Board of Education — April 6, 2023

April 6, 2023 Board of Education Meeting

Highlights

The Board of Education adopted Resolution 2022/2023-43, In Support of Assembly Bill 1314, Parental Notification, an item President Sonja Shaw submitted. 12 The minutes list 21 speakers on it and record that the motion, by James Na and seconded by Andrew Cruz, carried with Don Bridge and the student representative voting no. 1 Comment on the item was cut off with people still waiting to speak. 34 The board also adopted a resolution seeking a state waiver for the sale of surplus land in Chino Hills, held a hearing with no speakers on naming a Chino HS facility after Frank Elder and Joe Murillo, and approved the consent calendar. 15

🏛️ Resolution 2022/2023-43 and AB 1314

The agenda memo, from President Shaw, says Assemblyman Bill Essayli announced AB 1314 on March 13, 2023. 2 Under the bill, a parent must be notified if a child asks to be publicly addressed by a pronoun other than their sex at birth, or to use facilities of a different gender. 2 Shaw submitted the item under Board Bylaw 9322, and the memo lists no fiscal impact. 2

The resolution affirms the board's commitment to "the rights of parents to be involved in their child's academic education," cites Education Code section 51101, and resolves that the board "supports Assembly Bill 1314, Parental Notification." 6 It directs the superintendent to send the resolution to Governor Gavin Newsom, the authors named in the resolution, Bill Essayli and John Gallagher, Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez, Senator Susan Rubio, the Legislature's position-letter portal and the Assembly Committee on Education. 6

The minutes do not summarize the board's discussion of the item, so no remarks are attributed to anyone here. They record that the motion, by James Na and seconded by Andrew Cruz, carried with Don Bridge voting no; the student representative also voted no. 1 The board then recessed from 7:56 to 8:09 p.m. 1

🗣️ Public comment on the resolution

When the item opened, 52 requests to speak were reported, according to the recording. 3 As read aloud from Board Bylaw 9323 3, when an unusual number of speaker cards comes in the board hears up to 30 minutes of comments 3, at three minutes per speaker. 3 When the extended comment period ended, the board was asked whether to continue for another 30 minutes 4, and it was announced from the dais that no more speakers would be heard, with people still waiting outside. 4

The minutes name 21 people who addressed the board. In support: Frank Rodriguez, Bridget, Caity Martinez, Greg Abdouch, Oscar Avila, Steven Paez, Misty, Bill Essayli, Kristal and Eric Dahlen. 1 In opposition: Christine Vicuna, Daniel Mora, Brandon Zuniga, Leila Maleki, Max Ibarra, July, Glory Ciccarelli, Jim Gallagher, Darlene Berg, Diego Fernandez and Alexis Tarros. 1 The minutes record each speaker's side but not what anyone said, so individual remarks are not summarized here.

FOX 11 reported hundreds of students, parents and community members, an overflow room, and more than 50 people signed up before comment was cut short. 7 CBS Los Angeles reported that hundreds waited outside and watched the meeting on their phones. 8

📋 Comments on items not on the agenda

The minutes list six speakers: Jim Gallagher on gun safety; Oscar Avila on gun violence, mental health and suicide; Adrian F. on violence at Chino Hills HS; Virginia Renteria on parent rights; Charlene King, to thank the board for supporting the Stepping Up program; and Steven Paez on children dying through abortions. 1 The minutes give only these subjects, so the remarks are not summarized.

🎓 Recognitions and representatives

President Shaw presented a certificate to Sydney Marich of Don Lugo HS, an FFA state officer. 1 As introduced at the meeting, she was to serve as the next California state FFA treasurer. 9 A California Distinguished School recognition for Hidden Trails ES was pulled from the agenda. 1

Student Representative Maya King thanked those in opposition to the resolution and spoke about construction around Chino HS and its safety. 1 On the recording she described buses unable to turn into the school 10, torn-up sidewalks that leave students walking in the street 1010, and a county special-needs class surrounded by construction. 10 She also reported a fundraiser for a former teammate that raised over $1,000, and another fundraising effort on April 25 at Chino HS. 1

Brenda Walker, A.C.T. President, announced scholarships for members' graduating seniors, thanked employees who have stepped up to keep students and staff safe, and said the Association is interested in the board's perspective on AB 1314. 1 On the recording she said that interest covered how the bill would affect teachers as well as students. 11 Barbara Bearden, CHAMP President, noted National Librarian Day, urged students to prepare for upcoming testing, and thanked President Shaw and Dr. Enfield for visiting her school. 1

