There are few jobs anywhere tougher than that of local school board member. If that is true across the fruited plain, it is nowhere more true than on the San Mateo County Coastside. Funding is tight and those with money are likely to take their largess to private schools. State and federal standards are increasingly onerous given the challenging demographics here. Unfortunately, a toxic political environment can take a toll on board members and even their families.

Against that backdrop, this election season we can heartily endorse one candidate for the Cabrillo Unified School District board. We think current board president John Moseley is up for all of those challenges. While we think the two candidates seeking the other open seat on the board have their strengths, we can’t completely support either incumbent Charles Gardner or challenger Ken Johnson. We’ll explain below.

Moseley is a family man and professional pilot. He has been on the board for four years and proven himself an engaged and collaborative leader. There were two shining moments during his tenure with the president’s gavel this year that we think illustrate his leadership. First, he understood that it did no good to get defensive when it seemed everyone from over the hill thought Half Moon Bay was a racist burg in light of the infamous Half Moon Bay-Sequoia high school football game last fall. He told the Review editorial board, “If there is a sense that Half Moon Bay is racist, we have to deal with that.” That’s not to say he thinks all the complaints that night were valid. But Moseley, who was actually at the game, appeared before the civil grand jury investigating that unfortunate night, and he said he welcomed the opportunity to address the perception. That was the pitch-perfect response.

Another high point came when he stood up to his colleagues who needlessly wandered into the Beachwood mess at the peril of the district and its students. There was no reason to publicly support that failed legislation and Moseley stood alone in saying so. His colleagues, meanwhile, chose to open up the old land-use wounds by passing a pointless resolution in support of AB 1991.

Perhaps surprisingly, Moseley said he wouldn’t support another parcel tax effort to benefit Cabrillo schools — unless California’s constitution was changed to require less than the current two-thirds majority for such initiatives. We’re sure that is a tough position for a man who has strongly supported parcel taxes in the past.

There is no question that Gardner has the best interest of the district’s children — which includes his own — at heart. He brings significant expertise in construction matters, which is important now. He is decisive and he works hard. But his political instincts sometimes overpower the district’s best interests, as they did when he appeared before the Half Moon Bay City Council on behalf of the educational arm of a local political action committee bent on influencing land-use issues. That appearance unwittingly soured would-be friends of the district.

For his part, Johnson has a long history of interest in the district and has proven knowledgeable about testing requirements, among other things. The trouble is that his shrill, personalized, public complaints over the years have poisoned his ability to work with anyone at the district. He simply would not be a welcome addition and that would make his election futile.

It is very unusual for the Review editorial board to balk at selecting choices to fill all available seats. But this time, while we strongly encourage voters to re-elect one of the best-qualified public officials on the coast, John Moseley, we make no recommendation about the candidate to fill the seat next to him.

— Review editorial board