April 21, 2022: An Ethnic Studies Timeline, a CRT Resolution Taken Up for Discussion, and a Request to Oppose AB 2223

President Christina Gagnier called the regular meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. with Don Bridge, Andrew Cruz, James Na, Joe Schaffer and Gagnier present 1. The main discussion item was Resolution 2021/2022-72, concerning district teaching of critical race theory (CRT), which the minutes record only as moved for discussion, after Superintendent Norm Enfield's overview of the state's ethnic studies requirement 2.

This page's record is the district's adopted minutes, which name the people below. Speakers are named only where the minutes name them, and remarks from the recording are attributed to a named person only within the subject the minutes give that person.

Out of closed session

The board met in closed session from 5:00 to 5:40 p.m. on one case of anticipated litigation, labor negotiations with A.C.T. and CSEA, assistant principal appointments and the superintendent's performance evaluation 1. It reported appointing Ashley Davis assistant principal at Chino High School effective April 22, 2022, and Jermaine Shiver assistant principal at Cal Aero K-8 effective May 2, 2022 1.

Parent and family engagement report

Lea Fellows, Assistant Superintendent, and Dr. Stacey Ayers, Director of Access and Equity, presented the LCAP annual update on parent and family engagement 3. On the recording, a presenter said the ratings were set by the district's community engagement initiative group, which included four parents, two community partners, principals, liaisons and staff 44. On the state's five-point scale, a 4 means full implementation and a 5 means full implementation that is sustainable regardless of who is in charge 44. The group rated most practices a 4 5, with two at 5, including families, teachers and administrators planning and evaluating family engagement activities together 5.

Student and employee representatives

Student representative Ester Kim reported on the Student Advisory Council meeting and the year's legislative bills. A.C.T. President Brenda Walker said the next day was the deadline for scholarship applications for members' graduating seniors and that May 2 through 6 is Teacher Appreciation Week. Emily Lao of CHAMP said school sites had received results from the K-12 Insight survey, noted Administrative Professionals Day and announced CHAMP scholarships for members' high school seniors 3.

Public comment on items not on the agenda

The minutes list these presentations: Bernadette Mendez read comments for Juli Santorsola regarding sex education in school; Sonja Shaw regarding communications; Oscar Avila regarding mask mandates; Rudi Krause regarding the COVID-19 virus; Jennifer Bartnett regarding preserving families; Bernadette Mendez regarding allowing parent volunteers back in class; Virginia Renteria regarding CRT, sex education and A Day of Silence event; and Heather Peery regarding CRT curriculum 3. The minutes record subjects, not what was said, so the remarks are not summarized here.

Action items

The board adopted Resolution 2021/2022-73, supporting literacy funding in the 2022-23 state budget and 2021-2022 legislative bills on literacy programs and supports, on a motion by Na, seconded by Bridge; the student representative voted yes 3.

It also adopted Resolution 2021/2022-71 and approved a grant agreement under the California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency Program (CalSHAPE), again on a motion by Na, seconded by Bridge 3. Staff explained that grant sites had to meet the program's criteria, including low socioeconomic status and closeness to freeways 6, that not every school qualified, and that the district hoped the state would loosen the requirements so more schools could apply 6.

Consent calendar

Gagnier pulled item III.D.2, Agreements for Contractor/Consultant Services, and the remaining consent items were approved on a motion by Na, seconded by Bridge 3. They included a revision of Board Bylaw 9322 on agenda and meeting materials 3; payment for legal services to the law office of Tao Rossini, APC, and Resolution 2021/2022-70 on temporary borrowing between district funds 3; student attendance calendars for 2023/2024 through 2025/2026, a revised Computer Applications course and four new courses: Beginning Guitar, Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Honors, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Honors and Introduction to Python Coding 7; and change orders, most with notices of completion, for alteration projects at Butterfield Ranch and Hidden Trails elementary schools, Canyon Hills and Townsend junior highs, and Ayala High School 7.

