June 10, 2025 — Redlands Unified Board of Education

Open session: 6:01 p.m. · Adjourned: 11:22 p.m. · Present: Michele Rendler (President), Patty Holohan, Melissa Ayala-Quintero, Jeannette Wilson, Candy Olson

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🔑 Bottom line

Three resolutions were before the board and none of them moved. The minutes record that the board "engaged in a thorough discussion on the proposed resolutions, sharing differing perspectives and the rationale behind their support or opposition" and that, after an extended exchange, "none of the resolutions advanced due to a lack of consensus" 1. Around that argument sat an ordinary night of district business: three budget-related public hearings that drew no speakers, a first-year Title IX compliance report, six recognitions, three consent calendars and two action calendars. The meeting adjourned at 11:22 p.m.

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The three resolutions

The agenda listed a proposed resolution on Commemorative Dates and Monthly Observances and two competing resolutions on racism — Eradicating Racism and Promoting Anti-Racism, Equal Opportunity, and Unity in Education — under Discussion Items, not as action items 2.

The commemorative-dates item was taken first 3. On the recording the exchange turns on whether the district should mark cultural and identity observances on its website and social media at all, one member arguing that district speech "should be neutral, and we should have it just about academics" 5 and another asking why the district had not marked Pride Month on its website and social media this year 4. The board moved on to the racism resolutions without taking the first item further 6.

The racism discussion ran the rest of the night, and its sharpest disagreement was over wording: a member said flatly that "racism is not a public health crisis" 7, a phrase drawn from the existing resolution. The discussion closed with the idea of a short board statement drafted for a later meeting in place of either document — "If that's the direction we want to take, I can create a draft and provide that to you" 8. The minutes record no such direction. They record only that no resolution advanced 1, so the archive does not establish that the board directed anyone to prepare anything.

Community Forward Redlands, reporting nine days later, wrote that the board "opted not to revise its existing anti-racism resolution" and would instead explore a possible unified statement reaffirming its commitment to reducing racism; the outlet also reported that the 2020 resolution had been developed by a committee of students, educators and community members 9.

The board already has a standing policy in this area. BP 0415, Equity, adopted in March 2023, states that "the diversity that exists among the district's community of students, staff, families, and community members is integral to the district's vision, mission, and goals" 10.

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Public comment 🎤

Board President Rendler opened public comment by affirming the board's commitment to integrity, accountability and student-centered governance, reminding attendees that disruptions would not be tolerated. Speakers were limited to 1.5 minutes and had to submit a card before the period began 11.

The minutes list 40 speakers in the first comment period 11 and 23 in the second 12. Of the 40, the minutes record 22 speaking against the Promoting Anti-Racism resolution and one for it; ten spoke for the commemorative-dates resolution and six against it; five spoke for Eradicating Racism and four against it 11 13 14.

Individual speakers, as the minutes record them:

• Jennifer Kim spoke in opposition to the Promoting Anti-Racism, Equal Opportunity, and Unity in Education resolution 11.
• Michael Paisner said Goal 1 of the LCAP was being ignored by the board, raised the budget's diminishing reserves and asked where legal fees are reflected in it, supported the commemorative-dates resolution and opposed the Promoting Anti-Racism resolution 13; in the second period, Paisner criticized the board for declining to acknowledge Pride Month on social media 12.
• Chris Clautice told the board it was disregarding LCAP Goal 1 by promoting actions that marginalize LGBTQ+ students 13.
• Greg Britton said the LCAP lacked data on student proficiency and detail on student discipline, opposed the commemorative-dates resolution, and was the one speaker the minutes record supporting the Promoting Anti-Racism resolution 13.
• Leena Serhan urged the board to reconsider policies restricting diverse books, arguing that such censorship undermines LCAP Goal 2.3 on literacy and well-resourced libraries 14.
• Ayanna Balogun spoke against eliminating cultural and heritage month observances, said the conflicting resolutions send mixed messages to students of color, and urged anti-racism policies and cultural training for educators 14.
• Christin Williams described alleged discrimination and false accusations by Board Member Candy Olson as harassment and an abuse of power, and urged the board to investigate 12.
• Lawrence Hebron raised flag policies, girls' sports, library content and parental rights, warned that support for homeschooling could affect enrollment and staffing, and urged the board to weigh the views of board members Candy Olson and Jeannette Wilson 12.
• Kaia Yoshimutsu shared a personal account of a hospitalization in early May, attributing her mental health crisis to district policies banning certain flags 15.
• Peter Hall defended Board Member Candy Olson against allegations of harassment toward a transgender athlete, saying no evidence had been presented 15.
• Anita Rhodes voiced support for Board Members Candy Olson and Jeannette Wilson, encouraged them to remain confident and told them they hold the moral high ground 16.
• Sara Cooper supported the district's anti-racism efforts and urged the board to listen to students and teachers who oppose policies she described as hateful 16.

Two arguments from the floor framed the resolution fight. A speaker who told the board "I've been a doctor for 40 years" said the existing resolution's statement that racism is a public health problem "is not a real issue" and called it "a fictitious issue" 17. Another said the board's own conduct was what the LCAP failed to measure: "we all know our schools are less inclusive due to the actions of this board" 18.

