>>> A CANDIDATE FOR SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE IN SAN DIEGO HAS POSTED SEVERAL RACIST AND SEXIST PHOTOS AND JOKES.

>> WE HAVE THE STORY OF A FORMER NAVY SEAL THAT SUFFERED A PSYCHOTIC BREAK AFTER RECEIVING AN EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT FROM A UCSD PHYSICIAN.

>> AND WE LOOK AT A STATEWIDE SCHOOL BOND MEASURE TAGGED WITH AN UNFORTUNATE NAME.

THIS IS THE KPBS ROUNDTABLE STARTING NOW.

>> WELCOME TO THE DISCUSSION AS THE WEEK'S TOP STORIES UNFOLD.

JOINING ME AT THE ROUNDTABLE TODAY IS ANITA SHARMA WITH KPBS NEWS, JOE HONG WITH KPBS NEWS AND JILL CASTELLANO WITH I NEWS SOURCE.

>> GUARD TO BE HERE.

>> LET'S BEGIN WITH SHAWN MCMILLAN, A CANDIDATE FOR SAN DIEGO SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE.

NOW IT IS HIS FACEBOOK POST BEING ANTI- IMMIGRANT, RACIST AND SEXIST.

THE EXPOSURE IS LEADING SOME TO QUESTION WHETHER SHAWN MCMILLAN IS CAPABLE OF ADJUDICATING THE LAW FAIRLY.

YOU HAVE BEEN CULINARY COVERING THE STORY.

>> JANE, I WILL GIVE YOU A SAMPLE.

THERE IS A POST HE SHARED THAT SAID "I WAS ASKED ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE RACIST PRESIDENT?

I SAID ABSOLUTELY NOT.

WE REPLACED HIM WITH DONALD TRUM ."

ANOTHER POST HE SHARED FROM THE MINUTEMEN MILITIA.

IT SAYS "WHEN NOBODY KNEW WHO YOU WERE UNTIL YOU GOT ON YOUR KNEE ."

IT HAS THREE PICTURES.

ONE OF MONICA LEWINSKY AND ONE OF FORMER NFL FOOTBALL PLAYER COLIN KAEPERNICK AND U.S.

SENATOR KAMALA HARRIS.

AND ANOTHER ONE THAT HE SHARED THAT SAYS "STOP ALL WELFARE TO ILLEGAL ALIENS AND THEY WILL SUPPORT THEMSELVE ."

>> WHO IS SHAWN MCMILLAN?

>> HE DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS A PLAINTIFF'S CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER.

HE REPRESENTS KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN MOLESTED OR WHO HAVE BEEN SEVERELY PHYSICALLY ABUSED OR EMOTIONALLY ABUSED.

AND HE SUES COUNTIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA OVER THESE CASES AND HE WINS.

I SPOKE TO A LAWYER WHO KNOWS HIM AS WELL AND SAID THAT HE TAKES ON SOME OF THE TOUGHEST CASES.

THE ONES THAT OTHER LAWYERS SIMPLY DON'T WANT.

SHAWN MCMILLAN SAYS HE IS RUNNING TO BE THE JUDGE BECAUSE HE WANTS TO RESTORE FAITH IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

HE ALSO SEES THIS AS A NATURAL CAREER PROGRESSION FOR HIM.

HE SAID HE WAS ASKED BY A FRIEND TO RUN, A FELLOW ATTORNEY, WHO FELT LIKE SHAWN MCMILLAN'S OPPONENTS IN THIS RACE, A WOMAN BY THE NAME OF MICHELLE ALLEGE IO, A DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, FELT LIKE THIS FRIEND OF HIS, A WOMAN, FELT LIKE MICHELLE WAS BEING FED UP BY THE SAN DIEGO LEGAL ESTABLISHMENT TO WIN THE RACE.

>> YOU CONFRONTED MCMILLAN ABOUT THESE POSTS.

WHAT DID HE HAVE TO SAY?

>> I ASKED HIM IF THESE WERE HIS POSTS.

HE DID NOT SUGARCOAT THEM.

HE OWNS THEM OUTRIGHT.

HE SAID YEAH, I DID IT.