The pulled agreements were approved separately on a motion by Schaffer, seconded by Na, and the minutes record that Gagnier recused herself 7. On the recording she said she had pulled the item because of a conflict as a shareholder in a law firm 8.

Discussion: the CRT resolution and the ethnic studies mandate

Enfield opened the item with an overview of Assembly Bill 101's ethnic studies requirement 2. He said the item had been brought forward by a community member 8, and that the law requires the class of 2030 to take an ethnic studies course to graduate 8, so the district would need the course in place for 2025-26 and would typically develop it during 2024-25 89. J. reported at the October 2021 signing that the law requires high schools to offer ethnic studies by 2025-2026 10.

Enfield pointed to the district's handling of Assembly Bill 329, the California Healthy Youth Act, when board members appointed representatives to a committee that checked the sex education curriculum against state requirements and its appropriateness for students and the community 99. He recommended the same approach for ethnic studies: appointing community representatives going into the 2024-25 school year to review the curriculum 99.

The minutes list Jim Gallagher, Mindy Shamp, Byron Gonzalez, Tyra Weis and Agnes Mazer as addressing the board on the item, without recording their positions, so their remarks are not summarized here. Cruz moved and Na seconded a motion to discuss the resolution. The minutes record no further action and attribute none of the board discussion that followed, so it is not summarized here 2.

Board and superintendent communications

Schaffer congratulated the newly appointed administrators, asked for the status of returning parent volunteers to classrooms, asked the public speaker for the name of the campus she had referred to regarding a particular flyer, and noted the next day's deadline for the City of Chino Hills summer teen volunteer program 2. Staff replied that under the district's reopening plan 11 parents may volunteer in an essential role working directly with students, subject to vaccination or recent testing 11, and that the district would look toward the end of the school year at whether those conditions could be removed 11.

Bridge congratulated Todd Finkbiner, principal at Canyon Hills Junior High, on being named ACSA Region 12 Middle School Principal of the Year, and Chino Hills High senior Erica Collins for her result in the girls' open-division shot put at the Arcadia Invitational and for being named MVP at the Inland Valley Classic 2. The Champion had reported that Collins, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas signee, finished fourth in that shot put event 12.

Cruz commented on the district's online art festival, said Los Angeles County was implementing masks again beginning that Friday, cautioned about a possible return of masking and lockdowns, spoke about AB 2223, and said the priority and goal is to protect kids 2.

Na acknowledged student Avila, said he agreed with speakers addressing AB 2223, requested a resolution opposing it, and asked Enfield to look into opening campuses to volunteers 2. On the recording he said the bill would let infants be killed up to 28 days after birth, which he tied to lower enrollment and per-student funding 13, and said he would propose the resolution at the next meeting 13. FactCheck.org reported the next day that the bill would protect parents from investigation and prosecution if they lose or choose to end a pregnancy, and called the claim that it would legalize infanticide a falsehood 14. At the May 5, 2022 meeting, the board denied Na's request to place an item opposing AB 2223 on the agenda 15.

Enfield provided an update on the second school at the Preserve 2. On the recording, the district was waiting on a binding third-party appraisal before buying the land through escrow 13, and on Division of the State Architect approval of the designs 13. If both arrived within weeks, the projects would go to bid in July and August, break ground in November and stay on track to open for 2024-25 1616. In November 2024 a trade publication reported the builder had completed Legacy Academy, a K-8 school at The Preserve 17.

Gagnier followed up on last meeting's requests on trustee areas and a one-stop online source for mental health resources, and announced the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce's Taste of the Chino Valley on May 26 at The Shoppes in Chino Hills and the Chino Hills State of the City address on May 31 2. On the recording she asked when a resource answering questions about trustee areas and the 2022 elections would go up on the district website, and staff said it could be put out 1616. Staff described the mental health page as one place where students could send a tip to school resource officers 16, report bullying, find a suicide prevention number and reach social-emotional resources 18, expected within a couple of weeks 18.

Gagnier adjourned the meeting at 7:41 p.m. 2.