Kenny Snell Challenges Bea Gonzalez for COD Seat

Kenny Snell Eyes District 2 Seat on College of the Desert Board of Trustees

PALM DESERT — Kenny Snell, 58, a longtime educator in the Desert Sands Unified School District, is one off two people challenging Bea Gonzalez for the Area 2 Trustee position. The other is former Trustee Mary Jane Sanchez.

“Education in California needs serious attention,” Snell told Uken Report. “This is true for colleges and universities just as much as it is for K-12.”

His campaign slogan is “Equality > Equity” and he said he is running for College of the Desert Trustee Area 2 to help restore the concept of Equality in education, which is far superior to DEI theories such as equity.

“Divisive and offensive theories that classify Americans as either oppressors or oppressed in education is a dangerous Marxist trend,” Snell said. “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) are as divisive as they are hateful. America was founded on the concept of equality, not equity. Equity, including gender ideology, has no place in American educational programs or institutions.”

Snell said he will work to change the “fixation” that the College of the Desert has on DEI and equity, both at the institutional level and the pedagogues of the courses offered.

“The Desert community would benefit from changing the focus of COD from producing indoctrinated Social Justice Warriors to producing well-educated, well-trained (if vocational) productive members of society,” Snell said. “I believe COD has had wonderful vocational training in the past, including a Public Safety Academy, and that those programs should be strengthened.”

Snell was born and raised in Riverside County and grew up in Moreno Valley. He attended Riverside Community College and the University of La Verne. After college, he relocated to the desert and taught high school in the Coachella Valley for 27 years. He primarily taught world history, U.S. government and economics. He also coached and taught policy debate, computer applications, and created a California Technical Education pathway in Information and Communication Technology.

He retired in May of 2023.

He was awarded a certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the RivCo GOP for service to his community in 2021 [not related to teaching].

His work has appeared in the California Globe and he Coachella Valley Times.