Board of Education — April 25, 2023

All right. I would like to call this meeting to order. Thank you for coming this evening. Michelle Renner, would you go ahead and lead us in the pledge?

Put your hand over your heart. Ready? Begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Michelle. All right. I will take roll. Michelle Renler? Present. Alex Farah? Here. Jim O'Neill? Present. And Patty Hall-Hann? Present. And I am present this evening. Please note for the minutes that all board members are present and accounted for. And we do not have any minutes for approval at this time. So let's move on to public participation. This section of the agenda is meant for any member of the public to address the board on any agenda item listed tonight. Do we have any cards on agenda items? OK. All righty. Next up, we have no student trustee report. We have no student trustee today. And we'll move on to board committee reports. So Mrs. Rundler, if you want to go ahead and get started, now that you've found your glasses.

Yeah. Thank you. Thank goodness. Start with Redlands Compact Club. Just want to let everybody know that RHS, REV, and CV are all preparing for the new year. Compact clubs at each high school are looking for ways to get more students interested in joining. The goals of Compact are to seek to develop, extend, improve, and foster positive relationships between businesses and qualified high school students in order to accomplish the following. Educate students about careers to enhance their decision-making ability. educate students about hiring practices, and encourage in students those intangible characteristics that are necessary for success in most jobs such as commitment, initiative, punctuality, and concern for performance. Any 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grader who might be interested in joining Compact Club for the coming school year, contact the advisor at their school or any current member of the club. All are welcome. Compact Awards tonight will be held on May 22nd from 6.30 to 8.30 and the location to be announced.

OK, thank you. You want to go ahead and go on to Redlands Educational Partnership?

Sure. Can I ask, before she goes on, can I ask her a quick question? Are the mock interviews at the Orton Center, what schools are involved in that?

It's some of REV, and it's the Roxford kids are going to be doing those, and some kids from CV, possibly, that didn't get to do the other one.

Are you going to do? That's tomorrow night. Yeah, I am. So I just wanted to see you.

Yeah, so tomorrow night and Wednesday night.

Okay, thank you. Tomorrow is Wednesday night.

Oh, it is? Oh, so it was yesterday and today. And tomorrow, okay. Thank you. And so for Redlands Educational Partnership, AAA Academy for the summer program will be from June 18th to the 28th of July. RUSD's ELAW program will again offer scholarships to students. Go to AAA Academy website to register for the full or half-day programs, and it's a great program. And at that time, preparations were underway for the Harlem Wizards basketball game. That was on the 22nd of April. And also on that Friday morning, players from the team went to elementary schools to show their basketball skills and just entertain the kids. Evening of appreciation is on May 10th, and the Arts Alive Student Showcase will be also on that night. I personally wish to thank the board for all that they do for our staff and schools in Redlands Unified without the support of Organizations like rep we would not have the money to be able to have some of the programs that we do throughout our district And I want to thank Ken and all the teachers and staff who participated in the Wizards game You helped with help the money come in for rep so we could send it back out to the schools. Thank you very much Thank you mrs. Rendler. Did you want to go ahead and do Parks and Rec? Okay Parks and Rec Advisory Commission The meeting was lost at last week Although some businesses shared their displeasure regarding the place and the date of the downtown morning market City Council had decided that it would stay the way it is for now and they'll revisit it after this spring session. So Construction is underway now for phase three of the Santa Ana River Trail from Waterman to California. And the design phase, number four phase of the River Trail, which goes from California Street to Mentone is complete. So they'll start construction soon on that. The student commissioner, Nikita Jost, said that they started a PRC app club at RHS finally. Mr. Ha is the advisor. The club will continue the efforts that some students, with some students that had an interest in the interactive app for the parks and redlands. Commissioner Adam Hebden began that app about three years ago and a lot of the students in the schools wanted to continue it and to make it bigger. Possible action regarding a recommendation to the City Council to approve approve the security fencing installation at the seawall theater in Prospect Park And they were going to allocate about a hundred and forty thousand dollars from the Palmetto Grove funds They moved that to a special meeting that actually took place yesterday I don't have the details of what happened with that But because of all the vandalism in the park they were trying to come up with an idea to keep it safe and all their stuff safe And that's all I have to report

Okay, thank you. Um, I accidentally skipped over cryrops.

So mr. Bar if you want to go ahead and read that report Uh redland seas valley high school e-sports team made the playoffs and are ranked 10th In 10th place out of 61 teams Redland seas valley high school in cryrops will be hosting its fourth annual mental health fair on may 23rd american sign language a sl2 held their annual asl music video competition Redlands East Valley High School video production in conjunction with ASB will be hosting the first annual red film festival in June and Citrus Valley High School will offer a new cryrops sports medicine program next year Did I did notice that their evening of appreciation and The evening of excellence are both on the same day.

Yes the same evening so we might have to split up and Make sure we cover everybody Mr. O'Neill, do you have anything for the cultural Arts Commission?

Oh, we're in between meeting cycles.

So nothing to report and on the CSBA and The coalition to support are you a see? All right Easy peasy moving on to the superintendent's report report Pat Kelly is serving as an interim superintendent. Mr. Kelly. Do you have a report?

I have a few things to share with the board and with the community. Mrs. Stevens is our information. There we go. All right, let's go ahead and take us to that first picture. It's been a busy week, both for me and my first full week, as well as our students. Last, on Friday, the Optimus Games were held at Redlands High School. For those of you who aren't aware, Optimus Games is an opportunity for our special needs and typical students to partner together in athletic endeavors. And if you've ever been – need to be motivated by watching students take part in very, very cool activities, this would be the event to see. So it was wonderful as hundreds of athletes participated. And watching parents be able to see expressions and their children engaged in activities was absolutely rewarding. I want to thank all the schools who participated with this and our director of special services, Patty Buckmiller, and her whole department for putting this on because it's quite an endeavor. I was able to attend the Hope of America awards put on the Kiwanis Club. What a great group of individuals that is here in Redlands. And we were able to honor four students from Franklin, Judson Brown, Lagonia, and Highland Grove Elementary for the recognition of leadership and academics. And so congratulations to these four students here. The Lego Education Tour, uh, took place last week. Uh, and, uh, this is a program that is really unique throughout, uh, for Redlands Unified. And Redlands has been cited by Lego as the, uh, the school district within the nation that has implemented this the most effectively. So that's very exciting and you can see some pictures here. But these are our future engineers, uh, taking shape. That's very exciting. And last but not least Michelle you had mentioned it but the the basketball game on Friday night as well and we just thank the community and the staff and the Harlem Wizards who participated all for being able to make a great opportunity for for more things for students here in Redlands. Moving on to a couple of personal comments. In my short time here in Redlands, I've learned some things. It's abundantly clear that the safety and well-being of students is the priority for individuals of this community. I have learned that individuals care for this community and at schools and genuinely want the best. This is common ground and a shared commitment and something we should all be proud of. Sadly, there have been instances by several individuals over the past three decades that have led to valid questions by caring and concerned individuals. Information today can be tricky to navigate. News is abundant today and overwhelming for the average person to dig through and determine fact versus fiction. I think it's fair to say that both truth and deception exist in that information. I'm a person that will act with truth and integrity and you can count on that from me. I have learned that the district has engaged in some exceptional and extraordinary efforts in the last five years to recognize past shortfalls and to remedy those. Those efforts are not yet complete, but the groundwork is solid and has already shown benefits for the safety of children. The future will include a continuing assessment of how we can be even better and safer for students. There will be times when those assessments will be affirming and times that will show that improvement is still warranted. I'm confident in the leadership shown in this district to be committed to that improvement and moving forward with that improvement. Parents in this community want these things for their children from the schools and community. They want solid and rigorous academics. They want opportunities that expand interests and talents. They want opportunities for their kids that build skills for their future. and to be afforded those things in a safe, secure, and respectful environment. As such, the community and staff can expect the following. We'll continue to build and safeguard protections for students. We'll abide by law and statute. We'll respect parents as the first and most important educator for their child. And above all, we will treat every individual student with dignity. Lastly, I have also learned you have a special community here. And I see why you care deeply. And I'm confident in the direction I have seen in the leadership in this district and the direction it's headed. I'll be committed to building the common ground for those shared commitments that the students of Redlands deserve, even though it will just be for a couple of months. But I'm proud and honored and privileged to be here. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kelly. We will now continue with the superintendent's recommendations. First up will be consent items under business services. Mr. Hill, do you have any changes or additions?

Thank you, Board President. No changes or additions tonight.

Okay, thank you. Can I get a motion to approve item A, consent items B through K?

So moved. Second.

Thank you, Alex. Thank you, Patty. Any discussion?

Michelle? I have a question I just thought about. Betty, are you here? Is Betty Crocker here? It's actually for Betty, I think. Because all our students were on that program where all our students get free breakfast and lunch, why do we have to keep track of this? Do we still need to keep track of all of the CalWORKs and all that? Okay, thank you.

Okay, is there any more discussion? Okay, i'll call for the vote all those in favor say aye aye any opposed Chair votes aye and so ordered There are no business services action items and we'll get to ed services Moving on to consent items under educational services. Dr. Wagner. Do you have any changes or additions?

Thank you, president. Aiella cantaro. No changes or additions

Can I get a motion to approve item A, consent items B through D? So moved.

Second.

Okay, thank you, Jim. Thank you, Alex. Any discussion? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Chair votes aye and so ordered. Move on to educational services action items. Approve all items, all consent items as detailed in items 14B through 14D. Sorry, my bad. Okay, educational services action items. Is that where we're at? Yes, okay. Adopt resolution number 33, 2022-2023, day of the teacher, May 10th, 2023. District supported this designated day of the teacher by California legislature makes a visible statement that we acknowledge and thank teachers for their professional lives to our children. This year's theme is California educators planting seeds, inspiring students, and future educators. Can I get a motion? Move?

So moved.

Second. I believe that was Michelle and Patty. Any discussion?

I have a question. Would it be okay with the board if we actually read the resolution tonight? just so teachers can hear it and people can hear it rather than just post it.

OK. All right.

I mean, you can get the consensus. I have it right here.

You are free to give it to Jim.