I'M NOT GOING TO LIE.

THEY ARE OUT THERE.

I ASKED HIM WHY HE POSTED THESE, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SEE AS OFFENSIVE .

HE HIMSELF SAID THEY WERE INSENSITIVE.

AND HE SAID HE DID IT TO START A CONVERSATION.

I ASKED HIM IF THE POSTS REFLECTED HIS VIEWS.

AND HE SAID, SOME DO AND SOME DON'T.

I WALKED HIM THROUGH A COUPLE OF THEM.

THE ONE OF MONICA LEWINSKY AND COLIN KAEPERNICK AND KAMALA HARRIS AND THE INSINUATION IS THAT THEY ROSE TO THEIR POSITIONS AND GAIN CELEBRITY BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT THEY HAD.

AND HE REFERENCED KAMALA HARRIS AND SAID, EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT HER RELATIONSHIP WITH WILLIE BROWN.

THERE WAS A LOT OF STUFF OUT THERE.

WILLIE BROWN IS A CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL BROKER AND FORMER MAYOR OF SAN FRANCISCO.

SHE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH WILLIE BROWN AT ONE TIME.

I SAID, YOU DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COMES ACROSS AS SEXIST?

HE SAID I GET IT.

I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE ONE BASICALLY SAYING THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS A RACIST.

HE SAID, THOSE ARE MY VIEWS.

I THINK HE WAS A VERY DIVISIVE FIGURE AND HE PROPOSED HIS 10 YEAR.

THE COUNTRY NEEDS TO HEAL.

I ASKED HIM IF HE THOUGHT THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S COMMONS IN 2017, SAYING THAT THERE ARE FINE PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES, IN REFERENCE TO A WHITE SUPREMACIST RALLY IN VIRGINIA AND HE A COUNTER RALLY.

HE SAID HE WAS UNAWARE OF THOSE COMMENTS.

I ASKED HIM WHETHER HE THOUGHT THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S COMMENTS BACK IN 2018 SAYING THAT HE WANTED TO BAN IMMIGRATION FROM MOSTLY AFRICAN COUNTRIES, REFERRING TO THE COUNTRIES -- IF THOSE WERE HEALING.

HE SAID HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE COMMENTS AND SAID HE LIVES IN WHAT HE CALLS A VERY SMALL POND.

>> INTERESTING.

TELL ME WHY THESE POSTS WOULD BE SUCH AN ISSUE FOR SOMEONE RUNNING FOR SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE.

>> IF YOU TALK TO PEOPLE WHO STUDY THE LEGAL SYSTEM, THEY WILL SAY THE BEST JUDGES, THE MOST IDEAL JUDGES ARE THE ONES WHO ARE RESPECTFUL AND DON'T JUST HAVE A STRONG LEGAL KNOWLEDGE BASE.

BUT THEY ARE PATIENT AND OPEN- MINDED.

AND AGAIN, ABOVE ALL, RESPECTFUL.

AND THEY SAY, WE UNDERSTAND THERE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS BACKLASH AGAINST POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND SOCIETY.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE REPRESENT DISRESPECT FOR PEOPLE AND CERTAIN GROUPS.

>> YOU SPOKE WITH THE NAACP AND THE BAR ASSOCIATION ABOUT MCMILLAN.

WHAT DID THEY HAVE TO SAY?

>> WE WERE UNAWARE -- WE SPOKE WITH THE NAACP.

THE GROUP IS UNAWARE OF THESE POSTS.

THEY WERE REPULSED BY THEM.

ONE GENTLEMAN SAID THAT HE DID HOWEVER APPRECIATE MCMILLAN'S CANDOR ABOUT THE POST.

THAT HE OWNS THEM AND HE LIKED THAT.

HE DID FIND THEM UP AREN'T.

HE SAID THEY WERE DISGUSTING.

THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION ACTUALLY EVALUATES JUDICIAL CANDIDATES IN ORDER TO HELP INFORM THE PUBLIC AND THEY GENERALLY DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO RACES AND THEY CONCLUDED SHAWN MCMILLAN IS LACKING QUALIFICATIONS TO BE THE JUDGE.

