📋 August 5, 2025: the library book-challenge rules restart at first reading, and public comment fills 91 entries

Board President Michele Rendler opened the meeting in open session at 3:02 p.m., with Patty Holohan, Jeannette Wilson, Melissa Ayala-Quintero and Candy Olson all answering roll call, and the board adjourned to closed session at 3:03 p.m. 1. It returned to open session at 5:41 p.m. and the regular meeting was called to order at 6:01 p.m. 2. The meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m. 3.

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🔑 The short version

Four weeks earlier, on July 8, 2025, the board had refused to adopt revised versions of AR 1312.2 and BP 6000 on second reading, and the minutes of that meeting print "the motion was not carried" against each of them 4. On August 5 both came back at the beginning of the cycle rather than the end. The board approved a revision of Administrative Regulation 1312.2 - Complaints Concerning Library or Media Center Materials as a first reading, a revision of Exhibit 5145.71 - Title IX Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedures as a first reading, and a revision of Board Policy 6000 – Concepts And Roles as a first reading 5.

It also tabled the proposed new volunteer regulation, pulled its companion board policy 6, approved the business services and educational services consent blocks 7 8, granted The Grove School a charter amendment 9, and approved an amendment to the Superintendent's employment contract 6.

How this page reads the minutes. In this document each motion block sits above the item or items it records. The section headings do it unambiguously. Educational Services Consent Items opens with a motion "to Approve Consent Items XII.a. through XII.j. together", and the lettered items follow 8; Educational Services Action Items opens with a motion at the foot of one page 5 and its item a. begins on the next 9. The three policy first readings follow the same shape: a motion block, then item k.; a second block, then item l.; a third block, then item m. 5. The July 8 minutes are laid out identically 4. The recording matches that order: the board took up item K, the AR 1312.2 first reading 10, and moved on to item L only afterwards 11. This page does not reproduce vote composition. The minutes page cited above is where to read it.

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📚 What the first reading actually changed

The minutes do not merely record that AR 1312.2 was approved; they record the terms. It was approved "with agreed upon language to remove the exact rubric and definitions as well as addition of language about the Principal notifying the Superintendent about a complaint and then the Superintendent notifying the Board in Section 1, #2" 5.

That is two distinct changes. The exact rubric and definition list, the part of the draft speakers had spent the evening arguing over, came out of the regulation's text, and a notification duty running principal to superintendent to board went in.

The agenda had carried the item as a bare line, "Approve Revision of Administrative Regulation: 1312.2 - Complaints Concerning Library or Media Center Materials [First Reading]" 12, with "See attached copy with revisions." on the page that follows 13; BP 6000 is listed the same way on that same page 13. No agenda packet exists for this meeting in the archive, so the attached copies are not part of the record here, and the minutes' sentence quoted above is the only description of the change on file 5.

BP 6000 returned as a first read rather than a second, and the discussion on the recording explains why: the board was told that a change the district treats as significant sends a policy back to a first reading, and that the edit made after the previous meeting, which aligned BP 6000's language with AR 1312.2, was handled that way 14.

A caveat on the policy text. The copies of AR 1312.2 15 and BP 6000 16 in this archive both carry a last-revision date of 08/19/2025, two weeks after this meeting. They are the text adopted at second reading on August 19, 2025, when the minutes of that meeting record both revisions approved 17, not the text read here. Read with that in mind, they show where the August 5 amendments landed. The adopted regulation contains no rubric; it says instead that the review committee "will use a review rubric, rubric scorecard and definitions list created by a committee that will include at least one board member, one librarian, one cabinet member, one principal and one parent" 15. And its Section I now reads that the principal "shall contact the complainant within five business days and attempt to resolve the complaint" and "shall also inform the Superintendent who will inform the Board of Education" 15, which is the addition the August 5 minutes describe, in the district's own words. BP 6000's operative sentence, as adopted, is that the district's program and materials "shall not include pornography, erotica, graphic descriptions or depictions of sexual violence, inappropriate vulgarity or profanity, or other obscene material including material that is lewd or libelous" 16.

Community Forward Redlands News reported two days later that the board "voted Tuesday to approve two revised policies that will shape how books and curriculum materials are reviewed for appropriateness" 18.

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🗣️ Public comment: 55 entries, then 36 more

The minutes list 55 entries under community input for agendized items, each naming a single speaker; the list opens on page 3 19 and closes on page 8 7. A second, general community input period later in the night carries 36 entries, from page 14 6 to page 17 3. Many of the same names appear in both lists, so 91 entries is not 91 distinct people.

