WOODLAND HILLS — El Camino Real Charter High School Board Chair Brad Wright announced Sunday that he will resign from the school’s board of directors, effective Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Wright’s resignation comes as El Camino Real continues an investigation involving baseball coach Josh Lienhard, girls soccer coach Eric Choi and boys tennis coach Jason Grider.
The three coaches were placed on administrative leave and escorted off campus amid questions surrounding CPR and first-aid certification cards they submitted. The school has referred the matter to a third party for investigation.
Wright spoke with the Southern California News Group on Sunday afternoon and subsequently released the following statement announcing his resignation:
“To the ECR Community,
With a very heavy heart, I am writing to announce my resignation from the El Camino Real Charter High School Board of Directors, effective September 8, 2026.
This is not a decision I make lightly.
For more than 36 years as a neighbor and volunteer, El Camino Real has been a meaningful part of my life. My connection to this school goes far beyond serving on the Board. I had the privilege of serving as an assistant basketball coach in 1997, and years later, I was given the honor of returning to serve this community as a volunteer member of the Board of Directors.
For the past eight years, I have had the privilege of sitting at the table and working as an unpaid volunteer on behalf of a school that I feel is one of the best charters in the nation. But perhaps the greatest privilege has not been the meetings, the decisions, or the challenges that come with serving on a Board. It has been the students.
I have watched young people walk through the doors of El Camino Real with hopes, dreams, and uncertainty, and then watched them grow into young men and women ready to take on the world. I have watched them compete on our athletic fields, perform on our stages, excel in our classrooms, overcome challenges, and proudly walk across the graduation stage.
Many of these students are neighbors that I first saw as children are now adults, building careers, raising families, and making their own contributions to the world. Knowing that I was able to witness even a small part of their journey is something I will treasure for the rest of my life.
That is what makes this decision so difficult.
There has been a call for change and new leadership, and I believe change can be healthy for an organization. New leaders bring new ideas, new perspectives, and new energy. I am therefore stepping aside so that the new Board will have the opportunity to select someone who can continue serving our school and helping guide El Camino Real into its next chapter.
I leave knowing that this school is in good hands. I have tremendous faith in our teachers, our students, our families, our community, and the new leadership that will carry this institution forward.
I also know that after so many years of giving my time and energy to this school, it is time for me to listen to another important responsibility that is my family and my health. Those who know me understand how much this school has meant to me, and I hope they also understand that this decision comes from a place of careful reflection and respect.
I have always believed that El Camino Real is more than a school. It is a family. It is a place where friendships are formed, memories are created, dreams begin, and young people discover who they are and who they want to become.
I truly believe El Camino Real is one of the finest schools in the nation. I am confident that with dedicated teachers, committed families, outstanding students, and strong leadership, our school will continue to flourish for generations to come.
I will always be proud of the years I spent serving this community. I will always cherish the relationships I have built.
To our teachers and staff: thank you for giving our students far more than an education. You give them confidence, encouragement, and the belief that they can accomplish something greater.
To the ECR community:
Thank you for allowing me to serve as has been one of the greatest honors of my life.
Go Royals!”