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Modesto Board of Education 06/23/2025 — Transcript

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2:27All right.
2:30We will
2:34welcome welcome
2:36prior to beginning I'd like to refer
2:38anybody who needs translator services to
2:40Miss Sylvia Mansour at the podium. Do we
2:44have Sylvia here?
2:46Oh, she's in the back.
2:52We'll have her come up here in just a
2:54second.
2:58Right.
3:23Buenes, my name is Sylvia.
3:35Fore!
3:45Foreign! Foreign!
4:09We
4:19quick links
4:25direct.
4:30Thank you, Miss Manur.
4:34One, welcome to the Modesto City Schools
4:36regular board meeting of June 23rd,
4:392025,
4:401526th regular board meeting. There was
4:44no closed session this evening.
4:46Therefore, there's nothing to report
4:47out.
4:50And this meeting is now called order.
4:53So again, there was no closed session,
4:55so there's nothing to report out today.
4:56Let's start with roll call. Trusty
4:59Brown,
5:00present. Trusty Daly, present. Trusty
5:04Iran, present. Trusty Lopez, present.
5:08Trusty Marks, present. Vice President
5:11Mia, present. And President Messis, I am
5:14present.
5:16Okay, all members are present. So we can
5:19move forward. Uh please join me in
5:22standing for a moment of silence and
5:24then remain standing for the pledge of
5:26allegiance immediately following
5:58Thank you. Join in the pledge of
6:00allegiance.
6:02Ready? Salute. I pledge algiance to the
6:05flag of the United States of America and
6:09for it stands one nation under God,
6:13indivisible with liberty and justice for
6:16all.
6:21Thank you. Thank you everyone. Uh good
6:23evening. This open session meeting of
6:25the board of trustees is being
6:27livereamed at the direction of the
6:29board. The live stream is available on
6:31the district's website and the
6:32recordings will be available for viewing
6:35the day after the board meeting.
6:38We recognize that we have a lot of
6:39people today interested in tonight's
6:41board meeting. Thank you all for coming
6:43out this evening.
6:45We do have those in our overflow rooms.
6:49So, uh, those viewing this meeting from
6:51our overflow room as room becomes
6:53available, we'll notify and accommodate
6:55you as need as necessary. Thank you
6:58again for your patience this evening.
7:02MCS has provided an opportunity for
7:05public provided comments. It is outlined
7:08on the agenda. The public has been given
7:11an opportunity to call in and leave a
7:13voicemail, send us a comment via email,
7:16or appear in person before the board.
7:18Any public comments received via email
7:21or voicemail following the posting of
7:23the board agenda and prior to the noon
7:25prior to noon the day of the board
7:28meeting will not be read aloud, but have
7:30been transcribed and printed with copies
7:33provided to each board member prior to
7:35the start of the meeting and are
7:36available to the public. The voice and
7:39email public comments will be attached
7:41to the to a future board meeting minutes
7:44for approval. This practice will
7:46continue until further notice. For
7:47members of the public that are
7:49interested in commenting in the future,
7:51we welcome your comments.
7:54If you wish to address the board during
7:57period for public comment on a subject
7:59not on the agenda, you must complete a
8:02public presentation request card and
8:04submit it to the to the board president
8:06prior to the period for public comment.
8:08If you need assistance from our
8:10translator, please indicate that on the
8:12request card. Every person who wishes to
8:15address the board, please fill out a
8:16card. You will find the cards in the
8:19lobby and you can hand your comment card
8:21to Miss Chambers in the back. She's
8:23right there.
8:25Thank you, Miss Chambers. I also do want
8:27to remind you that if you wish to make a
8:30complaint against a specific district
8:31employee, you should follow the
8:33district's personnel complaint
8:34procedure.
8:36Copies of the procedure are available in
8:38the lobby as our agenda copies which
8:39outline the procedures we will observe
8:42during the period for public comment.
8:45The right to address the board does not
8:46exempt the speaker from any potential
8:48liability for defamation.
8:52If you plan to speak on a topic, please
8:54fill out a card now. Um, again, on a
8:58topic that's not on the agenda, please
9:00fill out a card now. There's no cards
9:02will be accepted. After the period for
9:04public comment has begun, the maximum
9:06time for anyone speaker during this time
9:08is 3 minutes for a total of 30 minutes.
9:10For those of you requesting translation
9:12services, an additional minute will be
9:14added to your time.