All right, so our resolution number 33-2020-22-23, Day of the Teacher, whereas teachers in the Redlands Unified School District are conscientious, well-qualified professionals, and whereas assisting children to reach their highest potential is a demanding career requiring dedication and a caring nature, and whereas eminently qualified teachers are needed for the schooling of a well-educated citizenry. Whereas the free public education available to all Americans is essential to this nation's democracy. And whereas the second Wednesday in May has been designated day of the teacher by the California legislature. And whereas the observance is an opportunity to thank teachers for dedicating their professional lives to our children. And whereas the occasion is not only a chance to honor teachers, but to encourage more young people to plan careers in the classroom. And whereas the board urges members of the community to let teachers know how much their hard work and dedication is appreciated and urges students to consider teaching as a career.

Thank you, Jim. I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Chair votes aye and so ordered. Item B, read and adopt resolution number 34, 2022-2023 Education Support Professionals Day, May 16th, 2023. District support of this designated educational support professionals day by California legislature makes a visible statement that we acknowledge and appreciate the work our education support professionals do to keep our schools safe, healthy, and running smoothly. Do you want to read that one?

I'm going to move approval on that first.

Thank you, Patty. Thank you, Alex. Discussion?

You want me to read it now?

Yeah, absolutely.

Well, thank you. Whereas education support professionals in the Redlands Unified School District include paraprofessionals, school secretaries, custodians, bus drivers, technicians, maintenance workers, and many others who make our schools run smoothly, safely, and professionally. And whereas education support professionals are on the front lines of public education supporting children to reach their highest potential. And whereas educational support professionals strengthen our schools by the work they carry out every day with a dedicated and caring nature. And whereas Redlands Unified School District's education support professionals are, more often than not, from the local community, vested in our schools and actively participate in community and school activities. And whereas the Tuesday of the third full week in May has been designated Education Support Professionals Day by the California Legislature. Whereas the observance is an opportunity to thank education support professionals for dedicating their professional lives to our children. And whereas the occasion is not only a chance to honor education support professionals but to encourage more young people to plan careers in education. And whereas the board urges members of the community to let education support professionals know how much their hard work and dedication is appreciated.

Thank you, Jim. All right, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Chair votes aye and so ordered. Item C, read, approve the stipulated expulsion regarding, excuse me, approve the stipulated expulsion regarding student 2022-2023-030 expulsion through the remainder of the second semester for the 2022-2023 school year and all of the first semester for the 2023-2024 school year. So moved.

Second.

Thank you, Alex. Thank you, Jim. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Chair votes aye and so ordered. Moving on to consent items under human resources. An item was pulled and we will now be approving consent items B through AE. Dr. Robertson Phillips, do you have any other changes or additions?

I have no changes or additions this evening, thank you.

Okay, can I get a motion to approve item A, consent items B through AE? So moved. Second. Thank you, Alex. Thank you, Michelle. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye.

Aye. Aye.

Any opposed? Chair votes aye and so ordered. Management, establish position and approve job description for, sorry, this is human resources action items. Management, establish position and approve job description for coordinator one, special education legal analyst effective April 26, 2023. So moved. Second. All right, thank you, Patty. Thank you, Alex. Any discussion? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Chair votes aye and so ordered. At this point, we'll be reading out the closed session readout. In regard to the public employee appointment part of the agenda, I would like to report the following. In closed session, the board took action to appoint Adam Wagner to the position of director to student services effective July 1, 2023 at step three of the management team's salary schedule with the following vote. Ayala Quintero, Holohan, O'Neill, Renler, Vara, voting aye. And I believe they are not here this evening. So we'll move on to the next in closed session The board took action to appoint nicole how nicole house to the position of assistant principal e academy rise effective may 1 2023 at step two of the management team salary schedule with the following vote a yala quintero holohan o'neill rendler vara voting aye We want to welcome and congratulate adam wagner and nicole nicole house on their new appointments We have no discussion items, so we'll move on to public participation And we will be moving on to the community input portion of the agenda Thank you This is the time that any member of the public may address the board on anything that falls under the jurisdiction of the Board of Education provided the person submits a completed registration card to the clerk of the board and or his or her designee prior to the public participation. This is not meant to be a debating period. Complaints and problems relating to policy matters will be referred to the superintendent. The board wishes to address- the person wishing to address the board shall, when recognized by the chairperson of the board, step up to the podium and announce their name. The chairperson shall limit the amount of time which a member of the public may use to addressing the board to three minutes unless the chairperson or a majority of the board determines that a different limit is appropriate. So I'm going to go ahead and read off the first name and then I'm going to go ahead and offer a second name so that that person knows that they're up next. All right, first up, we have Paula Ready. And following Paula, we have Kathleen Brennan.

LGBTQ plus community that we have in our current high schools. I was a parent of two kids who went through Redlands Unified School District and graduated from REV. And now I'm the grandparent of three students of Redlands School District ages 12, 9, and 4. The mere existence of these clubs provides a safe environment for individuals to meet collectively with their fellow students who share something crucially important to them. The numbers of teenagers who do not have support of their family, friends, and their schools who self-injure is just absolutely staggering. Dwayne Kellum is the faculty advisor at Rev for the Pride Club, and I'm very grateful to him and his service and others like him who step up and provide safety to these kids and their support as well. The haters of the LGBTQ plus community do not speak for me, my daughter, and my grandchildren. Thank you.

Thank you, Paula. Up next, we have Kathleen Brennan. I apologize if that's an N or an O. Sorry. And up next, we have Samantha Trad.

First and foremost, thank you guys all for what you do. I said that before the last time I was here speaking to you all. We appreciate what you do. And I know when you sign up to be on the board, you didn't expect this. But I, too, am here in support of the pride groups on campus. And Dwayne, specifically, they're much needed. Former commander of the United States Navy said it best at his school. his kids' school board meeting because he too was fighting the same fanatics that have brought us all here together today. He reminded us that on September 11th, 2001, religious fanatics who wouldn't even let a woman be educated flew planes into the World Trade Center in Pentagon. The same commander spent the next decade of his naval career fighting religious fascism abroad, never thinking he'd have to fight it here in US soil. But yet, here we are. He also reminded those in attendance that our parents wanted us exposed to different ideas and viewpoints. They let the librarians and the teachers decide what we could read. Because they knew that having different viewpoints makes us stronger, makes us better, diversity makes us better. Sorry. This commander, much like most of us here, will not stand idly by while religious fanatics and other fanatics try to impose fascism in our country. And I honestly don't believe that any of you would either. Many of you know the CBS just released an expose called the Pledge of Silence, where they expose the real predators in our public schools. And the fact that Redlands is undeniably the nation's poster city for this kind of abuse, with over 40 million in settlements for sexual assaults that happen in our schools. Yet these fanatics are trying to confuse and mislead folks into believing that LGBTQ community is aligned with pedophilia and grooming. And by doing so, they are taking away the attention from the real predators, which 99% of the time are straight white men. I am grateful to belong to one of the greatest labor unions in the country, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. I am a lesbian and I'm a proud president of local 1932 here in San Bernardino. And I want all the LGBTQ youth in this room watching, possibly live streaming, to know the words of our new general president, Sean O'Brien, to the LGBT community amongst our ranks and throughout. You are not alone, you are part of a team. We're all members of the Teamster family, and we come in all colors, religions, ages, genders, and sexual orientations. None of us should be cast aside or made to feel lesser than the other. Teamsters have fought for equality since 1903. We're not going to stop anytime soon. We're here to support you guys. We're a call away. We support the teachers here, the Teachers Association. Anytime, anything you need, just know that. Thank you again for your time.

Thank you, Kathleen. Up next, Samantha Trad. And after Samantha, we will have Matthew Keeling.

Hello. My name is Samantha Trad. I grew up in the Redlands Unified School District. And I'm a parent to children who are growing up in the Redlands Unified School District. I am here today to talk in support of pride clubs at all of the schools. It is so important to have these clubs for a number of reasons. Normally I bring my kids to things like this. In fact, I adjunct at the University of Redlands and I'll bring my students to meetings like this. But I was afraid to bring them here tonight because of things that the fascist community who we're going to hear from tonight have posted on their social media of violence and hatred. Hatred towards people simply because of who they are, because of who they love, and it's horrific that we live in this kind of community. I am very concerned about But as the speaker before me said, those people are not from the queer community, and we know that. And having pride clubs are not a place where this kind of abuse happens. In fact, they are safe havens for students. And these students need those safe places. According to Pew Research, one in three transgender young people, actually only one in three, live in a safe home, which means two out of three don't feel safe at home because of who they are. They need these communities, and they need teachers like Mr. Kellum who are there to help them be who they are in a safe environment. So again, it is so important to have these clubs so that these students can express themselves and they should not be discriminated against because of who they are or who they love and the queer community should not be scapegoated simply because of other things that have happened that is completely unrelated to the queer community. Thank you.

Thank you, Samantha. Up next is Matthew Keeling, and after is Tricia Keeling.

He's outside.

Can you just tell the police to come in? He can come in right now. Tricia, can you hear me? Okay, well we wait on Matthew Keeling Tricia do you want to go ahead and So up after will be Matthew and then I'll call the next person after Tricia.

Hello, my name is Tricia Keeling and I'm the mother of two Redland students and a member of Safe Redland Schools. I come to you deeply concerned for the safety of the LGBTQ youth within our district. Jared Gustafson, the leader of the Inland Empire Liberty Coalition, has continued to terrorize Redlands residents, and now our students. It didn't stop after he doxxed a school board member. It didn't stop after he invited white supremacists and bigoted terrorist groups to our city. He has defamed and intimidated those who oppose him, including my own family. And now his attention is being directed at Redlands teachers. like the advisor of the Pride Club at REV, Mr. Kellum. This behavior can at best be described as stalking, from following student groups online to harassing them for having lawful conversations protected by the First Amendment and the California Ed Code. Jared has a documented history of abuse himself and grooming, as seen in the articles and book written by Ryan Ashton. Jared also has recently unethically sought out testimony from RUSD abuse victims. He himself is a social worker and he's supposed to be a mandated reporter. I find it deeply disturbing that this man is posting these things online. If you have been the victim of sexual assault or abuse, please report it to a person of authority. A trusted family member, a counselor, a teacher, someone you trust, not non-licensed professionals who are using these stories for their own political agenda. This is a man that is supposed to be protecting children and is instead is using their stories for sharing and likes online. Creating safe and empathetic spaces for all students is the bedrock of education. LGBTQ kids have rights to the right to exist the right to belong and the right to learn and teachers who are supporting them like Mr. Callum deserve our appreciation and respect not the vile condemnation that he has recently received. Another thing I'd like to bring up is how disturbing that we continuously see the same outside people who do not live in this community, who do not have children, who do not represent anything but their own grift for money. They do this, they come up here, they get filmed, and they replay it online to try to get money and donations. We'll see that again tonight, I'm sure, from members from Gays Against Groomers, Frank Rodriguez. Thank you.

