Bobbie Simpson made history Wednesday when she was sworn in as a member of the Shasta County Gateway Unified School District school board, becoming the first out transgender person to hold such a role in California.

Simpson won her election on November 5 with more than 56 percent of the vote, beating out incumbent Elias Haynes, who had served on the board with his wife, Lindsi, who were both subject to recall votes. Simpson recently told local outlet KRCR that she was partially motivated to challenge Haynes because “having a married couple on the board really seemed like an improper representation of the district,” as one family held two out of the five decision-making positions for over 2,000 students.

Simpson, who has experience in special education programs, was also motivated to run because she is “a Gateway parent” and “love[s] learning,” as she stated in her initial notice via the Shasta County Board of Elections. She said that she wants to “bring the focus back to education and how we can do our best for the children.” 

“As a parent of neurodiverse children, I see the struggles both parents and students face. Not everyone learns the same way and it is important to connect with students in ways that best help them absorb knowledge,” Simpson wrote. “Our children deserve to feel respected, included, and safe. Without those, they cannot learn, or grow. People deserve respect, no matter who they are. School should be an enriching experience and I would love to see students excited to go to school every day.”

While Simpson stressed that she will use her role for the benefit of all students and parents, she still celebrated the progress her victory signaled for the LGBTQ+ community. She continued to say in her remarks to KRCR that she is “proud to serve my community and create a future where every student can thrive, no matter who they are.”

“I’ve had quite a few parents of both gay and trans kids come up to me and thank me for speaking up and being visible and advocating,” Simpson said. “So, that’s really kept me going through this last year even though I’ve had a lot of opposition.”