9:16In the event we have more speakers than
9:18the 30 minute aotment allows, uh we may
9:20decide to shorten the individual speaker
9:22time limit or extend the total amount of
9:25time for public comment to accommodate
9:27more speakers. Uh this will be decided
9:29on upon the number of speakers and how
9:31much time we have for our meeting. Okay,
9:34I'd like to turn it over to our
9:36superintendent for welcome. Perfect.
9:38Thank you, President Meases. First off,
9:40welcome um everyone here that's in the
9:42room and also um over in the overflow.
9:44So, I hear there's 65 people over in the
9:45overflow room. So, I appreciate um
9:48everyone's willingness to come out and
9:50um voice your your questions, your
9:53comments, your concerns, and giving us
9:54your feedback and input. It is important
9:56to the process. So, thank you. I'm going
9:58to keep mine really short and I'm going
9:59to um really uh provide some voice to a
10:03presentation that you're going to see
10:04here in just a minute. Um I want to
10:06thank the communications department for
10:08putting together the video that we all
10:09will see here um shortly. very excited
10:11about the content and very proud of our
10:13students. So, with that, um, welcome and
10:15I'll turn it back over to you, President
10:17Mestas. All right. Thank you so much.
10:19Um, we'll go straight to Miss Jerkina
10:21Sams to watch this video. Good evening,
10:23President Mestas, board of trustees and
10:25superintendent Dr. Naguchi and our
10:27families and staff uh, who are here
10:29tonight with us as well. So, the school
10:31year has ended and thank goodness for
10:33that. But before we embark on another
10:36academic year, we want to take just a
10:38couple of minutes to recognize the many
10:39achievements um of our students. And as
10:42Dr. Naguchi said, they are impressive
10:44and inspiring. And we want to show them
10:46to you tonight in a video so that you
10:47can hear in the students own words what
10:50they achieved and what it meant to them.
10:52The video speaks for itself. So let's
10:54roll tape.
10:56[Music]
11:07Elementary School
11:18Junior High School.
11:33Los County academic contain. Um I won I
11:37placed in every category and then I also
11:39got speeches uh and first place for
11:41Scholastic and first place for my team.
11:43So it was really exciting. Handshaw
11:45Middle School Smash Brothers Champs
11:47Central California esports tournament
11:49Stockton competition.
11:54Downey High School first place in all
11:56American high school film festival in
11:58New York City. It was pretty cool seeing
12:01that like uh my whole team or the whole
12:03team as a family work together to make
12:05something very good. It felt really
12:07awesome to know that I myself really
12:10contributed to the win. Future Business
12:14Leaders of America multiple state and
12:16regional county wins through FBA and the
12:18employment opportunities class pathway.
12:20I was able to secure a $2,500
12:22opportunity and a six-month mentorship
12:23for my business startup. And I was also
12:25able to make it a state for um impromptu
12:27speaking, which greatly improved my
12:28public speaking abilities.
12:32[Music]
12:35Modesto High School, Stanis County 2025
12:382026 poet laurate. When I was selected
12:41to be the youth poet laurate of Stanos
12:43County, I was ecstatic and overfilled
12:47with joy. I remember telling my mom that
12:50I'm the poet laurate and I just remember
12:51hugging her so tight because I was so
12:54happy. State honor choir participants
12:56just the feeling of being accepted. I
12:58mean
13:00I can't even like really explain how it
13:02is. I was just I was so happy surprised
13:05when I got into regionals. So when I
13:07heard that I got into state I was even
13:08more surprised. So like it was it was a
13:11big shock to me. Stannis Loss County
13:12Academic Pentathlon third place winners
13:15and I was really proud of our team this
13:17year for being so successful. It was
13:18like a really fun experience and we were
13:20able to do it together so that just made
13:22it so much better. US Congressional
13:24Gallery Art Exhibit featured artist. My
13:26name is Andrea Valencia Seepeda. I am a
13:29senior here and this is my painting that
13:33won that is going to be hung up in the
13:36capital. Gregori High School Stannis
13:40Loss County mock trial winners. It feels
13:42amazing. It feels pretty good,
13:44especially cuz um last year we made it
13:46to the championship round, but we ended
13:48up losing. Byer High School, Iron
13:51Patriots Robotics First Impact Award
13:53Sacramento Regional Competition. Uh
13:56everyone was freaking out. Uh people
13:58were jumping, screaming, some were
13:59crying. Overall, it felt amazing. You
14:01know, seeing all our hard work go to um
14:04go to be appreciated at one of these
14:06regionals was just uh pretty amazing to
14:07see. Johansson High School first,
14:09second, and third place at the Student
14:11Television Network competition in Tampa,
14:14Florida. How did I feel after I got
14:16second place and tell the story? I felt
14:18amazing. Inaugural $10,000 scholarship
14:21winner, Youth for the Quality Care for
14:23Animals.