WHAT THAT MEANS ACCORDING TO THEM IS THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY OR THE EXPERIENCE AND DOESN'T HAVE THE TEMPERAMENT, THE COMPETENCE OR INTEGRITY TO BE THE JUDGE.

I BELIEVE THE BAR FOUND HIS OPPONENT MICHELLE IALEGGIO AS BEING EXCEPTIONALLY QUALIFIED FOR THE POSITION.

I ASKED SHAWN MCMILLAN ABOUT THE BAR'S CONCLUSIONS.

HE SAID IT IS WHAT IT IS.

HE SAID IT IS RUBBISH.

HE SAID HE FELT HE IS EXTREMELY QUALIFIED.

HE CALLED THOSE EVALUATIONS AND THE ENTIRE PROCESS A BEAUTY PAGEANT AND ONE THAT HE REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE IN.

>> HOW MANY SUPERIOR COURT SEATS ARE BEING CONTESTED?

>> THERE ARE FOUR SEATS AND THERE ARE 11 CANDIDATES.

>> I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW.

>> I WILL.

>> I NEWS SOURCE REPORTERS SPENT SIX MONTHS INVESTIGATING THE STORY OF A FORMER NAVY SEAL.

JOHN SURMOUNT.

HE WAS TREATED FOR POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER BY DOCTOR KEVIN MURPHY, AN ONCOLOGIST AT THE UNIVAC EC UNIVERSITY.

HE WAS TREATED WITH A NEW TECHNOLOGY CALLED TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION.

THE U.S.

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVED THE MACHINES FOR SOME AILMENTS BUT NOT FOR PTSD.

JILL, LET'S START WITH, WHAT WAS THE CONDITION LIKE WHEN HE CAME BACK FROM DEPLOYMENT?

>> JOHN SURMONT, AND NAVY SEAL, HE IS CONSIDERED A HIGHLY TRAINED MILITARY WEAPON.

HE WAS IN A DANGEROUS PART OF THE WHEELED WORLD AND DEPLOYED TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA.

WHEN HE RETURNED, HE HAD SOMETHING VERY COMMON THAT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VETERANS DO COME UP POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.

IT WAS UNTREATED.

HE HAD TROUBLE SLEEPING.

HE WAS IRRITABLE.

IT WAS SO BAD THAT HE SAID HE NEEDED TO KNOW WHERE THERE WAS AN EXIT AT AN EVERY ROOM HE WAS IN.

A PRETTY BAD SITUATION.

>> THEN THERE WAS AN INCIDENT.

>> YES.

A TRUCK ACCIDENT HE GOT INTO IN MARCH OF 2013.

IT WAS A TYPICAL DAY FOR HIM.

HE HAD DROPPED HIS KIDS OFF AND HE HAD GONE SWIMMING AT THE LOCAL POOL.

HE GOT BACK TO HIS CAR IN CHULA VISTA AND HIS CAR WAS HIT BY AN 18 WHEELER CARRYING LUMBER.

AND HE WAS SENT THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW.

IT WAS A HORRIFIC ACCIDENT.

HE WAS SENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND HAD TO GET EMERGENCY SURGERY.

WHEN HE CAME OUT, NOT ONLY WAS HE PHYSICALLY BROKEN BUT HIS POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS WAS MUCH WORSE AND HE HAD A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AS WELL.

HE COULD BARELY SPEAK.

HE WAS IN TERRIBLE CONDITION.

>> SO HOW DID JOHN SURMONT FIND DR.

MURPHY?

>> HE FOUND DR.

MURPHY THROUGH SOMETHING CALLED THE NAVY SEAL FOUNDATION WHICH IS A NONPROFIT THAT HELPS PEOPLE LIKE JOHN SURMONT, NAVY SEALS AND FAMILY MEMBERS AND LOOK OUT FOR THEM.

SOMEONE AT THE CENTER SAID, YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER THIS NEW AND UPCOMING TREATMENT CALLED TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION.

SHORTHAND FOR THAT IS TMS.

AND YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK FOR A PLACE THAT OFFERS THAT.

