About a year ago, Eric Duncan saw the efforts of his hopes and dreams realized with the grand re-opening of the Weston Ranch High football stadium.

Safety concerns over the once hazardous playing fields became one of the reasons for the youth football coach and parent to seek a seat on the Manteca Unified school board back in 2016.

"It was one of the pieces for me being active on these safety issues," said Duncan on Tuesday. "I'd watch kids play on these fields and get hurt on a field in such horrific conditions."

He was thankful to be part of the MUSD team consisting of board colleague Bob Wallace, Director of Facilities & Operations Aaron Bowers, and Construction / Energy Technician Jeff McLarty which made possible the newly renovated sports facility -- this was a result of years of discussion and workshops.

Duncan is seeking re-election to his Trustee Area 1 seat.

"My biggest priority is the support of equity in all programs," he said.

Duncan is part of the California School Board Association's Equity Network. He was among the 20 school board members from across the state called on to identify strategies that addressed inequities in an effort to help close opportunity and achievement gaps.

He supports Measure A on the Nov. 3 ballot.

As a member of the Bond Measure Committee, he's seen first-hand the conditions at the various school sites at Manteca High, East Union and some of the elementary school sites.

"I saw all the safety hazards at our facilities. That's why we need to get behind this bond measure," said Duncan, who has three sons including an eighth grader.

Measure A, if approved, would complete the next phase of priority repairs and upgrades for the future. The $260 million school improvement bond measure also addresses safety concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his area of Weston Ranch, Duncan knows that the schools are more than centers of education and athletics -- they're a shared part of the community.