Patricia Keeling up next we have Matthew Keeling and afterwards we have Leah no last name

Hello, my name is Matt Keeling. I have two children in RUSD and live in Area 4. Like many parents here, I was horrified by the CBS piece on sexual abuse. I read about it in the paper previously, but hearing the testimony from the victims was absolutely horrible, and clearly more needs to be done to break the silence about the abuse that threatens our children. It also illustrates why sex education is so important even at fairly young ages. Kids who do not understand consent cannot be granted by the underage are much easier prey for these sexual predators. One other thing I believe can help are clubs and trusted teachers that provide safe spaces to kids to feel secure while at school, like the Pride Club. The predatory relationships described by CBS were all heterosexual, they have nothing to do with Pride or the LGBTQ community, and it is incredibly irresponsible for my ideological opponents to conflate the two and viciously attack a teacher who has not been accused of wrongdoing. This is classic scapegoating, taking a real problem and instead of trying to solve it, Connecting it to some group they decide they don't like, whether that be gay people, transgender people, Jews, whoever the group of the day is. This is classic scapegoating, and I hope kids are learning about that sort of behavior in history and social studies, how to identify it, how to spot it, and how to stand up against it. Thank you.

Can I start? OK. Good evening, board members. I'm coming tonight to speak to you about a few things in light of the recent documentary that was released. First off, to say I was shocked was an understatement. I had heard about a few of the sexual abuse cases, but not all. There's definitely some work that needs to be done by the district to clean things up. Obviously, Redlands does not have a good history of teachers in the district if 25 teachers have been accused of this abuse by 55 students, both heterosexual and homosexual. cases of two male teachers molesting boys that I know of could be more. Word is that things have gotten better since the now previous superintendent came into office, but if that is the case, then why is Sabine Roberts still employed? The documentary clearly shows she was caught destroying evidence, which should be reason enough to let her go. Also, I think any leaders that were around during the abuse should resign or be let go because they knew this was occurring. I also have heard from many parents that their recent complaints of odd behavior by teachers have not been taken seriously. So I want to ask you, what is it going to take to investigate these complaints? I also want to mention the recent binding class that was held at Rev High School. I want to start off by saying I have no problem with the LGBTQ club being held at school after hours where parents are aware their children are attending. But why did breast binding have to be a topic? Don't you think it's inappropriate to talk about breasts in a classroom around a teacher during lunch? Not to mention if done incorrectly could be dangerous to a person's health. So what qualifies the individuals that held this class to teach this, especially if there are risks? Shouldn't this be between a child's parents and their doctor and not at a club at school? And one last thing I want to state, teachers do not need to be a safe place for children except if a child is being abused at home. A parent not allowing their child to decide they want to be a different gender is not abuse. It's called parenting, a right we all have with our children as their parents until they are adults. The majority of kids grow out of gender dysphoria. That is a proven statistic. Thank you.

Thank you. Up next, we have JB. And after JB, we have Jeanette Wilson.

Hello. My name is JB, I'm a retired firefighter and father of two ex-Redlands Unified School District children. I loved my career, I loved protecting people I didn't know, and so protecting mine and other children comes very naturally for me. It's obvious the Redlands Unified School District does not share these views, as is corroborated by the CBS news article titled Pledge of Silence. I would encourage anyone who hasn't watched it to go to YouTube and type in Pledge of Silence. sex abuse, and cover up. And please watch it. Matthew 19 14 says, let the children, little children come to me and do not hinder them, for they too belong to the kingdom of heaven. As a concerned father coming here for two years this May, the Redlands Unified School District is not protecting the innocence of our children. Welcome, Mr. Kelly. I'm relieved to hear your parents' first approach, as it's been parents' last choice in their own kids' health for the last two-plus years here at RUSD. So it seems clear to me the massive improvement is immediately warranted to this republic for which we all just stood. Thank you.

Thank you, JP. Up next, we have Jeanette Wilson. And after that, we have Christine Collinsworth.

Good evening. You know, it was very difficult to cover my concerns in three minutes, and I do hope you are open to ideas and insights from us. I wanted to let you know because some of us parents have been coming regularly to school board meetings. Many parents from Redlands have reached out through Facebook, Instagram, and private messages since the CBS documentary aired. So I know the problems aren't fixed. While many of the grand jury required corrections sound good, in reality, some aren't working very well. So I know you hope that it's done, but it's not. To begin with, one of my concerns was the sworn testimony the Redlands police officer Pavero reported on June 19th, 2015 that Sabine Phillips was caught deleting information on her computer regarding child abuse in Redlands. And she's still here. Not only was it not reported, it was covered up. I believe she should resign. We need a clean slate to make the health and welfare of our children a priority. So my concerns, I also have ideas for solutions, but there's not enough time. I suggest a solution focused work group. My concerns are these. Number one, a lack of transparency and too much autonomy at school sites. How are complaints tracked? How are concerns about the same person tracked or concerns about the same school site tracked? Several an example is that I was contacted about several parents have the exact almost exact same issue with the same teacher at Lagonia Elementary and they've made complaints. How is that tracked? How does any one of you guys know what is going on at an individual school? Secondly, parents are still not getting informed that their child is being interviewed about sexual allegations at school. I have a friend whose son just a few months ago was apparently interviewed at REV. She only knew about it because he had an unexcused absence. And when she called the school to find out why, the first person she talked to was just kind of beating around the bush. Then she finally talked to the vice principal who explained to her that he was pulled out of class to be interviewed by an investigator about an allegation. Didn't even tell her that it was a sexual abuse allegation. Now what if this child had a sexual abuse history? That could be very traumatizing to that child parents need to know what's going on with their children And also parents not knowing where to turn after making a complaint. Thank you.

Thank you Up next christine collinsworth and after that erin stepien Good evening, my name is christine collinsworth and I have been fighting endlessly to protect my children in the redland school district When I was here nearly two years ago, you locked a group of us out of the building and called the police on us. You tried to silence us, but we are still here fighting and we will not stop. I want to extend a heartfelt apology for the 50 children and their families who are victims of the child abuse in this district. I am sorry that your innocence was robbed and taken away from you by those who were meant to teach you. I'm sorry for the way that this may have impacted your growth, development, and relationship with the world. I'm sorry for the mama and papa bears of those children who inevitably suffered alongside them. You deserved better. I demand the immediate resignation of Sabine Robertson Phillips, and I am requesting that Patty Holohan step down from this board. The district likes to emphasize their policy changes from 2018 and 19, and you treat sexual abuse like it's a thing of the past, but that is not true. More and more victims of abuse are coming forward, reporting to myself and others. We all know each other here. We all know that. They're coming forward. They're reporting to myself and others, just like the case last year at REV. And that's an ongoing issue. That's right now involving Elrod Jara, current child abuse. And that's all I have to say.

Thank you, Christine Collinsworth. Up next we have Erin Stepien, and after that we have Frank Rodriguez. Sorry.

Good evening, board. My name is Erin Stepien. I stand here tonight embarrassed by the lack of action and accountability by this board and the leadership of RUSD. The severity of the sexual abuse problem within the district was highlighted recently on national news. Based on the evidence in the documentary, clearly this is a systemic problem for more than a decade. My question to the board is this. Were you complacent in knowing this was happening? Or did you choose to just sweep this under the rug like the others named? Why did no one stand up to protect the innocence of the children you were elected to serve? Your role on this board is to put into place strong policies that benefit and protect the children. Then hold the superintendent accountable to those policies. You have failed the students you were elected to serve. listed in policy 0200 of school district goals. The very first goal listed for the district is to maintain safe, healthful, and orderly campuses which promote learning. Instead of creating a safe environment for learning and academics, RUSD has fostered an environment of internal cover-up and corruption. You have been exposed nationally as the district complacent about sexual abuse and exploitation by your teachers and staff. Your historic actions prove your negligence on this first district goal of maintaining a safe environment. Academically you're failing these kids as demonstrated by your test scores and you continue to show failure in keeping children safe. I'm asking the board to take a hard look at the policies and procedures that have resulted in the abuse of over 50 children and counting. Your lack of action and accountability is why this continues today. If any one of your family members were victim to these crimes, I bet you would step into action. I recognize there are many issues most of us in this room do not agree on, but I strongly believe that we're all united on this issue. All children should be protected from sexual abuse in school, and we do demand accountability. And RUSD, you must do better.

Thank you, Erin. Stepien, up next we have Frank Rodriguez and followed by Valerie Rodriguez.

Good evening. My name is Frank Rodriguez. I know a lot of people here know me as a social media influencer, political advocate. I'm here as an uncle just trying to protect my nieces and nephews. I had the pleasure of speaking with Patty about a month and a half ago about something that happened to my niece. She was sexually assaulted, and it was a little disheartening the way that My sister was notified. She's sick, very bad, and my brother-in-law works 14 hours, so they can't be in this room, unfortunately, and so they have me here advocating for them. My sister was texted that my niece was sexually assaulted, which I think is highly inappropriate. I asked her what did she do. The principal did an amazing job of making sure that my niece was taken care of. I was just really concerned that we don't have a policy in place that helps teachers to be able to notify parents because some teachers just don't know and that's okay. But I think as a district, obviously with some history in this, we should develop some sort of policy that helps teachers say when this happens with a student, you don't wait 24 hours the next day and text the parent when they're talking about Valentine's Day juice boxes. That's what happened to my sister, sick in bed, that her daughter was sexually assaulted. And I really, really was hoping that the Director of Student Services was able to help me in that patty, but he wasn't. I followed up with him about two weeks ago to find out what the policy is. I have a lot of resources at my disposal. You guys are highly intelligent. I feel like this is a no-brainer to kind of Band-Aid fix or try to find some sort of bridge here. So things like that didn't happen to my sister. When you see things like CBS come out and you see behaviors like that with teachers and paint that on top of the binding class that's happening without parental notification, These all paint a story that makes Redlands look bad. The binder thing, if you justify it that it needs to be taught, okay, but can you justify it with parental notification? This way if parents need to understand, maybe they can join along too. But keeping them in the dark just fully supports what happens with like CBS reporting. And I just want to see these things distinguished. Because at the end of the day, it's my six-year-old niece that went through this, and my very sick sister in bed that had to deal with it. And I'm looking for you, Patty, because it's in one of your schools, and hopefully that helped with your other board members to be able to find some sort of resolution here. Because it was really hurtful to see that happen to my little niece. So I'm just really hopeful that maybe Kelly, Patty, or anyone else on the board would be more than willing to find some sort of resolution here or policy. And then, of course, thank you guys so much for everything you do on the dais.

Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez, and on a personal note, I am very sorry about your sister. Hopefully, wish her well. Up next, we have Valerie Rodriguez, and up next is Alyssa Ashmore.

Good evening. I've been a resident of Redlands for over 20 years now. I'm heartbroken that the city we love is being used as the nationwide example of child abuse in public schools. 23 lawsuits that cost this city $41 million, but more important than the money are the 50 students who reported abuse, 50 children whose innocence was robbed from them by the very people who were supposed to protect them and instruct them. These children were entrusted to your care, and you failed them. The district's so-called leaders knew about the abuse, did not report it, and even covered it up. And those same leaders are still employed. Sabine Robertson Phillips remains the assistant superintendent. and Patty Hallahan, the longest standing member of this board and the one present through much of the abuse is still on this school board. After watching the documentary Pledge of Silence, I emailed all the board members, city council and still have not heard one word from anyone. So not only is there a huge amount of cover up, it is still being pushed under the rug. No answers to questions that so many of us concerned parents and members of this community have. Thank you.

Thank you. Up next, we have Alyssa Ashmore followed by Ava Olson.

Hi. I'm a former student at Moore Middle School. And an incident that I went through is one of the PE teachers, Mr. Land, he made comments about how my shorts fit me and how they're too short, how they're too tight. He also would, when I would walk by or when I would walk away from him, he would stare at my butt. And the only reason why I do know that is because I would turn around and see him myself, or my friends would tell me that he would be looking at me. Another incident that happened was, my friend was helping him put away PE equipment and he oil got brought up in the conversation and He asked her if she wanted him to rub oil on her body That's it Thank You Alyssa and up next we have Ava Olson and Hi, I'm also a former student at Moore Middle School and I'm also going to be talking about Mr. Lin. At first, I thought Mr. Land was a completely normal guy, even though I heard rumors about him all the time. I never believed it because there's rumors about everyone and he always seemed like a pretty normal guy. Until I had him for my seventh grade PE teacher and this was when we were in quarantine. And I thought it was weird that the only time he made me turn on my camera and show my full body was when we were doing jumping jacks. And if I didn't do that, he would kick me out of the Zoom call. And in eighth grade, I thought it was weird this one day, I was walking out of school and I passed the boys' locker room and Mr. Land was talking to another PE teacher, Mr. Martin, and they were saying that if girls don't want to be treated like sluts, then they shouldn't dress like one. The next day I reported that to the principal miss Morris and my mom also called the office and They made me write a statement about it But they never did anything about it at all and I don't think they even talked to him and I just think it's really weird how you guys like want students to feel comfortable at school and then like nothing ever happens when this stuff comes up and That's it

Thank you, Ava. Up next, we have Ashley Ranabauer, followed by Christy Ranabauer. Okay, we'll call up we'll wait until those two come in and then we'll move on to candy Olson Candy in

Good evening. We have come here tonight after watching the grand jury testimony of that police officer who did actually watch Sabine destroy evidence of the sexual abuse in our schools like other people have mentioned. Patty was also here during that period of time in the massive cover-ups. So, like the others, we all recommend the resignation. We think that there should be accountability for these crimes. You know, none of the administrators that were involved in these cover-ups lost their degrees or their jobs, so I find that pretty unusual. It seems like someone should be held accountable for it. The rest of you, I feel you all need to get your act together. Instead of focusing on ice cream socials and sunsets, we really want to see some good work being done on how to keep our kids safe. The documentary concluded that RUSD had not learned their lesson. And as such, as evidenced by, I've had many parents and teachers privately message me about this with their own ongoing stories. Why do the kids at RHS football call RHS football coach glass a pervert? Why are the students saying he was caught with child porn on his computer and that he grabbed a female student's ass? They say he made only the girls turn around during squats.

Kenny, I'm sorry, but the language.

Can you stop the clock if you're going to interrupt me?

I'm sorry. The language is all. Sorry. I understand, but the language.

OK. Thank you. They say he made only the girls turn around during squats to stare at them from behind now I don't know why he's on leave or why he mysteriously was removed from their website But I do know that the school has still not informed the parents of his departure this flyer Was plastered all around the school The one I gave to you guys And the flyer was posted all around the high school, and yet the parents still remain in the dark. And it says, free coach Glass. He didn't mean to touch the girls' A-S-S, OK? And the janitors had to take that down at Redlands High School. You work for us, yet you ignore the issues we all request you address. Eight of us parents walked down to the district office and politely requested to speak with the superintendent. What did you do? You immediately called the Redlands PD. the sheriff, San Bernardino County Sheriff, the school safety officer. How dare you waste three valuable resources on a group of pleasant law abiding parents who pose absolutely no threat to you and we never have. We have questions and waited nearly an hour for everybody to come speak with us. You all ran and hid like cockroaches. What brings to mind, what brings me to mind the Rev. Principal Clary who's now apparently vanished into thin air? Who's the new principal on campus now? Who is she? What's her name? Why haven't we been notified? You'll spam the hell out of us for digital storytelling, but when it comes to important issues, you're silent. Your current measures are worthless as evidenced by the fact that they're not working. Everyone here can all agree on one thing, that we all want the best for our kids. And if your staff doesn't so much as lay a hand on one of my girls, I promise you, as God is my witness, it will not end well. Thank you.

Up next, we have Ashley Ranabauer. And then up next, we have Christy Ranabauer afterwards.

About a year ago, spur you. I'm going to read the letter that my daughter put together. Yes, sorry, I'm new to public speaking. Hello board members, my name is Ashley. About a year ago, Sprigio was incorporated into REV to report inappropriate activity anonymously. A student came forward about inappropriate activity between the animation teacher and the student. The student was me, but I want to go back to at the beginning of the 22-23 school year. I was a sophomore and really excited about taking an animation class. The teacher, Elrod Jara, seemed to be really nice, full of knowledge, and wanted to be a mentor to me because I was thinking about animation as a career. I was doing well in the class and was one of the top students. He would then ask me to be an unofficial teacher's assistant in the middle of October. After that, around October 31st, I would be going to a friend's house for her birthday party. He would then reveal that he lived next door to my friend. Jara said to me that I should ditch my friends and go hang out with him at his house. After that, he started to message my Instagram account. It started out as a normal conversation, such as asking how I was doing and so forth. Then things would start to get progressively more inappropriate through text and in person. Jairo would start holding my hand, getting me Starbucks and other small gifts. Over text, he would say how we should kiss and make up. talking about how he wanted a birthday kiss and how we should watch a scary movie and cuddle together. He eventually wanted to Netflix and chill. From there, he would progressively get worse with his conversations with me, asking me the size of my nipples. He started to touch my legs in class and hold my hand with other students around. asking me to stay home alone instead of going on a trip with my parents. He even went as far as to kiss my cheek. Luckily, I was able to stop this before it progressively got further. Why should I have to be scared seeing him when picking up my little brother from Moore Middle School or going to my friend's house? My friend and Jarrah live right down the street from Rev. I have panic attacks when I see him. No one from Rev has reached out to see if I'm doing okay. Nothing. I can't even talk to my counselor. I have to schedule an appointment and my counselor doesn't even check her email. Okay.

I was going to let her finish. I can do without the outbursts. I will absolutely let her finish.

Thank you. So she said further in her letter to you guys, I hope you as the board have listened to my concerns. How I have a counselor that has not checked in with me or how I am not able to meet with my counselor. I have more, I've had more support from a couple of my teachers and complete strangers in our community than those that are in charge of my school. I want to encourage those that are victims and are silent to come forward and speak up against the sexual abuse taking place in these schools. She says thank you for this opportunity.

Okay, thank you Ashley.

I'm actually up next, so is it OK if I talk to you guys? So for representing my husband and I and our family, we're just really disappointed with how the school has kind of just let it go away. So Ashley reported this back in. I want to say May or April. And then the school is really great about coming forward and taking action. It was reported anonymously, but a couple kids through interviews came forward and said, hey, I think it's this girl. And then when she was questioned, she was very honest and truthful. My husband and I met with the sheriff in the beginning of May. Jara was arrested in June, but he posted a $50,000 bond, and he's out. So him living in the community, a few blocks down from REV, he is out all the time. I see him on a daily basis at Moore. So the school not checking in with our child to see how she's doing mentally, I can see why there's a lot of kids that have mental health issues that have problems because they're not being checked in on to see if they're okay. She has a counselor. She goes to her principal and says, hey, I need to talk to my counselor. Then it's like you have to go schedule an appointment through an email. Well, the counselor doesn't even check the emails. So how can she talk to a counselor? What's the counselor doing? Collecting a paycheck, but not counseling anybody. So we have a problem. Our children are not being heard properly. I don't know what the counselor does at school, but they're not counseling students. And so it's upsetting. She has panic attacks. She comes home crying hysterically because she was walking with her friends to a fast food place and Jarrah drove past. I mean, this guy should be locked up. Why is he out? But the DA is dragging their feet. But in the meantime, she is trying her best to live her best life. She's doing great in school, and she's a junior. But she has her moments where she comes across this pedophile, and he's acting like he never did anything wrong. So I see that the counseling department is failing our kids. The schools are failing our kids. It's about time everybody steps up and protects our children the way they deserve. Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Kristy. Up next we have Braxton Foley and then after that we have Pat Molnar. Braxton Foley.

I'm done

Good evening, school board. I would thank you for letting me speak today. But as you try to lock us all outside when we warned you guys that there would be a big meeting, and you continue to have it in here, even though you knew there would be more than enough people. But due to your history, it's no surprise you try to silence kids and try to make it so that they can't speak out. So no surprise there. Earlier in this meeting, when the superintendent talked, he said that people need to dig deeper into what's happening into our system and that the media doesn't cover it and the average person needs to look deeper. But I think it's no surprise. It's no surprise. The average person, there's been over 50 kids that have been sexually assaulted in our school system, and we could debate about the LGBTQ books all day, but that's not what I'm here about for today. I'm here because there are plenty of kids, dozens of kids, the number one in the country, and we are being sexually assaulted and nothing is being done about it. a police chief You guys can't even acknowledge it at the beginning of the meeting or even acknowledge what she's done. It is deep in our education system. It is still happening. You are doing nothing about it and it is disgusting. So I ask you guys all to please address it. Talk about it. Say one word because you guys stay up there. You say thank you for speaking and you don't address any of our points. I do thank you for letting us speak, even though we were outside. And I ask you next time to allow for a bigger venue so that everyone has the right to come in and everyone has the right to speak. Thank you.