HE DID.

SO HE WENT TO THIS PLACE CALLED THE NEWPORT BEACH BRAIN RESEARCH LABORATORY WHERE HE MET DR.

MURPHY WHO BECAME HIS SUPERVISING PHYSICIAN AS HE WAS TREATED WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH A SMALL AREA OF STUDY.

TELL ME ABOUT DR.

MURPHY AND HOW HE GOT INVOLVED WITH TMS.

>> IT IS PRETTY UNUSUAL.

BECAUSE HE IS AN ONCOLOGIST.

SO HOW DID HE ENTER THIS WORLD AT ALL?

HE HAS A MILITARY BACKGROUND AND WAS IN THE NAVY AS WELL AND THE GULF WAR.

AND HE CAME AND BECAME A VICE CHAIRMAN AT UC SAN DIEGO.

HE CALLED THIS WORKING ON CHILDREN AND PEDIATRIC CANCER CARE WHICH IS A TOUGH FIELD TO BE AN.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WAS TOUGH IN HIS LIFE IS THAT HE WAS ALSO -- HE HAD A KID AT HOME WITH REALLY SEVERE AND VIOLENT AUTISM, TO THE POINT WHERE THE KID WOULD RUN AROUND AND WAS LITERALLY DESTROYING HIS HOME AND IT WAS SO HARD ON HIM AND HIS WIFE AND HIS WHOLE FAMILY THAT HE COME IN AN INTERVIEW WITH DR.

MURPHY, TOLD US HE WAS DESPERATE AND NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING.

SO HE ENDED UP TAKING HIS SON TO NEWPORT BRAIN RESEARCH LAB AND GETTING TREATED WITH THIS EXPERIMENTAL TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC SIMULATION AND HIS SON IMPROVED SO MUCH, MURPHY SAID, THAT HE BECAME THIS CONVERT AND JUST WANTED TO GET INVOLVED.

>> INTERESTING.

SO DOES THE FDA ACTUALLY REGULATE THIS ON PATIENTS?

>> SORT OF.

IT IS KIND OF COMPLICATED.

THE FDA IS AN INTERESTING REGULATORY LANDSCAPE.

TECHNICALLY WHAT THEY DO IS THEY REGULATE THE MACHINE THAT ADMINISTERS THE TREATMENT.

SO THERE ARE MACHINES THAT HAVE THESE MAGNETIC COILS PLACED ON THE SCALP.

AND THEN THEY SEND THESE ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSES INTO THE BRAIN.

IT IS SUPPOSED TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT YOUR BRAIN FIRES.

THESE MACHINES HAVE BEEN APPROVED SO FAR BY THE FDA TO TREAT THREE CONDITIONS.

DEPRESSION, OBSESSIVE- COMPULSIVE DISORDER AND MIGRAINES.

SO THEY HAVEN'T BEEN APPROVED TO TREAT OTHER CONDITIONS BUT THE WAY THE FDA OPERATES, WHEN THE MACHINES HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR SOME THINGS, DOCTORS ARE ABLE TO GO OUT AND TREAT OTHER THINGS USING THOSE MACHINES.

IT IS CALLED OFF LABEL USE AND IT IS VERY COMMON.

THIS IS KIND OF WHERE DR.

MURPHY FITS IN.

HE OFFERS HIS OWN VERSION OF TMS WHERE HE ADJUSTS THE SETTINGS ON THE MACHINES AND HE OFFERS THEM TO ALL SORTS OF PATIENTS AND TREATS THEM FOR ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

CEREBRAL PALSY AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

>> WAS DR.

MURPHY CONDUCTING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OR WAS IT CLINICAL TRIALS WITH THIS VERSION OF TMS?

>> IT IS PRETTY COMPLICATED.

HE HAS MADE IT COMPLICATED.

HE GOES AROUND AND SAYS HE DOES RESEARCH ON HIS VERSION OF THE TREATMENT TO SEE WHETHER HIS VERSION OF TMS WORKS BETTER RATHER THAN STANDARD TMS APPROVED BY THE FDA WORKS.

THE TRUTH IS, HE HASN'T.