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Superintendent's report: Title IX 🏛️

Superintendent Cabral reported that the district had completed year one of a five-year Title IX stipulated judgment with the Office of the Attorney General. As of the May 19, 2025 review date the district was found substantially compliant in 61 of 63 paragraphs and partially compliant in two, because some cases were unresolved. Of 1,140 cases filed, 630 had been closed by the review date. Increased reporting was attributed to expanded awareness and training, the compliance team had grown from one staff member to seven, and original training videos were developed with student actors and parent input 14. On the recording the report puts the 97 mandates of the judgment inside those 63 paragraphs 19.

The same finding was reported outside the room: Community Forward Redlands wrote that the DOJ found the district "substantially compliant" with 61 of the 63 required provisions of the judgment adopted in June 2024 20. The judgment came out of a California Department of Justice investigation that was expanded in October 2022; the Attorney General announced the stipulated judgment on May 29, 2024, putting the district under a minimum of five years of oversight by the court and the Attorney General and requiring wide-ranging reforms 21.

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Hearings, reports and recognitions 🏆

Three public hearings — on the 2025 LCAP, on 2025-26 balances in excess of the minimum reserve requirement, and on the 2025-26 annual budget — were each opened and closed without any speakers 22. The budget itself drew comment elsewhere in the evening: one speaker put the current-year total reserve at "$111 million" against "$91 million" budgeted for the following year 18.

For the Redlands Teachers Association, Stephen Caperton highlighted an opinion piece by Susan Cortz, a second-grade teacher at Highland Grove Elementary, published in USA Today on May 26, 2025, on the effect of divisive public discourse on children's character 22. For the Redlands Administrative Personnel Association, Kimberly Lium reported seven scholarships awarded to graduating seniors across the district's high schools 11.

Recognitions ran to six items: the BRIDGE adult transition program for students aged 18 to 22, whose Studio 24 hosted 12 café events serving about 1,000 people and whose student-run Terrier Grounds Coffee Co. generates roughly $4,000 a year 23; the LCAP advisory committee, 24 parent, community and staff members in all 23 24; the JROTC cadets; the 39th annual Redlands Bicycle Classic, whose 2024 School Duel drew a record 736 student participants; and outgoing school resource officers Corporal Rick McLaughlin and Officer Eileen Gutierrez 24. Highland Grove Elementary and Kimberly Elementary were recognized as California Distinguished Schools, an honor given to about 300 of more than 5,000 schools statewide 22.

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Consent and action business ✅

• Business services. The board approved the business services consent items, item XII.k excepted — the Building A Generation amendment for the Family Resource Center program at Lugonia and Victoria elementary schools was pulled from the motion, and the minutes record no separate action on it 25 26. The calendar carried an amended award of Bid 21-25 for roofing at various sites, at $15,203,980 25 — 13 sites, from Arroyo Verde Elementary to the Service and Supply Center 27 — a $3,520,000 award to Wakeco, Inc. for Phase I of the Foothill Groves packinghouse conversion 25, and payment transmittals of $6,422,884.66 26.
• Educational services. The consent calendar there included special education service agreements and first readings of BP 6146.1 (High School Graduation Requirements) and BP 6146.4 (Differential Graduation and Competency Standards for Students with Disabilities) 26 28. The BP 6146.1 revision would let students with disabilities be exempted from specific graduation requirements when their IEP team determines it is necessary 29; the copy of BP 6146.4 on file, last revised on June 24, 2025 and so postdating this first reading, provides that the IEP team "shall determine the appropriate standards and assessments, as well as the accommodations that may be required for students with disabilities" 30. The AMIRA dyslexia-screening agreement for grades K-2 appears in the minutes with its dollar figure missing mid-sentence; the agenda gives it as not to exceed $71,250 28 29.
• Expulsions. Eight stipulated expulsions, students 2024-2025-033 through 2024-2025-040, were approved together 28 31.
• Human resources. The board approved the human resources consent calendar 31, established a Facilities Project Manager position with its job description, and ratified the employment contract of Lisa Nakamura-Bruich as Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources, effective May 14, 2025 32.

In closed session the board acted on the superintendent's recommendations to appoint Kimberly Lium Director of Human Resources, James Benanti principal of Franklin Elementary and Jeffrey Wray principal of Kingsbury Elementary, all effective July 1, 2025, and to accept the resignation of a classified employee together with a settlement and release agreement 33 34. President Rendler announced those actions in open session 34.

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Board comments and what came next

Melissa Ayala-Quintero wished everyone a happy Pride Month. Jeannette Wilson acknowledged the BRIDGE program's luncheon, awards and transition ceremony at Citrus Valley High School. Patty Holohan congratulated the Class of 2025 and the district's promotions from within. Candy Olson asked for future updates on curriculum development and a plan from the new security director to reduce fighting and bullying on campuses. Michele Rendler highlighted more than $500,000 awarded by the Redlands Community Scholarship Foundation 16.

Superintendent Cabral used his closing comments to set a timeline: first readings of upcoming policies on June 24 and second readings on July 8, followed by union negotiations as needed 16. The June 24 meeting is in this archive, and its public comment includes speakers urging the board to reject the flag and book policies 35.