Thank you, Braxton. Up next, we have Pat Molnar, followed by Pastor JT Greenleaf.

Good evening school board and community members. My name is Pat Molnar. I'm a 28 year veteran teacher at Redlands High School and a proud advisor of the LGBTQ club, the GSA. And I'm here in support of my colleague, Dwan Kellum. I believe that he is an honorable man. He is a man who has stood up for children who are bullied still, who have been looked down on, who deserve to have a place where they feel safe. I heard a parent, I'm not sure if they're a Redlands community member, who said that the club shouldn't be a place where children feel safe. That is deeply offensive for me. I believe that children do need to feel safe. I see kids in my English and French classes who struggle with feeling safe, with feeling comfortable and understood. I think that is the foundation of education. Yes, the district has had issues. I believe that that is true. Those are two separate issues. It's like consolation, trying to connect dots that weren't weren't meant to be connected. I believe that Dwan Kellum is a fine teacher and I want to say thank you for the board because I have seen you speak out in support of students, in support of diversity and bringing together different ideas to the table. We are not one group. We are not one religion. We are not one color. We are not one gender. We are stronger together. Thank you very much for your time.

Up next have pastor JT green leaf followed by Jermaine miles Good evening and pardon me the orange blossoms and

I appreciate the opportunity to be here. My name is JT Greenleaf, and I have lived in Redlands for 10 years now and served the Redlands community through First United Methodist Church. I confess to being a little bit mystified by being here and feeling the need to speak in support of the club at REV. If you don't want your student involved in a particular club with a certain emphasis, a parent or guardian, as I've always understood it, can opt out. It's ever been thus. If I was the parent of a gay or a trans student, I would love them. I would move mountains to learn how to support them in any way that I could and to find every opportunity place for them, beyond what they could feel in the family, a place amongst their peers where they could belong. I would do this because this is what a parent does. I've been an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church for 35 years. In every congregation I've served, including the last 10 years here at Redlands First, I've endeavored to create space for people to find a place to belong. Belonging is something we all need. It is woven into our very being. By making space for the weary, the heavy-laden, the marginalized, and the push-to-side people in our world, I believe deeply that I am fulfilling the call of Christ on my life. Our student population and families face challenges not seen in previous generations. I see these needs expressed week in and week out by my over 400 parishioners. The need for groups to help families and students navigate these challenging times is essential to their health and their well-being. The groups they can form among their peers at school are critical to helping them find a place to belong. I do believe in parent choice. I am the parent of two children, one a teacher, I do believe in parent choice, but if you object, don't participate. However, your right to object does not give you license to take the opportunity away from those who choose to engage, who find a need, and who understand the value of groups of this sort. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your service.

Thank you. Up next we have Jermaine Miles. Jermaine Miles followed by Joseph Anthony Lemus.

Good evening. My name is Jermaine Miles. I am a proud grandparent, 25 plus year resident here in the city. My daughter graduated from RHS in 2003, and I have a grandchild who will in the next couple of years be a RUSD student. I'm here for two reasons, the same reasons many people have spoken about tonight. One, the concern and the utter Fear of everything that happened that was outlined in the sex abuse issues that have happened here in our district they're very concerning and I appreciate the words mr. Kelly about The school district and the importance and recognizing that and I think it's very important that we as parents continue to hold you responsible and accountable for doing something about that and However, I am also here in 100% support of the LGBT students, teachers, and all of the allies within the district. And to try to draw the line which several speakers have done tonight between the sex abuse scandals and our LGBT community is just wrong. I don't know what circle they drew to create that line, but they are not related. We need to protect all students, all students in the district, and that includes our LGBTQ students. The clubs that these kids belong to are vital. As the pastor said before me, having that available to these students is literally life-saving for these students, and we have to support the teachers who are there to support the students and we have to support all of these students just as much as we are supporting the students that are and were abused by teachers. We have to protect every single student and I am an ally of those students. I want all of our LGBTQ students as well as any student harmed by any sexual abuse to know that we're here for you and we support you. Thank you very much.

Up next we have Joseph Anthony Lemus followed by Aileen Janelle Corpus, Janae Corpus.

Hello board members and the RUSD community. My name is Joseph Anthony Lemus and I identify as a part of the LGBTQ plus community. I am a part of Redlands East Valley High School. The time that I have spent there, I have received multiple derogatory comments about the way that I sexually identify. I have had my hair pulled out of a ponytail. I have had multiple slurs told towards me. I have even had physical instances happen to me. Back in middle school, I was sexually assaulted in the boys' locker room for coming out as gay. They took advantage of me. They touched me. I am now on homeschool because of being threatened to be stabbed for being transgender. And the only place that I could turn to was at home with my loving grandmother. And some kids don't have that. Some kids have no type of support when they are at home. And if these groups that are trying to steal the resources for LGBTQ plus students take away the Pride Club and these other communities, you will only be trapping these students more. They will have no help. They will have no one to turn to. And this will only push these kids towards a darker path. These kids will have no escape. And there is a likely chance that they will kill themselves. And you will have blood on your hands for what you have done to these children. Banning LGBTQ material will not do anything. because the LGBTQ plus community has decided who they are. This is their identity. This is who they are. And you cannot change that. And if this doesn't follow with your morals, that's okay. That's fine. You should leave them alone and let them do their own thing. There are people here who are defending the LGBTQ plus community, who are coming up here and talking about these topics. There has to be people who stand out here in vests, escorting these people back to their cars because of the hatred that these groups have brewed. Because of this hatred, the children are in fear for their lives. There were people out there in the parking lot in tears because they're afraid that all of what they have left to turn to is going to be taken away. You are not protecting anything. You are not protecting children. The only thing you are protecting is your own bigotry. All you apply is hate.

Thank you.

The moment. Hello parents, students, and Redlands Unified School District Board members. My name is Eileen Janie-Corpus, and I'm the president of the Wildcat Pride Association, also known as the WPA. Our club represents those who often go unheard and those who are unseen. We are the only club on recruitment days that need to have security. We are one of many clubs that frequently experiences discrimination, verbal abuse, and alienation by our classmates for because of our identities, because of aspects of our identities that we cannot change. I'm not here just as a student. I am here as an advocate for those who often have to hide who they are. Our district has made tremendous strides in making sure that all students feel included, in being sure that bullying is addressed and that our staff is inclusive and mindful. I've, sorry, my grandmother's calling. I'll talk to you later. I've come here today to inform you about the events that occurred during our recent WPA club meeting. In the Inland Empire, there's a LGBTQ plus organization called the Rainbow Youth Pride Alliance, R-Y-P-A. This group reached out to our club. The WPA to offer support and resources for gender affirmation and community building and presentations. One such presentation that was available to the WPA via Zoom was binding. For those who don't know, binding, according to UCSF's Transcare website, involves the use of tight-fitting sports bras, shirts, ace bandages, or a specially made binder to provide a flat chest contour. In some people with larger breasts, multiple garments may be used. Binding is important because individuals may accidentally break their rib bones or have restricted breathing if they bind improperly or for too long. This is why it was important to have a presentation on how to bind safely so that the individuals can still affirm their gender without harming themselves. It is important to note that the WPA was made up of students who voluntarily attended meetings. These practices and trainings are not forced on others. This all began when I posted on the Instagram story of the WPA Club when we would be meeting and why on April 12th for binding. And like usual, I tagged our sister club Wildcats for Change and the official Rev Instagram. Like usual, they reposted our story onto their story like they would do with any other club who tagged them, which is why it was found on the official REV page. Before the meeting, I announced to make sure that everyone was there voluntarily. All students who were in the classroom could have left the classroom if they felt uncomfortable or if they did not want to be there. For the safety of the students inside the classroom, I did not put up the whiteboard sign outside of the classroom that our club usually placed to let other REV students know that we were having a meeting. The meeting officially began when we were connected with a volunteer who was part of the RPYA. This volunteer went through a presentation with us on how to measure ourselves for binding and how to make sure we rewarded the correct size binder depending on the activity we planned to do. No one was touched. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. OK, up next, well, this next card is actually a repeat card. Unfortunately, only at any one topic. You may speak about as many topics as you like during your three minutes, but everyone is only allotted three minutes. So we'll be moving past that one to Joshua David Hull. After Joshua David Hull would be John Swanson.

Joshua David Hall and this is my first school board meeting. I'm not a parent but I am a concerned citizen and just because I'm not a parent that doesn't mean I can't speak out in favor of parents' rights and children. I'm here to speak out against child gender transition surgery which I think should be included under the umbrella term of child sex abuse. To me, there's no difference between the football coach or English teacher who abuses little boys and little girls and the doctor who gender transitions them. When a doctor performs gender transition surgery on a man, he slices the man's penis right down the middle, removes the testicles, and then because the penis is no longer able to be used for sex or going to the bathroom, they insert a catheter through the stomach. while they create a fake vagina. For a woman, they remove the uterus like it has cancer and then they take flesh from like the thigh, the stomach, the back, sometimes the stomach lining and the inside of the stomach like small intestines to create a fake penis. I've been researching this so that I can know what I am talking about in opposition of. Child transition surgery is body mutilation. It is child sex abuse. Both should be considered child sex crimes against children. And if we had any common sense, we'd outlaw transgender therapies entirely because they sterilize the individual. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, we have John Swanson. And the next person on, this is also a repeat card, so again, you only have three minutes per person. Up next after that is Brian Hamilton. Mr. Swanson?