14:26[Music]
14:26[Applause]
14:29Enox High School 2025 Eddie's
14:32Superintendence Award.
14:34[Applause]
14:37[Music]
14:45[Applause]
14:53So, thank you to the students for
14:55telling us their stories and thank you
14:57to the tireless work of our teachers and
14:59staff and parents who are behind it all.
15:02Thanks, President Mestas. Thank you. And
15:05and not that I had any influence over
15:08that at all, I swear. But there are two
15:10of my kids best friends in that clip,
15:13which was kind of cool to see. Uh I got
15:15to show that to them when whenever it's
15:17p it'll be public. I'll replay it and
15:20then I'll show it to them when I I get
15:22home tonight. they'll they'll get a kick
15:24out of that. Um, all right. So, that'll
15:26move us on to the approval of consent
15:29agenda.
15:30Are there any comments from the public
15:32regarding consent agenda items?
15:36Okay. Um, any from the board? Trusty
15:41Brown? Yes. Item 13, I'll need to step
15:45down.
15:46Okay. So, we will vote on item 13
15:51separately.
15:57Any others? Trusty Lopez, did you have
16:16all right and Oh, 18. Okay. All right.
16:21So, we'll vote on those separately.
16:25So, can do I have a motion to approve
16:29the consent agenda
16:31um without 13 and 18? I I move. Okay.
16:36Motion by Trustee Marks, second by Vice
16:39President Mahia. All those in favor say
16:41I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none. Passes
16:45unanimously. We will move on to F13
16:49on the consent. So, I just want to uh
16:52state for the public that I serve on the
16:55board of directors for the Boys and
16:56Girls Clubs of Stannis Loss County and
16:58this is a contract that they are
17:00entering with Modesto City School. So, I
17:04will abstain from this vote.
17:09We'll see you back here in a few
17:10seconds.
17:17Okay, I will entertain a motion to
17:19approve number uh F13 on uh the consent
17:23agenda.
17:25Move approval by trustee Daly, second by
17:27Vice President Mahia. All those in favor
17:29say I. I. I. Any opposed?
17:33Hearing none. Passes
17:35you. Passes six to zero. for one
17:40abstension
17:42which will be trusty brown.
17:47Thank you, Trusty Brown. We'll go on to
17:50F18.
17:52And I just have to uh make no notion
17:55that um this is an approval uh for
17:59service agreement between uh parent
18:00institute of quality for quality
18:02education um their local branch here in
18:04Modesto. I work for parent institute for
18:07quality education at the statewide
18:08level. So that's why I'm recusing
18:10myself. All right. Thank you.
18:18All right. Do I hear a motion to approve
18:20F18?
18:22Move approval by Vice President Mahia.
18:25Second by Trustee Brown. All those in
18:27favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing
18:31none. Passes 6 with one abstension being
18:34Trusty Lopez.
18:40Okay,
18:44takes care of that.
18:47Move on to the order of uh discussion
18:49and action items. Do I hear a motion to
18:51approve the order of discussion and
18:53action items? Move. Um motion by trustee
18:57marks. Do I hear a second? Second by
19:00vice president Mia. All those in favor
19:02say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none.
19:06passes unanimously.
19:09That'll move us to item B1, which is the
19:13approval for fifth grade health
19:14curriculum adoption for 2526.
19:17And the speaker will be me, Mike Rich.
19:19Thank you, President. Uh Mike Rich,
19:21associate superintendent for curriculum
19:23instruction, professional development.
19:24I'll be presenting today. Uh as always,
19:26our our work uh in in all we do is
19:29grounded in the MCS vision of how are we
19:30preparing kids for what comes next? How
19:32are they helping to help them thrive and
19:34contribute to society? Also uh we ground
19:37all of our work in our in our strategic
19:39goals linked to our LCAP. So this is uh
19:42in pertains to goal one in regards to
19:44student achievement and equitable access
19:46to helping them be college and career
19:48ready. The purpose of the presentation
19:50tonight is to review the fifth grade
19:52health committee uh purpose and timeline
19:55and then also to address some questions
19:57that came up at the June 9th meeting. So
19:58we'll address a few of those and then
20:00make the recommend the ultimate
20:01recommendation. So the committee, the
20:04purpose of the committee that met was to
20:06identify topics for fifth grade health
20:08curriculum as well as make a
20:09recommendation to the superintendent for
20:12uh what what they would like to see
20:13taught in in the classroom. One of the
20:16or the five times that they met are
20:18there on the the screen. They met over
20:20the last uh couple months. One of the
20:23items that they reviewed is the
20:25California Healthy Youth Act. Uh there's
20:27a question later on in the presentation
20:28regards to the kind of the uh process of
20:30how that came about, but in October of
20:322015, uh Governor Jerry Brown signed the
20:35California Healthy Youth Act into law.
