Traffic school denied (while fully eligible)... help?

I got a ticket for VC22350 (unsafe speed) in the mail from an accident in
February. I processed a Trial by Declaration and lost, and submitted a trial
de novo, with the intentions of pleading 'no contest' and taking traffic
school (I am fully eligible). The court clerks told me to wait till my trial
date and ask the judge, and when I did, the judge declined my traffic school
request on grounds that I already submitted a trial by declaration. And
thus, I was forced to either plea 'no contest' and go down without a fight, or fight the ticket on my toes with zero prior preparation... so I did, and lost.

I had the court session earlier today (July31st). Is there anything I can do
about this? An appeal? a reversal to grant traffic school based on the trial
de novo laws?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Note: This was at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, CA