Hello, my name is John Swanson. I am a resident of Redlands. Like most, if not all, I have known both pride and shame. I'm originally from Washington State, the Puget Sound area, and as of March, I have lived in Redlands for 20 years. Although I did not attend Redlands schools, my two children did. And if yours attended Kimberly Moore or Redlands High School when they did through 2021, you may know of them or may have witnessed their parents cheering them on in one of many of their activities, me possibly more obnoxiously than their mother, my spouse of 25 years. We chose to move to Redlands for the school system. We're sometimes very proud of this decision and other times ashamed. Today we show up concerned, fearful of the latter. We're ashamed to see cowardice in our community masquerading as courage being directed toward the school system, faculty, and students. We see fear and ignorance attempting to excuse and allow hate and bigotry, something that increasingly feels or appears common and even accepted in public discourse. We see and hear talk of liberty, including for parental rights, without a commitment to the foundational principle of this for each individual and family, regardless of differences in beliefs, struggle, or journey. Which parents are meant by such rallying cry? Certainly not those of the LGBT plus students. This may surprise some, but not being allowed to suppress or oppress others is not a denial of any right you get to hold. Terms like liberty should not be stolen or demeaned with narrow or selfish aims or interpretation. we must apply them to each individual and parents consistently. Some of us will assert passionately that black, immigrant, and LGBTQ plus lives matter, while others among us will respond also with passion that all lives matter, but then later turn around and advocate contradictory policy positions thereby demonstrating it's not about liberty or all lives at all, but rather selfishly protecting their right to insert narrow-minded, discriminatory, and hateful beliefs into public and educational policy. If you truly believe in liberty, all lives, and parental rights, please reflect on the meaning of courage. Listen with compassion to transgender and LGBT plus kids and their parents. Acknowledge their right to exist in public spaces free from discrimination. And share your concern for their worry, stress, and suffering. Offer them and their parents your support for their right to participate in clubs and demonstrate an understanding that this, in fact, is protected by state code. But if you can't offer your support, at least don't pretend that your willful ignorance and tolerance and hate is about grooming. Some of us have actually perceived and experienced grooming in this district and it had nothing to do with anyone that is a part of the LGBT plus community. It's offensive to hear such fake concern when the problem has existed in reality. Your own kids are watching what you're advocating for and who you're picking on and want them to be proud of you and you'll want them to be proud of you. I know this is our interest in deciding to show up today. To the teachers and students enduring the attacks on your right to exist, please know that you have our support and loving concern. Thank you.

Up next we have Brian Hamilton followed by Robin Patch. Robin Patch is up next.

Thank you. I came out as non-binary last year. I was 42. I didn't know that term at the time. I didn't know how to describe myself. I just knew how I wanted to present. Shortly after coming out was the first time I ever felt self-love. It's hard to convey what that was like. It was like being blind and thinking I understood the concept of vision and finally seeing what others had only described to me. Before that, I had suffered with lifelong depression. To have it suddenly lifted was extraordinary. And I finally felt love, not just for myself, but from others. And I want others to feel what I do now. I want to share my story with you because I want you to understand how important it is to have groups like the LGBT club at East Valley High School. If language like non-binary had existed when I was younger, I might have understood myself better and come out sooner. I might have been better able to describe myself to others and to myself. I might have been able to experience that self-love sooner. I understand families here are concerned about the discussion of binding. I want them to understand that not having that information doesn't prevent students from binding, it prevents them from doing it safely. It prevents them from knowing about it at all, which research has shown can lead to dysphoria, depression, self-harm, and even suicide. Forcing them to tell their parents that they are in a club like the LGBT club may sound like a good idea but it doesn't keep them safe if their parents aren't understanding. It opens them up to abuse and ostracization from the very people, their parents and family, who should be there to protect them. I want you to take a moment to consider some of the slogans you've seen tonight on the shirts of people here and outside, words like love and pride versus homophobic and transphobic slurs. I want you to consider some of the words that have been spoken tonight, how many have conflated LGBT plus with pedophilia as hate groups have done consistently for every group upon whom they have heaped their hate across millennia. Which of these groups was concerned when hateful slogans were put on walls about LGBT teens in this school district? Which of these groups appears to care most about children and safety? There is nothing objectionable or hateful or unsafe about who I am. There is nothing about me that is dangerous for kids and teens. There is nothing wrong or problematic about kids and teens who are LGBT plus like me. We are beautiful. and no one from this community is among those charged with the sexual crimes mentioned tonight. Those were crimes committed by people who were with one exception white, straight, cisgender and male. As Romans 2.1 states, therefore you have no excuse whoever you are when you judge others for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself because you the judge are doing the very same thing. Thank you.

Up next, we have Robin Patch. And then after that, we have Michael Pazner.

Hello, my name is Robin Patch. I'm a woman, also known as an adult human female, and I am one of the fascists that our previous presenters warned you about. And by that I mean I am a mother of three children, three boys. And I am here for the kids. And as a school district, it is not your job to indoctrinate our children. It is your job to teach them to read and write and do math. It is not your job to tell a young boy that they can be a girl if they want to. That is not your job. And I am here Like I said, as a mother, as a member of the public, and I just wanted to make that known and I appreciate your time. Thank you. Leave the kids alone.

Thank you. Up next we have Michael Pazner. We're not going to do that. We're not going to do that. Michael Pazner is up next. After that is followed by Angela Cardinal.

Hello, my name is Michael Paysner. I live and work in Redlands, father of one prior RUSD student and one future RSD student. Recently, there have been calls online to fire the advisor of the LGBTQ club at REV because some people were uncomfortable with the discussion topic the club had. Calls for firing, for having a discussion are outrageous and go against the very fabric of a democratic society. When there are calls for firing a club advisor because a small group are offended by the choice of topics discussed, that group isn't just imposing limits on themselves or their kids, they're limiting me. They're limiting my kids' choices. This stifles free speech and limits everyone's choices. How dare they attempt to impose their beliefs on others? They don't want their kid to attend LGBTQ club, fine. They want to fire the advisor to the club because they are offended by the discussion. Then they are attempting to impose their beliefs, their fears, their prejudices on me, my child, and everyone. This is the definition of arrogance. Just like the recent calls to ban books or ban the pride flag, such arrogant behavior should be called out for what it is. It is undemocratic, it is ignorant, it is offensive, it is dangerous. In the face of this hatred and prejudice, I ask that the board find some way to show their support for the club advisor, Mr. Cullum, the club and the LGBTQ community as a whole. Clearly, a show of support from you is needed right now. On the topic of sex abuse, I advise the board to focus on prevention. Avoid both the opportunity and even the appearance of opportunity for abuse. And when someone is accused of destroying evidence, your failure to act sends a message to the community. The fact that that accusation was made on national TV and there hasn't been action is sending a message. And you have to decide if that's the message you want to send to the community. It doesn't look good right now. I encourage you to do better. Thank you.

Thank you. Up next, Angela Cardinal. After that, we have Judith Ashton.

They told me to say my name again, so Angela Cardinale. I graduated from Redlands High School in 1997. My two boys have attended schools in RUSD for most of our time here. My eldest son graduated from Redlands High School in 2022, and he thrived here. He was a marching band and orchestra, served on the executive leadership for ASB, assisted with Possibilities Club for special needs peers, was voted prom king by his peers, and excelled in academics. He is currently a student at UC Berkeley. He is also gay and made the decision to come out in 10th grade. Having attended Redlands High School myself in the 90s during a time when it was not safe to be openly LGBTQ in RUSD or in this community, I was afraid of the response he would receive from his peers and teachers. I wanted my son to feel supported and understood and never feel ashamed of who he is. Tonight I want to share how important it is that he received support from his peers modeled by many of the wonderful teachers he had throughout his years here. Even before he came out, he received this kind of support. In kindergarten, for example, he wanted to bring a strawberry shortcake doll to show and tell. Afraid other kids would make fun of him, I reached out to his teacher, who created a safe environment in which he could be himself. A big reason he has excelled is because he has always felt accepted for who he is, both at home and at school. My son and I are also familiar with kids in town who did not have supportive adults in their home lives, and many of them have struggled with severe depression. Supportive adults and peers in school can be a lifeline for these kids. As an educator and former advisor to a student club on my community college campus, some of the language directed towards the LGBTQ club advisor at REV is simply factually incorrect. A club advisor in a public institution does not promote a personal agenda. Rather, he or she creates a space in which students can express themselves and explore ideas, even and perhaps especially controversial ones. Expression of this nature falls under students' First Amendment rights. For a group supposedly so concerned with personal liberties, the desire to quash the constitutionally guaranteed expression of fellow community members is both troubling and fundamentally un-American. RUSD is not perfect. This district has a documented history of covering up controversial and unethical behavior to which I am wholly opposed and have also spoken out against at public comment. However, I will feel forever grateful to the many supportive teachers and staff at my children's school sites who have accepted both of my sons, one of whom is gay and one of whom has a disability, for who they are and have enabled them to learn and grow up in a supportive environment. I only want the same for other kids. The stakes are very high and these hateful oppressive groups will not prevail. Thank you.

Thank you. Up next is Judith Ashton. After that is Chris Clostis.

Good evening. My name is Judith Ashton, and I'm a citizen of Redlands. I'm a graduate of Redlands High School. I won't tell you when, even though Angela just told you when she graduated. As well, I'm a parent to two children who graduated from Redlands High School and Orangewood High School. And I'm also a proud member of the LGBTQ community. Excuse me. I'm retired now, but before I retired, I was a dean at Crafton Hills College and department chair and professor of English at San Bernardino Valley College. For several years, I was a faculty advisor to the LGBTQ organization at Valley College. In fact, I just ran into one of my former students who remembers our organizing Pride Week at Valley College, and believe me, it was very controversial. I discovered as an advisor to the LGBTQ students at Valley that they joined together within the confines of our club because they felt safe. They felt welcomed and they felt it was okay to explore who they were. and that wasn't really possible in very many other places at the college. In addition, we had allies in our club and these students were able to learn and grow and understand how they could be open and accepting of all people. Our allies grew and learned as much as our LGBTQ students. Adolescence is a time of learning, growing, and understanding. And when young people are wondering and questioning their sexuality, they need a few things. They need understanding. They need acceptance. They need compassion, tolerance, and love. I always felt that I brought those attributes as an advisor to our students because that's what they needed, because that's the only thing I could offer them was my compassion, acceptance, tolerance, and love. Adolescence is a difficult time when young people suffer greatly when they are shunned. Let us lead with love. Let us lead with acceptance and tolerance and sensitivity and lots of love. I can tell you many students, student stories about individual students who only had our organization, the students in the club, for help. They were shunned by their families. They couldn't come out to their families. They were afraid they were going to get kicked out of the house. I many times had to counsel young people to not go home and come out to their parents until they knew where they could live somewhere else that was safe. They came to our club because it was a community of total acceptance. The various clubs provided safe haven, a sanctuary, a fun place to be, and an opportunity to create community and build relationships. My students at Valley were only a few years older than your students. We all know the journey from childhood to adolescence to young adulthood is a difficult one. And it's even more difficult when the safe places, the sanctuaries are spoiled and destroyed. I proudly stand behind Mr. Clary and Mr. Kellen. I am hopeful that the members of the Redlands School District will bring tolerance and love to their decisions. Thank you. Thank you.