20:37And it regulates uh several items that
20:40need to be taught specifically, and
20:42we'll see those here in a second, uh in
20:45uh when when having excuse me, when
20:47addressing or giving instruction in
20:49health and HIV prevention.
20:52Uh the committee uh reviewed the
20:54California Healthy Youth Act as well as
20:56agreed upon some topics that they would
20:58like to see in this. You can see here
21:00this table. This is the same table we
21:01saw on June 9th. Uh on the right hand
21:04side are the I apologize when when we
21:06see chya that's just the abbreviation
21:09for the California Healthy Youth Act. Uh
21:12I might slip up and say CHIA or CHIA or
21:15something, but that's it's all the same
21:16thing. I just want to make sure we're
21:17saying the same thing. So uh in the
21:19California Healthy Youth Act items that
21:20have to be addressed, it needs to be age
21:22appropriate. It needs to be accessible
21:24to all learners. It needs to be
21:26medically accurate and objective. It
21:28needs to encourage communication,
21:30healthy communication with trusted
21:31adults. It needs to uh promote committed
21:34relationships, healthy relationships, as
21:36well as teach gender concept concepts
21:39and recognize diverse sexual
21:40orientations inclusive of diverse
21:42identities.
21:44Uh the curriculum that the committee is
21:47recommending is puberty talks and they
21:49had a vote at that fifth and final
21:51meeting and the vote was 10 to five of
21:54those present that voted for puberty
21:55talk. One of the questions that came up
21:59uh prior was I think there maybe was
22:02some confusion around the eighth grade
22:03health curriculum versus the fifth
22:05grade. So I just wanted to put a slide
22:06up here. This is the these are the
22:08topics taught in teen talk which is the
22:10eighth grade curriculum. Uh, I just
22:12wanted to make sure that everybody saw
22:14that that there that those were the the
22:16topics for eighth grade.
22:18Uh, as always, and this is right in the
22:21California Healthy Youth Act, there's a
22:23parental opt out. So, uh, parents are to
22:26be notified at the beginning of the
22:28school year or when they enroll if they
22:30enroll uh, you know, after the the
22:32beginning of the school year. as well as
22:34in our district uh no later than 14 days
22:38prior to instruction starting, we send
22:40out a second notice to make sure that
22:42parents have that opportunity to opt
22:43out. Uh now in the one of the questions
22:46that came up in the in a previous board
22:48or comm or presentation was why is it
22:51not an optin versus an opt out? So the
22:53California Healthy Youth Act explicitly
22:55states it's an opt out, not an opt-in.
22:58So that's that's written there in the
22:59law. Uh just as a point of reference,
23:02this year we had just over 30, what is
23:06that? 33 34ish uh optouts for uh eighth
23:10grade health.
23:12Again, just as a pattern, one of the
23:14questions that came up was how are
23:15parents notified? So for our eighth
23:17grade, we uh sent letters home at the
23:19beginning of the year. We also sent
23:20parent square messages. We sent the
23:22letters out again prior to instruction.
23:24We held five in-person parent meetings
23:27uh in the evenings to help parents
23:28understand the curriculum as well as
23:30held two virtual meetings for those that
23:33couldn't uh uh participate in person.
23:35And we also created an electronic opt-
23:37out form. We know sometimes those
23:39backpacks are an abyss of papers. So, uh
23:43we created a form that is easy easily
23:45accessible for the parents to submit and
23:47it goes right to the school of
23:49attendance. So that uh so we have that
23:51available.
23:53uh we did make this uh pursuant to the
23:56requisite ed code we made this
23:57curriculum available to parents. So you
23:59can see here here are the dates and
24:00times that we did that we uh on the
24:03table to the right are all the extended
24:05times. So 8 to 5 normal hours we were
24:08open every day except for holidays and
24:10weekends except for you can see here for
24:12several days during uh those weeks we
24:15were open till 7:00 p.m. And on three
24:17different Saturday occasions we were
24:19also open to help parents uh facilitate
24:21their ability to to get there. We we
24:23recognize that's a that's a struggle.