IN INTERVIEWS WITH US HE ADMITTED THE STATEMENTS HE MADE PUBLICLY IN LAWSUITS ON HIS OWN WEBSITE AND INTERVIEWS ARE NOT CORRECT.

HE HAS NOT CONDUCTED ANY RESEARCH.

THE REASON THAT MATTERS IS BECAUSE HE GOES AROUND A LOT AND SAYS THAT WHAT HE OFFERS IS BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE STUDIED AND WHAT WE KNOW WORKS FOR PEOPLE WITH THINGS LIKE DEPRESSION.

BUT HE HAS NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT IN TERMS OF POLITICAL STUDIES.

>> IT IS CONCERNING.

WHAT IS THE TREATMENT LIKE AND HOW DID JOHN SURMONT RESPOND TO IT?

>> THE TREATMENT LAST USUALLY 4-6, OR 6 LIKE EIGHT WEEKS.

YOU GO IN ONE TIME A DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK.

LIKE I SAID, YOU PUT THIS EQUIPMENT ON YOUR HEAD AND SEND THESE PULSES THROUGH YOUR BRAIN.

IT IS SUPPOSED TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT YOUR BRAIN FIRES.

SO THE LEARNED PATTERNS THAT MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEPRESSION ARE CHANGED.

THAT WAY YOU DON'T SUFFER FROM THOSE SYMPTOMS ANYMORE.

WHEN JOHN SURMONT FIRST STARTED GETTING TREATMENT IN MID- 2015, HE SAID IT HELPED HIM A LOT AND HIS PTSD ESSENTIALLY WENT AWAY WHICH IS A REAL IMPROVEMENT IN HIS LIFE AND HE COULD SPEAK CLEARLY AND THINK CLEARLY BUT HE CONTINUED TO GET TREATED FOR OVER TWO YEARS.

HE GOT TREATED MORE THAN 200 TIMES TOTAL WHICH IS VERY UNCOMMON CONSIDERING THESE TREATMENTS ONLY LAST WEEKS.

BUT HE DID.

AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE TIME, HE HAD UPS AND DOWNS UNTIL EVENTUALLY AROUND JANUARY OF 2017, HE STARTED SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF MANIA.

>> IS THIS UNAPPROVED USE OF THIS DEVICE ILLEGAL?

>> NO.

IT IS NOT ILLEGAL.

DR.

MURPHY IS ALLOWED TO DO THIS IF HE WANTS TO DO IT.

HE IS STILL A PHYSICIAN AND IS SUPPOSED TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HIS PATIENTS BUT THIS IS TOTALLY OKAY.

>> I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT EVENTUALLY HAPPENED WITH SURMONT.

WITH MANIA?

>> HE STARTED EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS OF MANIA LIKE HAVING A REALLY ELEVATED MOOD AND SINGING AT AN APPROPRIATE TIMES.

NORMALLY WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN, WE ARE TOLD BY THE PRESIDENT OF AMERICA'S CLINICAL TMS SOCIETY THAT IT IS A POSSIBLE RISK AND IT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU GET THIS KIND OF TREATMENT.

THEY USUALLY CUT BACK ON TREATMENT OR STOP IT TO HELP THE PATIENTS.

IN THIS CASE, DR.

MURPHY CONTINUED TO TREAT SURMONT DAY AFTER DAY, WEEK AFTER WEEK, UNTIL EVENTUALLY AROUND THE SUMMER OF 2017, HE HAD A PSYCHOTIC EPISODE AND ENDED UP ON THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES.

WE DOCUMENTED THIS.

A LOT OF DETAIL IN THE STORY THAT HE WAS BREAKING INTO HOMES AND HE THOUGHT HE WAS ON A SECRET GOVERNMENT MISSION.

THERE WERE NEWS REPORTS AT THE TIME THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH CONCERN THAT SOMEONE WHO IS A TRAINED GOVERNMENT WEAPON RUNNING AROUND THE STREETS SOMEWHERE THINKING THAT HE IS ON A MISSION, THAT IT COULD BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.