Up next we have Chris Clostis followed by Sage Chacon.

My name is Chris Clostis. I am a retired high school teacher. I serve on the school board of the charter school from which I retired and I am grandfather to a number of RUSD students. We do have a problem here in Redlands. We have sexual predation upon minor students. We know those perpetrators to be adult, heterosexual employees of the school board. There have been those who have bizarrely suggested that this problem can be solved by decertifying, de-chartering, and frankly demonizing gay students. Nothing could be further from the truth. I urge you to reject that type of thinking. What type of Alice in Wonderland bizarro world do we live in where that is the solution to that problem? I urge you to solve the problem you have using the tools that this country has put together for investigating. prosecuting sexual abusers. I also urge you to continue your support for gay students and to allow them to safely be who they are in this school environment. I think that is essential to their overall mental health. Thank you.

Thank you. Up next, we have Sage Chacon. And up after that is Hope Iscariot.

Hello, my name is Sage Chacon, and hello my fellow citizens and dear students of Redlands. I stand here before you today to speak on behalf of any individuals whose rights have been infringed upon in this matter. As someone who has spent some of their earliest years of education in this district, I have to say that I'm shocked at the recent news of hearing. about all this and hear about how certain pride clubs are being attacked and how they are at risk of being taken down. As a gay man myself who has once participated and gone through high school, I think it should be said that clubs like this should not be tampered with or taken down because of outside influences or opinions. I also think that the reason behind, the reason being that it should be up to the students to have the option to create and participate in such clubs that they feel they should be inclined to. And by having this club taken down, it is not only an offense to these students and their identities, but it is taking away opportunities of growth and connection between one another. Having this club being here is actually fantastic. And as somebody, like I said, who has gone through high school and not, myself, not really participated in any of these clubs or anything. The fact that it's even an option and to listen to the students that you guys have in your schools is the bottom line most important thing that you guys should be doing. I didn't know about any of these allegations or anything, and obviously that needs to be taken care of, but I do not think that these specific groups of LGBT and communities like that should be scapegoated or targeted for it. And my heart and my condolences go out to anybody who has suffered through any of this stuff. And I think the bottom line is you need to listen to the students and then keep whatever you guys need to keep them happy, give them a good education and a great upbringing so that they could be fully functioned adults in this community. Like to participate and do things like this because it's fantastic that you guys have this and we all have voices and they need to be heard. And I appreciate you guys for your time and thank you for letting me be here. Thank you.

Thank you. Up next, we have Hope Iscariot followed by Angie B. Hello.

My name is Hope Iscariot. I am here to talk about safe spaces in schools. From my understanding, there is a safe space hosted by Mr. Kellum where trans students have gotten help that they need and a safe space from abusive family members, potentially. As a person who's gone through a lifetime of abuse from their family, community is incredibly difficult to build, and building it at an early age really sets you up for a lifetime of success. The fact that, you know, There has been conflation between the sexual assault that men have done to young women and my community is frankly disgusting. And I am not a bad person. None of us are bad people. We simply want lives that have meaning in them as everybody else does. We need community. And that starts at a young age. And that starts in high schools. And that starts with people like them. That's it.

Thank you, Hope. Up next, we have Angie B, followed by Leslie Gonzalez.

Good evening, board. As I stood outside listening to stories of these young folks who are crying out for help in their families, who have been touched, molested, all these other issues, coming to school where it should be a safe space. And what's been going on with that whole CBS video and all that, I just want to say as the board, we need to create safe spaces. You need to do better and be better. All children should feel safe when they come to school. And when you fight for that, also make sure we include LGBTQ folks, LGBT students, transgender students, because we also need to be safe. So I hear all the folks outside up and roar about their kids being safe and all that. Yes. But don't forget the LGBTQ students. Don't forget students like me who didn't have safe spaces growing up. I grew up in the San Bernardino Unified School District and in Bloomington. I grew up in a Christian home. I didn't even know what gay was growing up. I didn't have a safe space until I left to college. And when I went to Cal State Northridge and I went back to Valley College and my mentor and advisor, Judith Ashton, you know, we created LGBTQ space. And that's why to this day I fight for safe spaces for all children, especially our LGBTQ and trans folks, black and brown, indigenous, because we all deserve a safe space. And that's why we should uplift great teachers like Dwan Kelm who are creating these spaces for all students. Teachers like him, allies, we should uplift for creating those safe spaces. Not spreading hate, spreading love. Giving us that safe space because many of us, we don't have that at home. At home, for some, it's life and death situation. So to those teachers like Dwan who are creating those safe spaces, we should uplift them. So I ask you, board, to do better, be better. And also, don't forget our LGBTQ students. When you chant and you fight for the safety of your kids and for the safety of all, make sure we're included. So thank you.

Thank you. Up next, we have Leslie Gonzalez, followed by Jennifer Maravillas.

Good afternoon. I wrote down what I was going to say. So I'm here tonight to voice my support for students that are seeking community and solace via our LGBTQ plus clubs. Firstly, to the students, you are loved and you are protected. Kids and teenagers need adults to acknowledge and celebrate them for who they are. And I am grateful for the staff, faculty, and admin that embody this philosophy. I will be brief. I am against the removal of any faculty or club advisors that are only fulfilling the role of trusted adults to so many students that are disenfranchised from their families and their communities for being themselves. Thank you.

Thank you. Jennifer Maravillas followed by Gustavo Hurtado.

Hello. My name is Jennifer Maravillas. This is my first time ever attending a meeting or commenting. I didn't come here with an agenda or a speech. I wrote this while I was out. But based on the comments and the stories that people have shared today, I do want to start by saying that My biggest fear as a mother of a third a three-year-old is not learned of her learning or being exposed to the LGBTQIA community Quite frankly, I'm most scared of the hateful and loud bigots homophobes and transphobes who I saw and heard here today Now I don't like talking publicly but I came here to speak up for my daughter I My daughter started school at Lugonia Elementary on April 3rd of this year, so just a couple of weeks ago. She was physically hurt by a teacher and after it was reported to the school administration. The only outcome that we have seen has been retaliation from the staff. I contacted the principal and vice principal to notify them of the ongoing situation, but I have yet to receive a response or a follow-up. For her physical well-being, we have decided to remove her for the school, but it is truly concerning that these situations are so easily ignored. Again as a community our biggest fear should not be the inclusion and validation of a community that deserves to live and thrive within our community. Our biggest worry today should be the lack of accountability from teachers who abuse their power and administrations that brush off serious complaints of abuse. I want to end with one final thought. All folks here want to protect kids but there is one loud and hateful group that seems to want to pick and choose what students are protected. I stand and agree with the previous commenter who said today that all students deserve to be protected. All students deserve to feel safe and all students deserve to be heard. Thank you for your time here today. That's it. Thank you.

Hello, board. My name is Gustavo Hurtado. I work for Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance. I've lived in the area since 2000 with the school in Paris. I've been working for Rainbow Pride for going on seven, eight years now. And I think clearly and first of all, I want to say we support and want to protect victims of sexual assault. And I feel like there's been a big cognitive dissonance in the comments and like the conflation in terms of like the rights and protections for queer and trans youth in high schools, middle schools, and through K through 12. I really kind of like I'm really affected and really deeply like I really feel like for all the victims, both of the sexual assaults from teachers, as well as we saw some youth really talk about the bullying and the sexual assault that happens when you are queer and trans in the school system, and really called for the board to do a better job, and just Redlands Unified do a better job supporting sexual assault victims. In regards to the weird social media buzz from the bigots that are really loud outside, I feel some of them do really want support victims of sexual assault. However, they're really conflating their bigotry and their fear of queer and trans youth and people. with protecting folks. And I think we all in this room want to protect youth, but we can't do that if we're selectively picking who gets protection and who doesn't get protection. In terms of like the workshop itself, it was age appropriate. It was done by a facilitator that has worn binders for years and really went, really like the breakdown of the student was safety of folks binding which youth if you talk to any like transitioning folks from trans men to non-binary folks like it can be like dangerous and can be hurt folks if folks don't know how to properly and safely protect themselves and wear like the appropriate clothing so it's really important that folks like have that information and we really want to make sure that folks are protected youth protected and that we support Teachers liked one one is like gold I think if we have a better if we had like a school system of that actually had more teachers like the one We wouldn't be having some of the conversations we're having here tonight So With closing I want just like behalf of our PY full support for Dwan Callum and teachers like him.

Thank you Okay, thank you That concludes the cards for this evening I do want to know that we did receive emails as Public comment and I would just want to read off those names to acknowledge that we did receive them starting with Laurie Ann Casey Hamilton Sarah Burton Brian Hamilton domain reggae and Wendy Barnhart, Nina Layton, Peter Whitmore, Kaylin Whitmore, Daniel Sainez, Becca Spence-Dobias, Shell Whitmore, Julia Brown, and Colleen. And it is now time for our board committee board reports. Each member of the board is, if they so wish, they would give a personal comment, anything that they have out to report. So I don't know if Michelle, you want to start?