24:26Some of the questions that came up with
24:27the June 9th board meeting, one of the
24:29questions was uh how how did the
24:31California Healthy Youth Act come about?
24:32So, I just gave a brief summary here in
24:34early 2015, AB329, which is the actual U
24:40assembly bill number was proposed by
24:42Assembly Member Shirley Weber. During
24:45those several months, it was uh it was
24:47debated in August. It passed the state
24:50assembly and the senate after several
24:52debates around the curriculum. And as I
24:54mentioned before, in October, Governor
24:55Jerry Brown signed it into law. And then
24:59that became effective January 1, 2016
25:02for uh school districts to start the
25:05process of of putting that into place.
25:09Uh, another question that came up uh was
25:12are there other districts in the area
25:14that use a puberty talks curriculum? So,
25:16we reached out to Puberty Talk, the uh
25:18publisher, and they gave us a list of
25:20about 190, just over 190 districts
25:22within the in the state that use this
25:24curriculum. Here are some examples of
25:26districts that maybe are kind of up and
25:27down the valley. Uh I recognize that
25:29this is from the publisher. So, if a
25:32district has made a choice past that
25:33point, but this is this is the way that
25:35we were able to get that information
25:36from the publisher.
25:40So, uh this slide here, uh you'll see
25:43this slide here. we put this we have a a
25:45correction to this slide and so that's a
25:47new slide here you uh out there you'll
25:49see an kind of an additional slide
25:51that's going to go in here this handout
25:53here and the question was asked do we do
25:55we need to teach or include excuse me
25:58gender identity topics. So the short
26:01answer is if we offer any health
26:04education, whether that be in the 7th
26:06through 12th grade or any grade below
26:08it, if we offer any health education, it
26:10must include in instruction in gender
26:13identities. So the the California
26:15Healthy Youth Act requires school
26:17districts to provide students with
26:19comprehensive sexual health and HIV
26:21prevention education at least once in
26:23middle school and once in high school.
26:25Instruction under uh California Healthy
26:27Youth Act is not required for grades six
26:30or below. But if the district decides to
26:33provide instruction in the CHIA topics
26:35to students in grade six or below, it
26:37must include instruction in gender,
26:39gender expression, gender identity, and
26:41explore the harm of negative gender
26:43stereotypes pursuant to ED code 51933.
26:46So that's uh right from the California
26:48Healthy Youth Act.
26:50Another question that came up at the
26:51board meeting was, "Are parents allowed
26:53to opt out of specific subjects
26:55including gender identity lessons?" So,
26:57the short answer is yes, they're allowed
26:59to opt out. Uh parents can opt their
27:02child out in writing. That's the form
27:04that that we mentioned earlier. Uh for
27:06any portion of the district's
27:07instruction in health that conflicts
27:09with religious beliefs or the parent or
27:11other parent or student upon which the
27:13student shall be excused from that part
27:14of the instruction. So uh any portion of
27:17that curriculum uh would the parent opt
27:19out would relate to that.
27:22Another question that was asked is do
27:23the lessons have to be taught together
27:25meaning male and female in the same
27:27room? Uh the short answer is the law
27:30does not address whether the lessons
27:31need to be done. There's some discretion
27:32among the district on how that can be
27:35done. uh they do give uh the the legal
27:38council there did give some advice in
27:40regards to um recommending that students
27:43should not be separated by sex assigned
27:45at birth or perceived gender during
27:47sexual health instruction in grades K6.
27:49But that again is a is a discret at the
27:51discretion of the school district.
27:55Uh so the next steps would be to uh
27:58submit this uh the approval of the
28:00adoption of the puberty talk curriculum
28:02with or without any modifications that
28:04the board would like to do. And with
28:05that I turn the time back over to you,
28:06President Mastice.
28:09Thank you, Mr. Rich, for that report.
