Retiring BCSD Trustee Lillian Tafoya Honored with Prestigious Golden Gavel Award
Tuesday December 10, 2024
Lillian Tafoya, a pioneering educator and steadfast advocate for equity, is retiring this month after 28 years of service as a Bakersfield City School District (BCSD) trustee. To mark the culmination of a nearly 65-year career in education, Tafoya has been awarded with the prestigious California School Board Association (CSBA) Golden Gavel Award, an honor bestowed annually to a California school board member who exemplifies outstanding governance and leadership.
“It’s a privilege and an honor of a lifetime,” Tafoya said.
As she accepted the prestigious award last week, Tafoya reflected on her career, emphasizing the importance of passion and dedication in education. She says her goal has always been to ensure that every student, regardless of their background, had access to quality education and the resources they need to succeed.
“I’m proud to say that together we built a school district where equity, inclusion, and opportunity are not just aspirations, but our core values, which guide everything that we do,” she said.
Tafoya taught at McKinley, Harding, Compton, Chipman, was a Counselor at Longfellow and Compton, and Principal at Eissler, Voorhies, and Mt. Vernon.
Tafoya’s dedication to education began in her childhood. One of 11 children, she was raised in a family that prioritized learning despite limited financial resources.
“It didn’t matter if we had the best clothing, but we always had encyclopedias and books and the things it took to keep us moving along as far as learning,” Tafoya recalled. “It was instilled in us that education was extremely important.”
Her journey from student to educator progressed naturally. After being recruited to Bakersfield for teaching opportunities, Tafoya initially planned to stay for just a short time.
“I said we’ll go to Bakersfield for one year and then back to Anaheim,” she said, smiling at the memory.
It never happened.
Throughout her career with BCSD, Tafoya held nearly every role in education: teacher, counselor, administrator, and board member. She was the first principal in the district to achieve a California Distinguished School Award, later became the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Principal of the Year, and has numerous other accolades to her credit.
Tafoya’s impact extended to her family. She and her husband spent the bulk of their careers serving the district, and their four children are all proud graduates of BCSD schools. One of her fondest memories was watching her daughter Carla, principal of Franklin Elementary, receive a Distinguished Schools Award — just as she had years before.
As she prepares to step away from her official role, Tafoya shared her hopes for BCSD’s future.
“You need to have the children as a centerpiece of your agenda. If that doesn’t happen, it’s really easy to get derailed,” she said.
Looking back, Tafoya expressed gratitude for her journey.
“It’s always with mixed emotions — it’s bittersweet. But there is a time and a season for everything. I leave with a glad heart, full of gratitude for the impact I’ve had, hopefully, on this community. It’s been an honor of a lifetime to serve here, and I love it,” she said.
“Lillian embodies the spirit of the CSBA Golden Gavel Award through her extraordinary dedication, visionary leadership, and profound impact on our educational community. She is an equity champion who works tirelessly to ensure that all students have access to a quality education.“
— Mark Luque, BCSD Superintendent
By Robert Meszaros
Rob Meszaros is Director of Communications for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, where he has served since 2012. In his role, Meszaros oversees media relations, internal and external communication strategies, publications, Marcom, branding, and multi-media content creation. Before joining KCSOS, Meszaros was the PIO for CSU Bakersfield and earlier worked for seven years at The Bakersfield Californian.