Local
Bellflower school board votes 3–2 to censure trustee
Trustee Amie Stewart denied a disputed allegation that she pushed Board President Mayra Garza during an October 8 meeting break. The censure is a formal reprimand and does not remove Stewart from office.
The Bellflower Unified School District board voted 3–2 Thursday to censure Trustee Amie Stewart following an allegation by Board President Mayra Garza that Stewart pushed her during a break in the board’s October 8 meeting, CBS Los Angeles reported.
Meeting: October 22, Bellflower Unified School District
Vote: 3–2 to censure Stewart
Effect: Formal reprimand; Stewart remains in office
Stewart and her attorney denied the allegation. At Thursday’s meeting, Stewart said she denied engaging in unlawful physical misconduct and disputed the allegations and conclusions in the censure resolution, according to CBS.
Allegation remains disputed
CBS reported that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has a report connected to the incident, but the station could not confirm whether criminal charges had been filed. A law-enforcement report records that a matter was reported; it does not establish that an allegation is true.
Los Cerritos Community News reported before the vote that the alleged encounter occurred in an adjoining room occupied by Garza, Stewart and Board Vice President Brad Crihfield. District counsel told the outlet there were no video or audio recording devices in that room. The local report also said Stewart’s attorney requested a postponement and challenged the resolution’s description of disputed events as established facts.
The district’s official board page confirms Garza is president, Crihfield is vice president and Stewart represents Trustee Area 1. It lists an October 22 board meeting with open session at 6:30 p.m. The verified public action is the 3–2 censure vote; the physical-contact allegation remains contested.
Original reporting: CBS Los Angeles — updated October 22, 2026 →
Additional reporting: Los Cerritos Community News — published October 22, 2026 →
Official information: Bellflower Unified School District Board of Education →