A former Salt Lake City School District administrator, who was terminated and later had her educator’s license suspended, is now running for the Salt Lake City school board.

Sandra Buendia, the former executive director of the district’s Educational Equity and Student Support Department, is challenging incumbent Annie Romano for the Precinct 5 seat. The precinct covers parts of the Ballpark, Liberty Wells and 9th and 9th neighborhoods.

Buendia has been transparent about her two-year suspension and addresses the situation on her campaign website.

In 2024, Buendia was one of three witnesses for the Salt Lake City School District concerning an employee who was appealing a reduction-in-force decision, according to her website.

“During the hearing, there were things I could not remember and I unknowingly provided inaccurate information,” Buendia wrote on her website.

The following month, the district terminated Buendia and filed a complaint against her with the Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission (UPPAC), which investigates allegations of educator misconduct. That complaint ultimately resulted in a two-year suspension of her professional license, state records confirm.

According to the Utah State Board of Education’s website, UPPAC determined that Buendia had “provided false testimony under oath during cross-examination by opposing counsel and failed to correct the record when she found evidence that her testimony was incorrect.”

“I had a brain fart,” Buendia told The Salt Lake Tribune. She added that she viewed the suspension as overly harsh. In her 37 years as an educator, she said she hadn’t received so much as “verbal warning” until then.

“My history shows that I’m more likely than not to be honest and have integrity,” Buendia said.

A license suspension typically signals “serious misconduct” that violates Utah’s educator standards, according to the Utah State Board of Education.

Suspensions can stem from “repeated” or “egregious” behaviors, including failing to report suspected child abuse or sexual abuse to authorities, using excessive force against a student, getting convicted of two drug- or alcohol-related offenses within three years, and falsifying information on education-related documents.

State school board members and lawmakers have raised concerns in recent months over the fairness of UPPAC’s processes. The state board has recently discussed steps to revise those rules and processes.

The Salt Lake Tribune asked both Precinct 5 candidates why they were running for school board and what they hoped to accomplish if elected.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Mail ballots must be dropped off at a ballot dropbox by 8 p.m. on that day or, if returned by mail, must be received by the county clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Annie Romano: ‘I will ensure transparency’

The board appointed Romano in September 2025 after a bribery scandal led a former board member to resign. She currently works as a senior education coordinator with the University of Utah Health. Her children attend schools in the district.

“I have much more I want to contribute!” Romano said, to explain why she’s working to retain her seat. “I envision a more efficient district and stronger academic programs. I have pushed for strategic spending and running an efficient central office.”

She added that she would continue “to push for fiscal responsibility that protects student-facing positions.”

“Due to limited state funding, federal cuts, decreased student enrollment, property taxes diverted to redevelopment projects and unfunded legislative mandates, we need to focus on spending responsibly,” Romano said.

In June, district officials warned that because of declining enrollment, more school closures are likely on the horizon. While Romano wasn’t on the board when it voted to close four elementary schools in 2024, she said that she’ll weigh several factors if faced with future closure decisions.

“I plan to thoughtfully consider demographic data, enrollment trends, financial information, community input and future sustainability when considering school closures,” Romano said.

Romano grew up in Salt Lake City and five generations of her family have attended district schools, she said.

“I understand how emotional these decisions are for communities. I will ensure transparency and better communication with students, parents, teachers and administrators as we face these challenges,” she said.

Sandra Buendia: Closures aren’t a ‘numbers exercise’

Buendia’s experience with the Salt Lake City School District and the state disciplinary commission is a part of what motivated her run, she said.

Overall, Buendia said, she doesn’t want her natural optimism broken by an “egregious and punitive” decision by others.

“I am running for school board because I believe every student deserves an excellent education and every family deserves a school district that listens, responds and delivers results,” she said.

Buendia said she envisions a district that puts students first and “rebuilds” trust with its community.

“I will advocate for directing resources toward students and classrooms, evaluating programs based on their effectiveness, and ensuring that district-level structures and spending support — not hinder — student success,” she said.

As to potential school closures, Buendia said those decisions “should not be treated as a simple numbers exercise.”

“I would not support closing a school until the district has demonstrated that all reasonable alternatives have been carefully evaluated and that the proposed decision is in the best interests of students,” she said. “Our responsibility is to make decisions based on evidence, educational quality, community needs and long-term financial sustainability — not simply to reduce the number of school buildings.”

Buendia isn’t the only candidate running for the Salt Lake City School Board who has had a contentious history with the district.

Jared Wright, the former principal of West High School now running to represent Precinct 3, said he was “pushed out” of his former job after he refused to stop pressing for answers about a 2023 student stabbing.

The district denied the allegations and accused Wright of falsifying transcripts and engaging in unprofessional conduct with the school board. The district also filed a complaint against him with UPPAC.

State officials formally reprimanded Wright earlier this month. Wright issued a statement Thursday to The Tribune, which he also posted on his campaign website, in which he said the reprimand was “baseless” and stemmed from an allegation that he “called a colleague an expletive” nine years ago and, more recently, made a grade change the district alleged was “done improperly.”

Wright said he “followed district policy,” and is still considering whether it “would be worth the legal fees to appeal” the reprimand.