HE LOST CONTACT WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

EVENTUALLY, AFTER A FEW WEEKS, HE WAS ARRESTED AT GUNPOINT IN LOS ANGELES AND PUT IN AN LA COUNTY JAIL.

AND SINCE THEN HAS BEEN DEALING WITH A LOT OF COURT CASES.

>> WHITED DR.

MURPHY CONTINUE TREATMENT AFTER SURMONT STARTED EXPERIENCING MANIA?

>> WE ASKED DR.

MURPHY A FEW TIMES.

HE SAID, I'M HERE TO TREAT THESE STATEMENTS.

HE SAID I CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT PEOPLE LIKE SURMONT DO OUTSIDE OF MY FACILITY.

>> DID HE CONCEDE THAT THERE MIGHT BE A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE MANIA AND THE TREATMENT?

>> NOT EXACTLY.

HE SAID IT IS TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE THAT HIS TREATMENT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS PSYCHOTIC BREAK BUT HE DOESN'T THINK THAT IT DID.

HE SAYS HE THINKS IT IS MORE LIKELY FOR SOMEONE TO BE HIT BY LIGHTNING BENITEZ FOR HIS TREATMENT TO HAVE CAUSED A PSYCHOTIC EPISODE.

AND HE REALLY TAKES OFFENSE TO THE IDEA THAT HIS TREATMENT IS UNSAFE.

>> SO IT IS PERFECTLY LEGAL FOR HIM TO DO THIS.

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT HAPPENED TO SURMONT?

>> IN TERMS OF DOCTOR MURPHY?

THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.

IT IS NOT TOTALLY CLEAR BECAUSE HE WAS NOT PERFORMING RESEARCH.

THERE ARE NO OBLIGATIONS NECESSARILY FOR HIM TO REPORT THIS TO A FEDERAL AGENCY.

THERE IS AN ONGOING DISPUTE THAT TREVOR DEAN HAS FILED AT THE CALIFORNIA MEDICAL BOARD COMPLAINT AND IT IS ONGOING.

THE TWO OF THEM IN THE INTERVIEWS DIDN'T TALK TO EACH OTHER BUT WHEN THEY SPOKE TO US, THEY EXCHANGED HARSH WORDS ABOUT ONE ANOTHER AND THE CLAIMS THAT THEY HAVE MADE ARE PRETTY SEVERE.

>> WHERE ARE MURPHY AND SURMONT NOW?

WHERE ARE WE AT WITH IT?

>> WE WERE THERE THE END OF LAST YEAR WHEN SURMONT FINALLY GOT RID OF HIS LAST CHARGE FROM A PSYCHOTIC EPISODE.

IT WAS DISMISSED.

SO HE IS FINALLY RECOVERING AND GETTING HIS LIFE BACK.

AND HE STILL CALLS DR.

MURPHY A HERO.

SOMEONE WHO HELPED HIM AND STILL LOVES HIM IN A WAY.

AS FOR DR.

MURPHY, WE DID A SEPARATE INVESTIGATION AS WELL AND WE LOOKED AT UC SAN DIEGO, HIS TIME THERE, A 10 MILLION-DOLLAR DONATION HE WAS USING TO STUDY THIS TREATMENT AND NOW AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION BY THE UC PRESIDENT'S OFFICE IN OAKLAND AS TO WHETHER HE MISUSED THE $10 MILLION TO BENEFIT HIS PERSONAL FINANCIAL SITUATION.

SO HE STILL HAS A LOT AHEAD.

>> VERY EYE OPENING WORK THERE.

I JUST WANT TO TELL THE AUDIENCE THAT THIS STORY TAKES THE MANY FASCINATING TWISTS AND TURNS.

AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE TIME TO COVER IT ALL HERE.

BUT THE ENTIRE SAGA IS AVAILABLE ON INEWSFORCE.ORG WHICH IS A PARTNER KPBS NEWS.

>> PROPOSITION 13 ON THE MARCH PRIMARY BALLOT, THERE IS LITTLE OR NO RESEMBLANCE TO THE NOTORIOUS PUBLISHING 13 OF 1978.

THAT WOULD COMPLETELY CHANGE THE PROPERTY TAX STRUCTURE IN CALIFORNIA.

