August 25, 2022
1st SURPRISE: Someone rated CUSD as the #1 school district in San Diego County! Lots of great staff work was done influencing Niche and various article writers to come up with that rating. No metrics nor details discussed, but much joy.
The community should be proud that the room was at 75% capacity. However, 11 school board candidates and only 3 show up for a school board meeting 2 months before voting begins?!
To their credit: Cavanaugh, Machin, and Youngblood showed up.
The agenda today had speakers covering a range of topics: 4×4, menstrual products in male bathrooms, conference trips to Las Vegas, Long Range Plan, Local Control Accountability Plan, questions about gender affirmation in light of staff sexual orientation training, etc.
Candidates may have been well served by showing their knowledge and concern about a number of subjects so that voters could differentiate them from their competition and know where they stand on the issues and their sincerity. Why did candidates not speak to the myriad issues plaguing our schools and Administration?
They could have praised Mueller, the Board, and teachers like one old retired educator likes to do; at least we know he thinks the Superintendent is a standup guy and the Board is tirelessly dedicated.
So what occurred. 1) A Lawyer representing a student spoke to the Board and notified them that they are all being personally sued for violating freedom of speech and access to education act due to their misguided decision to enforce mask mandate, time after time. 2) A community member asked the Trustees to consider alternative options for spending education effectiveness block grant than the 8 staff trip to Las Vegas during the school week for a networking conference. 3) A community member discussed the difference between just and unjust laws and the need to fight unjust laws as a moral imperative. CUSD is failing students by asking them to accept an untruth: males do not menstruate, and asked the Trustees to do everything in their power to not enact AB 367.
Mr. Mueller’s 2nd SURPRISE: CUSD Administration outfitted boy’s restrooms with menstrual products without notifying parents NOR the Board!
We also found out that beside Antrim (in favor) that only EVC had the courage to at least state the fact that parents and herself find it disturbing and that the primary motivation as stated by the State Legislature was to normalize menstruation for all genders. Essentially, brainwashing boys to think it is normal to have feminine hygiene products in a bathroom and perhaps to question their own masculinity. EVC called it “biological and legal fiction”. 4) A community member discussed the irony that the Board was approving Biology textbooks on the heels of their acceptance of AB 367. 5) The same member reminded the board that 4×4 was supposed to allow a student to take more classes, but instead kids are taking less, asked about lessons learned regarding 4×4, shared issues, and asked for solutions to support kids doing well on Advanced Placement exams. Pontes took a rare hard stance, gently scolding Mueller that he owed a report from previous direction to which the Superintendent responded it will discussed at one of the next two school board meetings. Naturally, Dr. Battle’s academic report should discuss the AP scores as 4×4’s perceived impact on scores has been a contentious issue for over a year.
It must be reported for at least the second time, Antrim linked a recent student suicide to her agenda. She stated, “community members who do not feel safe at school, their physical safety was threatened, and anything that makes them feel safe and welcomed…they have a champion here, so we had a student take their life last year, so these laughters and jokes about biology books and menstrual products…I am always a champion.” EVC stood up for community member’s opinions — and defended the importance of truth. You can love someone without affirming their actions or confusion.
Lots to unpack. Community members are encouraged to watch the meeting video themselves (link button above) and keep the conversation alive via comments.
*Attendance numbers are down significantly but some of the deficit was hidden by adding in pre-schoolers to the total.
*The former removed CHS principal who was present at the Tortillagate basketball game and made decisions in its aftermath is now the Director of Pre-School!
*Shepard brings up concerns about “new rules BP 3.110 for transferring funds” in 3-4 years and possible impact on Mr. Salamanca’s Basic Aid Long Range Plan.
*Antrim pleased with free breakfast and lunch at school… shoutout to new dietician…”just great to give kids breakfast..”
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