28:12All right, we will open it up uh for
28:14public comment, but before we do that, I
28:16want to um just set a couple of say a
28:19couple things before we do that. Um
28:24so as uh as I said in the last meeting
28:26we um we had a lot of public comment via
28:29email, via voicemail and other um u
28:34other modes of media and that was before
28:37the last meeting and between the last
28:39meeting and this meeting we got even
28:41more and I think we actually got more uh
28:43email and and com comments to the board
28:47and um we uh we collected those and I
28:52believe we have um all of those
28:54together. So, we had plenty uh a lot of
28:59of voice from the community on this and
29:03we did have that there were some pretty
29:07good pretty uh clear themes that came up
29:09just as last time. The theme of um we
29:12have uh quite a few people that uh would
29:14would want uh the curriculum and quite a
29:18few people that do not want the
29:20curriculum. So those were the major
29:23themes that we got from the community
29:25and from the uh the emails and the
29:28comments. Knowing that uh I will welcome
29:33uh board we will welcome public comments
29:36right now. We do have a lot of people
29:37both here and in the overflow room
29:40knowing that we've gotten a lot of
29:42comments before. Uh we want I do we
29:46definitely want to open it up. Uh but at
29:48the same time we do have um we have a
29:51limited amount of time right. So
29:54depending on who would like to speak we
29:57will um I will take a measurement and we
30:01will have to adjust likely adjust the
30:03time of each speaker and possibly adjust
30:06the amount of time that we have total
30:09that also means so in just a second I'm
30:11going to ask for hands raised and who
30:13like who would like to speak on this
30:15topic. Uh, one more time, we do want to
30:19model respect for others. We know that
30:22there are other opinions. We know that
30:24that we have people that for for for
30:27different reasons have um have thoughts
30:30and want to share those with the board
30:33and with the public. So, that being
30:36said, we do want to model for our kids.
30:39This is why we're here. We saw the
30:40video. We want to model for our kids a
30:43show of respect and that um last time I
30:47had to stop a couple of times for booze
30:49and we know that booze that's that's
30:51that's disrespectful. So if that happens
30:54again I will ask us to stop and just
30:57think about how we are treating others.
31:00So please allow the speakers to speak
31:04and um and be respectful for that. Thank
31:07you on that. So, we'll uh we'll start
31:10with hands raised. We do have someone in
31:12the one second. We do have someone in
31:14the overflow room to count if there are
31:16any hands raised in the overflow room.
31:18Um and then we'll take a measure of
31:20that. So, in both rooms, do we have do
31:24we have someone in both rooms? Yeah.
31:29That have already said they want to
31:30speak. Okay. 11. How many in this room
31:34would like to speak?
31:36Okay. Please keep your hands raised.
31:41Um, is some Can somebody help count
31:43those for me?
32:02I count 49.
32:08And you said 11 in the other room.
32:24Yeah, I count I so I count 60 total.
32:27Um
32:331 minute
32:351 minute per person will give us an
32:37hour. Um that will probably take us to
32:40the to the end of um
32:44our time. So I mean we generally go 30
32:49minutes but we'll extend it to an hour
32:51to get as many people to speak as
32:53possible.
32:5660. So, we'll take 60 at a minute.
32:58That'll be good.
33:02Antonet, can I think we're going to need
33:05someone to organize that. Um, so what we
33:10were going to do is have folks line up
33:12um line up in here and then also the 10
33:14from the other room and then we'll have
33:16a staff member at the end of that 60.
33:17So, then you'll know when you get to
33:18six. You'll be counting as well. That's
33:20good. Um the piece that we really need
33:22to make sure of is that we don't add
33:24people into the line because we're at at
33:26the at the end of this time we would
33:29have gone through 60.
33:49That's true.
33:54That's a That's a good idea.
34:26Antonet.
34:28Um what we're going to do is can we're
34:30going to give everyone a uh if you can
34:32just write down a number
34:35as they're in line. Give them um a card
34:39and then
34:42it's going to be like uh
34:45yeah it's going to be like uh like the
34:47DMV, you know,
34:50calling number 102. We're not going to
34:53get that high there. Um okay, that's
34:56good.
35:07Yeah. So, we'll we'll start do the
35:09numbers. Um
35:12hopefully we haven't we didn't get more
35:15people in line than the 60. We um again
35:18raise their hands. They did raise their
35:20hands. Uh we're going to
35:23we've got a lot of people to speak. We
35:26are going to hold you to the one minute.
35:27Okay? So, uh I I don't want to be rude
35:30when I ask you to uh to wrap it up, but
35:34um just pretend you're on the Emmys or
35:36the whatever and then when the time goes
35:38off, it's it's your time. Okay?
35:43Turn off the microphone. We could do
35:44that, but we'll just ask you nicely to
35:46to to sit. Uh once you have your number,
35:50you could probably sit down and then
35:51come up when it's when it's your when
35:53it's your turn. So, I would recommend
35:55that you have like five in the queue so
35:57we're not waiting for folks to get out
35:58of their seats. Good. That's a good
36:00question. So, we'll take five in line
36:02and then after the the five um when
36:05somebody comes up, the next person goes
36:08into line. Does that make sense? So, you
36:09don't have to stand for an hour and a
36:11half or an hour.