BUT MANY VOTERS BELIEVE THAT THE 2020 PROPOSITION 13 WILL DO AWAY WITH THE 1978 PROPOSITION 13.

CONFUSED?

KPBS EDUCATION REPORTER JOE HONG IS HERE TO STRAIGHTEN US ALL OUT.

JOE, TELL US WHAT EXACTLY IS PROPOSITION 13?

HOW MUCH MONEY WILL IT RAISE?

AND HOW MUCH OF THAT WILL COME TO SAN DIEGO?

>> IT IS REALLY A NUMBERING SYSTEM.

THE TWO PROPOSITION 13'S COULD NOT BE MORE DIFFERENT.

SO THIS PROPOSITION 13 IS A $15 BILLION STATEWIDE BOND MEASURE THAT LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN APPLY TO.

TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO FIX FACILITIES.

AND SO IT IS A 15 BILLION- DOLLAR BOND.

$9 BILLION OF THAT WILL GO TO PRESCHOOLS UNTIL 12th GRADE.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND THEN $6 BILLION WILL GO TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

>> HOW WILL IT WORK?

WILL THE TAXPAYERS HAVE TO FLIP THE BILL ON THIS AT ALL?

>> YES.

IF YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES GET SOME FUNDING, YOUR PROPERTY TAXES WILL GO UP.

AND PROPERTY TAXES ARE THE WAY LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL PAY FOR THIS.

THE ONE THING THAT MAKES THIS BOND UNIQUE IS THAT IT PRIORITIZES THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THE MOST SEVERE SAFETY AND HEALTH NEEDS.

THEY WILL GET PRIORITY.

>> IS THERE ANY GUARANTEE THAT THE FUNDS RAISED WILL ACTUALLY BE USED?

>> YES.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF MEASURES IN PLACE IN THE BALLOT LANGUAGE OF PROPOSITION 13.

THE STATE WILL CONDUCT REGULAR AUDITS OF LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE USING THE MONEY FOR WHAT THEY SAID THEY WOULD.

>> IS THERE ANY UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS PROPOSITION IS SO DIFFERENT FROM THE PRIOR PROPOSITION 13?

EVEN WITH THE SAME NUMBER.

>> I HAVE THE SAME QUESTION AND TALK TO SOMEONE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE.

AND EVERY 10 YEARS, THEY RESTART THE NUMBERING.

AND HERE WE ARE.

>> IS IT POSSIBLE TO BANISH A PARTICULAR NUMBER AND NEVER TRIED AGAIN?

>> IT MIGHT BE A SMART THING TO DO.

>> ALL RIGHT.

13 IT IS.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SCHOOLBOARD RACES FOR SAN DIEGO UNIFIED.

THE SCHOOL BOARD RACES ARE USUALLY NOT THE HIGHEST PROFILE RACES.

BUT THE UNIFIED BOARD OF TRUSTEES SAID THE STAKES ARE REALLY HIGH IN THE MARCH PRIMARY.

THREE SEATS ARE UP THIS YEAR ON THE FIVE-MEMBER BOARD.

TELL US FIRST, JOE, WHY ARE THE STAKES SO HIGH FOR THE MARCH PRIMARY?

>> SAN DIEGO UNIFIED IS AN INTERESTING DISTRICT.

THE SECOND LARGEST IN THE STATE.

LATELY, IN THE PAST YEAR, IT HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF NATIONAL RECOGNITION.

IT WAS THE SUBJECT OF TWO BIG STUDIES AT STANFORD AND UCLA THAT SORT OF APPLAUDED THE DISTRICT FOR MAKING PROGRESS IN TEST SCORES, GRADUATION RATES AND COLLEGE READINESS RATES.

BUT IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THE DATA AND IF YOU SEPARATE BY SCHOOLS, YOU CAN SEE SOME ACHIEVEMENT GAP GROWING BETWEEN SCHOOLS LIKE LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL AND SCHOOLS LIKE SCRIPPS RANCH HIGH.