Good evening, everyone. Thank you for taking your time out of your day to come to our board meetings. We do appreciate it. First, I would like to send my condolences to the family of David Rojas Sr. He passed away on April 9th. Although he left our district over 10 years ago, many people still remember him when he worked at Lagonia. And he worked in RUSD for almost 30 years. So my condolences to his family. I also want to wish my mother-in-law a very happy birthday, and I wish I was there with you to celebrate tonight. Over the past two weeks, I've been honored to attend many school events. I went to Mission, where they held a college and career fair. Thank you to Principal Minerva Castarena and her entire staff, and all the adults who talked about their respective careers. You all certainly helped make it a wonderful morning. The students learned a great deal from you. I would also, I also was able to catch part of Arroyo Verde's Apex Fun Run. It was a beautiful morning watching the students get exercise while having fun. Thank you to Betty Crocker and Child Nutrition Services for the lovely blueberry muffins that you provided. I say lovely because they were very pretty and I can't eat them because of my gluten intolerance. The students said they were the best they ever had and asked if they could have them every morning. So I think you need to add them to your breakfast menu. Thank you to Principal Michelle Lenards, and you spelled your name correctly like I do, thank you, for taking me on a tour of your beautiful campus. A highlight for me was seeing the amazing academic abilities of our students. I walked with Principal Wes Cullen at Clement as he handed out over 400 awards to students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Way to go all you Vikings. Last week, the Lego Ambassadors hosted the US and European Presidents of Lego Education. Their names were Dan and Victor. I didn't catch their last names. Thank you to Amy Pry and Todd Rossi for allowing me to watch as the students in classrooms at Highland Grove and Judson and Brown used Legos to learn math. They were coding, reading, and problem solving, and they didn't even realize it. They were just having fun. A special thank you to Brian Zander, a teacher at Judson and Brown, for keeping the Redlands Bicycle Classic alive this last week. It was awe-inspiring to see these students coming up with solutions to problems they encountered while trying to race their Lego bikes up the hill. I appreciated all teachers who take the time to develop ways to make learning fun for all their students. And I too attended the Obstamus Games last week. It was a beautiful day at Dodge Stadium. And although I got there late, I did get to see a few of their races. The smiles on the students' faces were very telling of the kind of day that it was. I was so blessed to be able to hand out awards at the end of the event. I love seeing all the students, special education and general education students alike, cheering each other on and cheering each recipient as they got their award. Many thanks to the Optimist Club, Patty Buckmiller and her team, and all the members of the Optimist Club, all students who came out to help. This event could not have been the success it was without all of you. The Leader in Me Day at Bryn Mawr was once again very spectacular. Thank you to Principal Recolekzak for an uplifting and inspirational morning. It is easy to see that your students are embracing this program. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for them. Yesterday I attended E Academy's Knowledge Fair. Some projects included solar panels, video and film production, history of tacos, anime, how to make anime, how to make a pump well, and the history of sports stars. And my favorite, what to do with a box. My favorite project was in the what to do with a box category. It was done by a first grader named Claire. She made an ice cream shop, and you know how important ice cream is to me. So I told her if you'd only brought real ice cream and put it in there, that would have made it even better. I'm looking forward to the Inspire Choir tomorrow at RHS and Clock Auditorium and I want to thank everyone who came to speak to us tonight. I'm glad you feel comfortable coming to these meetings and talking about what you're passionate about and just what's on your mind. We hear your concerns and we are listening. Thank you.

Thank you, Michelle. Patty, do you have anything?

So today, board member O'Neill and I attended at Burrage today the flag ceremony. And I'm sure you're going to be talking about that because I see it. No, go ahead. So you can share with us. It was great. It's every year from Kingsbury School and the first graders that go, and then you can give the rest of the history. It's always inspiring and the firefighters were there and police was there represented as well. And it's the Kingsbury students and they sing and it's a tribute to our pledge of allegiance. I also attended on Friday, which was a warm day, the Judson and Brown bubble run, which was kind of new. I really didn't know what it was. I figured they were going around jogging. But they also have little shooters, and they're shooting bubbles. So when the kids go by, they see all the bubbles come, so it just kind of ignites, and it makes it a little bit exciting. So I just want to give a big shout out to the PTA at Judson and Brown for an outstanding job. I understand they made over $31,000, which was great.

So guns were allowed on campus that day?

Oh, Jim, don't go there. They're shooters. I know, Jim. So I want to thank everyone who came and spoke today, specifically Ashley from REV and a student junior. And I'm sure Mr. Kelly, if we can look into that tomorrow and make sure that a counselor reaches out to her, I would really appreciate it. Thank you. I'm sure we all would make sure that that happens. Thank you and then Just want to say to our administrative professionals to Carrie Ann and to Rose tomorrow our administrative professionals day Recognition. Thank you for everything that you do day in and day out for us I've been here 16 years as you know, and so I've been through Heidi's I've been through Gretchen's and and Actually before that was Connie and without your support and help we wouldn't be able to do our job So I thank you for everything that you do because without your support we wouldn't be able to have this board meeting So thank you very much.

That's it Thank You Patti, how about you Alex I

Just have a short comment on Ashley again. Can we find out what the actual protocol is if a student needs to see a counselor? Because the comment that Ashley had made was that they have to make an appointment. So I want to make sure that students do have immediate access to counselors. And then also, if you can look into one of the last parents talked about they had an issue at Lagonia, if you could bring us up to speed. Thank you. Okay. As a board member, I just want to say that I will continue to support our pride clubs, as well as all clubs, especially because they're all student-led, and they're supported by teacher advisors. I want to say, I believe on behalf of the board, we all feel this way. And that's it for me.

You're up, Jim. Thank you very much, Madam President. A few little things. I wanted to do a shout out to Michelle. I was working the Kiwanis booth for breakfast at the bike classic, but your name came up many, many times. You missed me, yeah. I was washing dishes. So thank you so much for all that you do in that bike class. It's an amazing thing in our city. And I think it probably broke records. I don't know. People seemed to be really flocking out this year and participating. And the Saturday event was super big. And I know you went out. How many school sites did you visit?

30.

30. So congratulations. Thank you to you and all the people that were part of that. And I guess I might as well, I'm on a roll for you. Thank you for your work and of course the Rep Foundation and all the people involved in the Wizards basketball game. It was very fun. It was well attended. It was exciting. Saw some superstar athletes, staff. Yeah, Dr. Wagner was over there making some baskets. But most importantly it was a lot of fun and certainly happy that they raised some money to Give back to the schools. Absolutely You and I were at the Bryn Mawr leadership and Fabulous. Yes, their program there, The Leader in Me, is an amazing program. And the staff and kids were so impressive and so amazing. And it was great to be part of that and to walk around, have the little tour guide. It's kind of funny. The little student tour guide that was in my group, I knew some people there from when I worked there. And so I kind of wandered off and was visiting some other people. And that little tour group, we went to the office. and said, has anybody here seen Mr. O'Neill? And then, oh, well, he's probably not. And she caught up to me and she looked me right in the eye and she says, Mr. O'Neill, you really need to stay in my group. It was absolutely fantastic. So I really enjoyed that. And then, of course, Patty and I were at the Burrage Flag Ceremony today. Tim Rochford does an amazing job. He's a very patriotic man, a community-centered man. And the Kingsbury first graders were there because, since 2018, he's been having this special ceremony. There was a Kingsbury teacher, Miss Flacker, I believe is her name. actually started the flag salute in her classroom as part of a lesson. And without telling you the whole history of it, it moved its way. Somebody saw it and recognized it, and it ended up going to Washington, D.C. And voila, the flag salute started with a Kingsbury teacher. Yes, so pretty amazing So the tallest flagpole and the largest flag in Redlands are flown at the bridge mansion So pretty pretty impressive and then mock interviews Tomorrow night. I'll see you at that You know, I appreciate so much tonight speakers in the respect and civility and courage of An adherence to our public comment protocols. I congratulate everybody who came and spoke to us. So I really appreciate that. When the video came out this week, of course we all watched it, I watched it. Felt a little frustrated by it and of course hurt by it and and also ashamed In the way that it was portrayed and so I wrote down some comments I went right to my computer and I wrote some things out and I'm gonna share them tonight But I want I want people to hear what my thoughts were it's not part of the board it's just my personal thoughts and So I wrote it down and I said, first of all, as a response to the video that was circulated, its portrayal of our district as a hotbed of child abuse should serve as a master class in persuasive and biased journalism. The masterful video editing and innuendos masked as facts gave me impetus to make this following comment. What was purposely left out of this imbalanced documentary was the diligent and purposeful work our district has taken, which includes swift and appropriate actions when there has been a violation of law or the aggressive board policies that we have adopted. Working in conjunction with the district legal counsel, disciplinary actions running from formal reprimands up to and including employee termination have been taken. For school districts, personnel actions are confidential by law, and therefore we can't discuss them. The general public, including the media, they don't have to follow these same rules. There are no cover ups, no sweeping under the carpet, we just have to follow the law. There are no restrictions on what the media or members of the public can report or say in public, and that's unfortunate. In our district, employees are directed to report directly to both local law enforcement, child and family services when they see something, hear something, or sense something. That's a Redlands trademark. Student safety and protection from abuse is not only our priority, but should be everyone's priority in our community. Since 2016, when I became a member of the board, our district has taken a stand on preventing staff sexual misconduct by conducting mandatory training that includes mandated reporting instructions, training on how to identify child grooming behaviors for staff and parents. Sadly, those workshops at schools are not very well attended by parents. I believe there should be 1,000 people attending those workshops because there's nothing more important. We've adopted adult student boundary policies. We've reinstated SROs in our schools, making access to law enforcement on our campus, hiring additional school counselors, making learning spaces that are safer and transparent by including windows and doors. We've initiated the Act Now program. And there's a lot more visual monitoring and elevating of hall pass restrictions as well as monitoring social posts. So we haven't just been sit idly letting these things occur in our district. We are not in the same place as we were years ago. And all of us shall continue to be diligent in keeping students safe from anyone wanting to do harm to them. I know and trust that our employees will do what is expected to protect our students and root out anyone who is not reflecting the impeccable and virtuous values and morals of our employees. Believe me when I say that those convicted of these heinous acts of the past are not representative of our employees. So in closing, I would like parents, students, and family members to join with us and partner with us in protecting students by knowing where your students are going, who are they with, who are they texting, what are they posting on social media. Know what your kids are up to. In other words, trust but verify, especially in the age that we live in now. And please, everyone, if you see something hear something, even sense something, please say something. Thank you.

Thank you, Jim. Well, all right. It's been an interesting meeting, and I appreciate everybody that came out tonight. I know everybody's feeling very passionate about everything that they spoke about, and as they should be. I would really love to see both sides come together so we can solve these problems, so this isn't an issue any longer. One of the things that I think the reason it's so prevalent in our you know everyday life right now is because for so many years these things did happen and People just sat idly by and let it happen. You know, you heard it. You didn't say anything about it and now these things They're making noise as they should be And so everyone on this board feels for any victim of abuse and it's not something we want to see happen and we work tiredly to make sure it doesn't happen. But it takes a village and it really does mean that everybody has to do their part. So as Mr. O'Neill was saying, if your child has a phone, occasionally go through it. I do. I make sure that the people my kids talk to are who they say they are and while I trust them, I do verify. And I appreciate that. I know this is such a hot topic, but I mean, there are good people in this district who only want to protect children and if you want to join us, we have openings for paraprofessionals and bus drivers and you can join us. You can come here and you can be a part of saving children. So with that, I'd like to close this meeting and just let you know I appreciate everyone out here. Thank you. I'll adjourn this meeting at 9.15.