36:14All right, we'll get started so we can
36:16um get rolling. So, the first gentleman,
36:20you're welcome to come speak.
36:26My my name is Ron Worsham. I'm a retired
36:30fifth and sixth grade teacher at Soma
36:32Elementary in Modesto. I taught 38
36:35years. Each year we taught family life
36:39sexed to our students. The material was
36:42age appropriate. This material is not
36:45age appropriate for 10 year olds. Much
36:47of it is not appropriate for 8th through
36:4912th grade.
36:51Teaching this in fifth grade is not
36:53mandated. The California Healthy Youth
36:56Act mandates sexed taught somewhere
36:58during 7th through 12th grade. So why do
37:01fifth graders need this curriculum? We
37:04don't teach algebra 2 to second graders.
37:07Why are we confusing young minds?
37:10Early in the lessons, children are to
37:12explore their gender. If a 10-year-old
37:14boy doesn't like girls now because he
37:16might think they have cooties, is he
37:19supposed to question if he is gay,
37:22genderneutral, or cisgender?
37:24If a 10-year-old girl doesn't like boys
37:27now, is she supposed to question if she
37:30is lesbian, gender fluid, or non-binary?
37:33Thank you. I realize a minute is not
37:35very long. Um, thank you very much.
37:42Hi, my name is Elaine Hill and I am a
37:45retired elementary school teacher for
37:47Modesto City Schools. I also had two
37:50years of child development instruction
37:52and training before I even got my
37:54credential, but I'm talking about
37:56special ed today. Special ed.
37:59I had first through sixth graders. Um, a
38:02lot of them because of their health
38:03issues were performing at second and
38:06third grade levels. So if they're a
38:07fifth grader or a sixth grader, they're
38:09going to be getting this material and
38:10they are performing at third grade
38:11level. It's not appropriate. Also, when
38:14I retired in 2013, I became a testing
38:18tester for the district for second
38:19language learners. That's all children
38:22that families speak another language
38:23other than English. Year after year
38:26after year, I saw several children that
38:28took the test over and over again. Yes,
38:30they could speak in some English, but
38:33they did not understand a lot of the
38:37things that would make it necessary for
38:38them to graduate or be successful in
38:41their classroom. Um I agree with uh
38:45board member um
38:50I'm sorry I because uh diverse children
38:53from different diversities um do not
38:56understand this either because they
38:58don't have the language equipped to rem
39:00to know what this is about. Thank you.
39:04[Applause]
39:07Good afternoon. This is Jake Cleo. Um,
39:10the video you showed us today was very
39:12impressive and I congratulate those who
39:14achieved such great achievements. But
39:17here's the reality check.
39:19Westo City Schools is only a 28%
39:23proficiency level for reading, math, and
39:26everything else.
39:28That's to give that last speaker the
39:31number 28%.
39:33Are we really going to spend resources
39:36on teaching sex education or what you
39:39call health education while the most
39:42basic requirements of academics is at a
39:45very abysmal performance?
39:48What are we doing? Is this the kind of
39:51record we want to even retire on? Ma'am,
39:55is this what we want for our students?
39:5728%
39:59of our students are testing at their
40:01grade level. I urge you that before you
40:04tell us to opt out, you should opt out
40:07of this curriculum. Allow the parents to
40:10do their job. You do yours. Thank you.
40:12Thank you.
40:15[Applause]
40:19Good evening. My name is Alexis. I'm a
40:21former MCS student, a new parent, and
40:22I've worked with children for over six
40:24years. You've said that this curriculum
40:26reflects community support because it
40:27was voted on. But only 18% of the
40:29community were were parents and two of
40:32them dropped out. At the last meeting,
40:3424 out of 28, that is 86% of the
40:36speakers opposed the curriculum. That is
40:38the voice of this community. Even board
40:40members have said that they would opt
40:42their own children out. Trustee Iran,
40:44you said that the content shown to your
40:45seventh grader led to inappropriate
40:47behavior in the classroom. If it's
40:48inappropriate for a seventh grader, how
40:49is it appropriate for a fifth grader?