Speakers were held to 45 seconds. The limit was announced from the dais immediately before the first speaker 20, and a speaker count of 54 was given at the same point in the recording 21, one fewer than the 55 entries the minutes went on to print 19. The district's own 2025-26 governance handbook sets the default the other way: "Under normal circumstances, individual speakers shall be allowed three minutes to address the Board on each agenda or non-agenda item. The Board President, with the consensus of the Board, may decrease or increase the time" 22.

That became its own grievance. Katharine Applebee urged Board President Rendler to follow California School Board Association guidance on public comment time limits, saying 45 seconds per speaker is insufficient 23, and Abigail criticized the board for silencing community input over the same limit 3.

On the policy itself the recorded comments ran heavily against. Jenann Elias said the wording and rubric language needed revision and urged the board to involve educational specialists 19. Jean Saglam cited California's Freedom to Read Act, AB 1825, and argued that librarians are the qualified professionals to review books 19. Philip David Mielke said the proposal copies Chino Valley's policy and violates AB 1078 24. Robert C.M. Bourne criticized the use of "perceived" as letting individual interpretation dictate book removal 24. Charlene Kwappenberg called the policy government overreach and described public readings of isolated book passages as "weird and creepy" 24. Arrissia Owen Turner cited national data showing 4,240 books censored in 2023 and noted two removals in the district 25. Mark Laird raised the $20,000 agenda software purchase, the new legal services agreement and its effect on the general fund, and AR 1312.2 and BP 6000 limiting student access to books 26.

Support was recorded too. Lawrence Hebron spoke for the book removal policy, arguing it targets pornographic content rather than LGBTQ content 19. Dale Broome backed AR 1312.2 and the rubric while suggesting the "contextual relevance" criterion be minimized or removed as too subjective 19. Arthur Schaper supported items 12K and 12M, saying it is appropriate to restrict obscene materials in schools 27. Matt Applebee thanked the board for adding definitions but criticized vague language and questioned board members' qualifications to evaluate materials 25. Pastor Heather Holley Baeumel thanked Trustees Olson, Rendler and Wilson for what she described as protecting children and standing firm under criticism 25. David Boloy backed the review process as fair and asked the board to ensure parents understand Education Code 221.5(f) on overnight trips 27.

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✊ Calls for a trustee's resignation

The later general comment period turned mostly on Trustee Candy Olson's social media activity. Of the 36 entries the minutes list, 25 mention Olson and 18 record a call for her to resign or be removed from the board 6 28 23 3.

The minutes name them individually. Cooper "explicitly called for the immediate resignation of Trustee Candy Olson, citing behavior they described as bigoted and disqualifying" 6. Tessa Lynn Hodge urged Olson's resignation, saying her engagement with hateful posts harms marginalized students and families 28. Mark Laird presented what he called evidence of Olson's inappropriate actions, urged censure, and called for her resignation 28. Bea urged the board to remove Olson 23. Joette Orman called for her resignation as a concerned parent and resident of District Five 23. Quinn Shea described being verbally harassed over their LGBTQIA+ identity at a prior board meeting and called for Olson's resignation 23.

Several speakers addressed the board president rather than Olson. Cyndie Alvarez Nordstrand called on President Michele Rendler to address the issue, "stating that silence equates to compliance" 6. Michael Paisner likewise urged Rendler to act, warning that silence enables harm 28. Bryan Koonce urged Rendler to uphold accountability and protect the district's reputation 28.

Not every entry was about Olson. Correen Garcia raised a staff response to a distressed student and the absence of any investigation after reports of a slur 28. Rebekah Acosta urged the board to publicly denounce the use of the R-slur 28. Douglas Hauser said no books are being banned and that materials remain accessible outside school 23. Joshua David Hall criticized efforts to censor social media while addressing book content 23.

Olson answered in board comments. She "clarified that liking individual social media posts does not indicate endorsement of all content, condemned what she described as a hate campaign against her, and emphasized her commitment to protecting children and promoting high-quality, nonpartisan education" 3.

The dispute had been running outside the boardroom for a week. Community Forward Redlands News had reported on July 29: "A local parent and advocacy group is calling for the resignation of Redlands Unified School District Board Member Candy Olson after uncovering her interactions with a meme account that has posted racist, homophobic, antisemitic and ableist content" 29. KVCR News reported on August 13 that the group behind the campaign is Together for Redlands, a community watchdog group, and that Olson said she had no plans to resign: "I'm in this to serve our kids and community. I will continue to support our families and work towards improving our educational system" 30.

The district's governance handbook, in its 2025-26 edition and current for this meeting, addresses the underlying question directly. Its section on social media norms tells board members 31:

You Are Never "Off the Clock": The public will not distinguish between "Citizen Smith" and "Board Member Smith." Your posts reflect on the entire district.

