retail, healthcare, food processing and cannabis.