🏫 Other action items

Facility naming hearing. At the February 2, 2023 meeting, President Shaw requested consideration of naming the new basketball court in the Mark Hargrove Memorial gymnasium at Chino HS after Frank Elder and Joe Murillo. 12 Under Board Policy 7310, the hearing comes at this meeting and action at the next. 12 The policy, last revised March 16, 2023, encourages community participation in selecting names. 13 The hearing opened and closed at 8:10 p.m. with no speakers. 1 On April 20, 2023, the board approved naming the facility after Elder and Murillo. 14

Surplus land waiver. The district owns a 6.5-acre parcel in Chino Hills known as the Galstian property, already declared surplus. 12 Staff sought a state waiver of Education Code provisions that would otherwise require a rigid bid or auction process, so the district could consider proposals and maximize proceeds. 12 The hearing opened and closed at 8:11 p.m. with no speakers. 5 The board adopted Resolution 2022/2023-36 to seek the waiver on a motion by James Na, seconded by Andrew Cruz. 5 The minutes' vote line for this item repeats the wording of the AB 1314 item, and the result announced on the recording does not match it, so how members voted on the waiver is not stated here. 515

✅ Consent calendar

The consent items were approved on a motion by James Na, seconded by Don Bridge; the student representative voted yes. 5 They included the March 16 minutes and payment for legal services to Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo; Margaret A. Chidester & Associates; and Tao Rossini, APC. 5 The packet totals those firms' February invoices at $32,502.35. 16

The board also approved two student expulsion cases, an Ayala HS trip and the Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant. 5 The packet puts the district's allocation at $15,877,462, to be spent by June 30, 2026, on arts materials, fewer combination classes, transitional kindergarten and resources for every school. 17 Facilities items included notices of completion for ViewSonics classroom work and the Ayala HS and Chino HS track resurfacing, and change orders for Butterfield Ranch ES, Hidden Trails ES and Preserve II School. 5

The calendar also set the process for naming Preserve School #2, and covered piggyback-contract resolutions, personnel items and a Pacific College of Nursing affiliation agreement. 18 The naming schedule opens public notice on April 7, 2023, with a hearing on May 18 and action on June 1. 19

📑 Information items

The board received an amended reimbursement agreement with the Ronald Reagan Charter School Alliance for overallocated space, the first-semester expulsion report and the Williams quarterly complaint report. 18 The charter memo says Sycamore Academy of Science and Cultural Arts-Chino Valley asked the district to forgive the remaining $154,367.31 of its Proposition 39 overallocation fees, and proposes a revised payment plan. 20 The expulsion report counts 41 students recommended for expulsion in the first semester: 17 were expelled and 24 revoked. 21

💬 Board and superintendent communications

Don Bridge thanked the Chamber of Commerce and the cities of Chino Hills and Chino for a public safety luncheon. 18 James Na spoke about a movement in Sacramento to water down the value of high school diplomas, about tuition concerns, and about the possibility of more college credit courses. 18 Andrew Cruz spoke about a June 10, 2023 Fish and Wildlife Festival at the county regional park, funding needs for music and arts, and autism awareness; said the 2nd Amendment is a given right; and read from Poems of a High School Loser, which he donated to Chino HS. 18

Jon Monroe thanked the Chamber for the Salute to Public Safety event, spoke about Prado Park's June 10 educational event, and said April is National Donate Life month, encouraging people to consider registering as organ donors. 18 Superintendent Norm Enfield said senior scholarship applications are open until April 27 and Military Salute applications are accepted through May 5, for recognition at the May 18 board meeting at Woodcrest JHS. 18 Sonja Shaw thanked district security staff and the schools that welcomed her and Dr. Enfield on site visits, spoke about a choral event at Chino Hills HS, and thanked all the speakers for expressing their views, encouraging working together on issues. 22

President Shaw adjourned the meeting at 8:26 p.m. 22

📰 What came next

On April 10, 2023, Assembly Education Committee chair Al Muratsuchi announced he would not set AB 1314 for a hearing, saying a hearing could provide a forum for hateful rhetoric targeting LGBTQ youth. 23 On July 20, 2023, the board approved its own Board Policy 5020.1, Parental Notification. 24