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🙋 The volunteer policy came off the table

The board took action to "Table the motion to Approve new Administrative Regulation 1240 - Volunteer Assistance and abolish existing Administrative Regulation 4229 - Volunteers [First Reading]", and the companion Board Policy 1240 item was pulled 6. Bea had opposed both items earlier in the evening, warning that abolishing the current volunteer policy would require untrained parents to provide support that should be delivered by trained staff, particularly for neurodivergent students 27. Community Forward Redlands News reported that the board tabled the item "after questions arose about how parents and community members would be made aware of the rules and trained to follow them" 32.

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💼 The rest of the night

Business services. The consent block approved a $20,000 annual subscription with Diligent Corporation for agenda services, a legal services agreement with the law firm the minutes name as "Fagen Friedmand & Fulfrost LLP" for 2025-26, construction management by Tilden-Coil Constructors for the middle school safety projects and the Citrus Valley High School disaster recovery project at $135,000 for preconstruction plus 4.1% of final construction costs, and an Interquest Detection Canines agreement at $620 per visit not to exceed $37,200 7. It also awarded Bid 20-25 for HVAC replacement at the Redlands East Valley High School cafe to KMA HVAC & Construction at $180,250, withdrew the same bid from apparent low bidder NKS Mechanical at $59,500 after a mathematical error, and approved payment transmittals totalling $23,126,563.40 33. (That spelling is the district's own, not a transcription error here: the agenda's item line carries the same form, while the description directly beneath it spells the firm "Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP" 34.)

Educational services. Travel for seven Citrus Valley High School Advanced Theatre students to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, October 3–7; the 2025-2026 Consolidated Application; CORE coaching for Lugonia and Victoria elementary teachers at up to $33,600 each; a Greer Consulting four-day professional development series at up to $25,000; and Give Something Back mentoring for foster, homeless and system-involved youth at up to $53,000 8. As an action item the board approved Resolution No. 4, 2025-2026, granting The Grove School's request to update item 5 of Element 8 of its charter 5 9.

Human resources. The consent block covered the usual certificated, classified and management personnel items 9 35. As action items the board ratified Resolution No. 1 on teaching outside credential authorization 35 and Resolution No. 3 on the same subject 6, adopted Resolution No. 2 approving the employment of Mackenzie Stibbie under an Education Code 44265.3 waiver, and ratified an amendment to Superintendent Juan J. Cabral's employment contract 6.

Reports. Cabral gave a Measure D update covering roofing and HVAC work, noted some construction would continue after school hours, and said a full presentation on the summer's completed projects would come at the next meeting 19. The public hearing on the district's initial proposals to RESPA and RTA opened and closed at 6:15 p.m. with no one wishing to comment, and President Rendler welcomed Ryan Beckham as the new Director of Maintenance 19. Mr. Caperton of the Redlands Teachers Association discussed the contract proposal and the professionalism of district librarians, Liz Brewster of the Redlands Educational Support Professionals spoke on collaboration in the new school year, and Iwana Maria Luczkiewicz-Contreras, President of the Redlands Council of PTAs, reported 24 active PTA units including a new Special Education PTA 2.

Later in the evening Cabral told the general public participation session that no monetary value was attached to the contract the board had approved, that his evaluation resulted in a contract extension through June 30, 2028, and that he was declining a 3% raise unless all district employees receive one 6.

Closed session. The board approved the Superintendent's recommendation to accept a negotiated resolution concerning students 2025-2026-1 and 2025-2026-2, siblings, reimbursing parents for certain independent educational evaluations at not more than $7,500 per student 1; President Rendler reported the action out in open session 2.

Board comments. Jeannette Wilson described what she saw as strengths of the book complaint policy (accountability, objectivity, cost efficiency and separation of complaint types) and said it does not violate AB 1825 or AB 1078 because it governs school library books rather than public libraries 3. Melissa Ayala-Quintero urged consistency in how public comments and crowd reactions are managed and expressed frustration over limited speaking time and selective enforcement of the rules 3. Patty Holohan thanked Ms. Posada for the QR code initiative and acknowledged librarians, students, staff and parents 3. Michele Rendler praised a recent advance event and encouraged community engagement with Measure D 3.

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🔍 A note on spellings

The minutes render several names two different ways on different pages, and this page follows the minutes rather than correcting them: "Carreen Garcia" on page 5 24 and "Correen Garcia" on page 15 28; "Chris Cautice" on page 6 25 and "Chris Clautice" on page 15 28; "Philip David Mielke" on page 5 24 and "Philip Mielke" on page 15 28. The minutes also print "Katharine Applebee" and "Matt Applebee" 25, where this archive's speaker index canonicalizes the surname as Appleby.