Beverly Hills School Board Race Descends into Bitter Feud

A contentious race for the Beverly Hills school board has erupted into a high-profile battle, marked by personal animosity and legal disputes among candidates in the affluent Los Angeles enclave.

Five residents are vying for a position on the board, with the election drawing national attention due to the intensity of the conflict. School Board President Judy Manouchehri is seeking reelection and faces challenges from community advocate Kim Lifschitz, attorneys Jackie Kruger and David Cienfuegos, and math teacher Jared Gonzales.

Voters can select up to two candidates on the ballot. Democrats Kruger and Lifschitz are campaigning as a team, aiming to unseat what they describe as a conservative majority on the board. Meanwhile, Cienfuegos and Manouchehri, who have aligned themselves as nonpartisan, are backed by conservative endorsements, including that of influencer Elizabeth Barcohana.

Escalating Tensions

The campaign has been characterized by accusations of stolen lawn signs, social media vitriol, and even temporary restraining orders filed by opposing candidates. Kruger has described her decision to run as a response to what she perceives as mismanagement of the board.

A previous school board meeting saw security escort Kruger out after a clash with Manouchehri over the invitation of a conservative influencer to speak to a Jewish club. Kruger raised concerns about the influencer's past allegations, while Manouchehri stated the issue was not on the agenda. The exchange ended with Kruger stating she would sue, and Manouchehri responding, "You got to do what you got to do, baby."

Jackie Kruger (left) and Kimberly Lifschitz (right) are campaigning together for school board seats in Bevery Hills.

Accusations and Restraining Orders

The conflict intensified when Cienfuegos posted photos of a white Tesla on social media, alleging that its owner had stolen campaign signs belonging to him and Manouchehri. He identified the vehicle as potentially belonging to Kruger's son and shared its parked location, stating in a social media post, "Now, ownership doesn’t tell us who was behind the wheel, but that’s quite a plot twist."

This dispute led to mutual restraining orders. Kruger filed a temporary restraining order on October 7, seeking to bar Cienfuegos from contacting her or her family and to maintain a distance of 100 yards. She alleged that Cienfuegos had posted videos of her family's Tesla online, exposing its license plate.

Cienfuegos filed his own restraining order against Kruger on October 12, accusing Kruger's teenage son of stealing campaign signs. The order stated he had seen social media videos of a young man driving a white Tesla taking lawn signs. He claimed to recognize Kruger's son from a student forum on October 5 as the driver, according to the order.

David Cienfuegos has also thrown his hat in the ring alongside current President Judy Manouchehri.

Kruger and Lifschitz told the Wall Street Journal they are hoping to topple the board's conservative majority.

A Focused Campaign

Candidate Jared Gonzales, a math teacher, has largely distanced himself from the personal attacks. In a statement, Gonzales said his campaign "has centered on facts, not personal attacks, and the values I want our students to aspire to." He suggested that his exclusion from a recent Wall Street Journal article discussing the race underscored his focus on serving the community's educational needs.

Kruger and Lifschitz are hoping to oust Manouchehri and win the two remaining seats together.

Gonzales, a math teacher, told the Daily Mail that his campaign has "centered on facts, not personal attacks."