IF YOU ARE RUNNING FOR THE BOARD OR SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL BOARD, YOU KIND OF HAVE TO DEAL WITH BOTH OF THESE THINGS.

AND SECONDLY, THERE IS A HUGE FISCAL PROBLEM IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS STATEWIDE.

AND THAT IS DECLINING ENROLLMENT, GROWING SPECIAL ED COST AND TEACHER PENSIONS BUT KEEP GOING UP EVERY YEAR.

AND LASTLY, THIS IS THE FIRST QUESTION I ASK ALL THE CANDIDATES.

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CARE ABOUT SCHOOL BOARD?

AND THEY ALSO THE SAME THING.

THEY SAID BECAUSE IT IS A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT.

BECAUSE THE STUDENTS WILL BECOME THE FUTURE RESIDENTS OF SAN DIEGO.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO IT WILL BE UP TO THE ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS TO REALLY FIX THESE PROBLEMS OR ADDRESS THE CONCERNS.

LET'S FIRST START WITH A FAMILIAR NAME.

INCUMBENT RICHARD GUERRERO.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIM.

>> HE IS RUNNING ON A POST AND HE HAS RUN UNOPPOSED SINCE 2008.

HE HAS STRONG UNION BACKING.

HE REPRESENTS DISTRICT B WHICH COVERS LOGAN HEIGHTS AND CITY HEIGHTS.

THAT AREA.

AND HE HAS A LOT OF NAME RECOGNITION.

HE IS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> THREE CANDIDATES COMPETING FOR DISTRICT A. IT WILL BE VACATED BY JOHN EVANS.

WHAT IS THAT DISTRICT LIKE?

>> IT IS ONE OF THE MORE HIGHER INCOME SUBDISTRICTS.

IT IS JUST EAST OF LA JOLLA.

IT COVERS CLAREMONT.

YOU HAVE THREE CANDIDATES RUNNING.

HAVE SABRINA BOTHELL, CHRIS LATROBE AND STUFF GROSS.

ALL THREE ARE PARENTS AND ARE VERY INVOLVED IN THE CHILDREN'S SCHOOLS AND HAVE SERVED ON PCA.

>> INCUMBENT SHARON WHITE BEING OPPOSED AND SUBDISTRICT E. WHAT HAS BEEN HER FOCUS WHILE HOLDING THAT SEAT?

>> IF YOU TALK TO SHARON ABOUT WHAT SHE IS MOST PROUD OF, IT IS SPECIAL EDUCATION.

SHE IS REALLY FOCUSED ON DOING A BETTER JOB OF MEETING INDIVIDUAL STUDENT NEEDS.

THAT MAY MEAN THAT SOME STUDENTS MAY NOT QUALIFY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.

AND SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING THE APPROPRIATE SERVICES.

AT THE SAME TIME, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WHO NEED SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES ARE GETTING THEM.

EARLIER IN 2019, SHE ACTUALLY WAS THE ONLY BOARD MEMBER TO VOTE AGAINST RENEWING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT.

SHE IS VERY CRITICAL OF THE PROGRESS.

>> LET'S TAKE A LISTEN TO WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY HERE.

>> PEOPLE COME TO OUR SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT EAST COMMUNITY NOT WITH THE SAME SET OF RESOURCES THAT CHILDREN IN DISTRICT C IN THE COASTAL AREAS.

WE HAVE COACHING FOR INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS.

>> AND SHE IS BEING OPPOSED BY RICHMOND.

WHAT IS HER FOCUS?

>> HER FOCUS IS VERY MUCH ON TRANSPARENCY AND FOCUSING ON THIS ACHIEVEMENT GAP BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND HER SUBDISTRICT AND THE REST OF THE DISTRICTS.

>> ALL RIGHT, JOE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT IS SOMETHING WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH.

THAT WRAPS UP ANOTHER WEEK OF STORIES AT THE KPBS ROUNDTABLE.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS.

LISA, JOE OF KPBS NEWS AND JILL CASTELLANO OF I- NEWSSOURCE.

A REMINDER THAT ALL THE STORIES WE DISCUSSED TODAY ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE ON KPBS.ORG.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY ON THE ROUNDTABLE .