Patterson Joint Unified School District v. State Board of Education

This litigation tests the legality of two alleged joint unified school districts on the west side of Stanislaus and Merced Counties. As of March 9, 1965, the date of the first election hereinafter referred to, the school districts involved, starting at the north, were as follows:

In Stanislaus County:

In Merced County:

*923 Two school elections are involved in the litigation: (1) the first, a vote taken by the qualified electors of Bonita Elementary School District, which occurred on March 9, 1965, and which, as claimed by the plaintiffs, resulted after necessary subsequent action by the Board of Supervisors of Stanislaus County in a merger of the Bonita Elementary School District with the Patterson Joint Unified School District; (2) the second, an election planned for December 14, 1965, which the present complaint for an injunction sought to prevent, through which the voters of Orestimba, Newman, Gustine and Romero in addition to the protesting Bonita District attempted to incorporate all of their territory in a new joint unified school district.

One or the other of the procedures must be held sound • for Bonita cannot be, at the same time, an essential part of Patterson…