40:51You're being asked to spend $30,000,
40:53nearly the median income in Modesto, on
40:56curriculum that families plan to opt out
40:57of. Why spend the money if our kids
40:59won't even be in the room? This
41:00curriculum was written in the Bay Area
41:02and does not reflect our valley's
41:03culture, values, or experiences. And it
41:06hasn't been interviewed by a child's
41:07psychologist. It's not just an
41:08oversight. That's a risk. Teachers are
41:10not therapists and should not be put in
41:11that position. If you would opt your
41:13child out, please stand now or raise
41:15your hand. That is the real committee.
41:18These are the families that you serve.
41:19Vote no.
41:21[Applause]
41:25My name is Nicole and I'm a concerned
41:27about the safe adult language in both
41:29curriculum. I was 10 years old. This is
41:31me when I was harmed by someone who
41:32seemed to be safe and supportive and who
41:34I thought I could trust. The teacher's
41:36binder lists several people in the
41:38family, school, and community categories
41:40who would be considered safe and
41:42instructs kids to have conversations
41:44with them. It says you can trust a
41:46person who listens to you, makes you
41:47feel comfortable or offers help to you.
41:50In the very next section, it presents
41:52scenarios where the people in those very
41:54categories are the ones crossing
41:56boundaries and causing them harm like
41:57showing them porn porn and touching them
42:00inappropriately. This sent a confusing
42:02message to young children. Kids might
42:04believe that if someone makes them feel
42:05safe or understood, they must be
42:07trustworthy. You're not raising
42:09awareness, you're lowering defenses.
42:11When you tell kids to talk about safe uh
42:14to sex with safe adults, you're making
42:17them unsafe. You call it education, but
42:19predators call it opportunity. If
42:21someone approached a child with this,
42:22I'd call the police and you want to call
42:24it a lesson. I expect you to educate our
42:27kids and not expose them. And I urge you
42:29to vote no. Thank you.
42:37Hi, Adele Quest Barry and I'm just a
42:40concerned grandmother of four children
42:43that are in the Modesa City Schools. Um,
42:46I'm coming at this a little different.
42:48Can you not hear? Okay. Can you hear
42:51now? Okay. Um, I'm coming at this a
42:54little different angle. So, I went down
42:55and looked at the curriculum and it's
42:58disturbing. Totally disturbing. It's
43:00indoctrination. is grooming our
43:03children. Um it's a very dark day if
43:07this passes. I I feel so horrible for
43:10our children if any have to hear this
43:12kind of stuff. So obviously my
43:13grandchildren will be opting out. It
43:15should be changed. It should be opt in.
43:18So I also feel terrible for the
43:20teachers. I understand the teachers
43:21cannot opt out of teaching this
43:23curriculum. So I feel it's a degrading
43:26thing for the teachers that have to
43:27teach and talk about this stuff to the
43:29children. I feel that um
43:34if if any citizen was to lure a child in
43:39and talk to about this situation, they
43:42would be arrested. And so I ask you
43:44deeply to look deeply in your soul to
43:47vote no on this curriculum.
43:53Good evening. My name is Daley Perry.
43:55I'm a parent of an upcoming MCS fifth
43:57grader. I'm grateful to everyone in this
44:00room for showing up tonight. It's easy
44:01to see that we all take very seriously
44:04the safety of our kids. I want to urge
44:07the board to listen to the research and
44:10the data about how to keep our kids
44:12safe. And the research is clear.
44:16Educating our kids keeps them safe.
44:19Research shows that inclusive education
44:23contributes to safer school climates,
44:25reduces bullying, and improves mental
44:27health outcomes for all students.
44:30Let's give our children the knowledge
44:32and the confidence they need to grow
44:35into compassionate, empathetic,
44:38well-informed people. Please vote yes on
44:42the complete puberty taught curriculum.
44:52to the school board. Dr. Naguchi, my
44:54name is Dr. Eric Haley. I want to start
44:57my minutes with this quote. It's from
45:00Hitler. Give me your children and in 10
45:03years I will have changed society.
45:07There's a higher hidden agenda behind
45:09this curriculum. If you teach more than
45:13two sexes, it goes from education into
45:18indoctrination.
45:21I wanted to work till 70, but I retired
45:23at 66 because I got tired of going to
45:26the principal office for something that
45:28had to do with something sexual. And all
45:31I said was, "Go ask your parents about
45:33that. We can't talk about that here in
45:36school." So I was not able to affirm
45:38that student's question to me as a human
45:41being. And so you put your teachers in a
45:44bind when they have to address these
45:47controversial topics. And so I'm I'm
45:50going to leave you with what I got sent
45:52to the office to one day a kid went to
45:54the went to the bathroom and and he
45:56said, "I'm confused. I don't know which
45:58one to use, sir." And I just said,
45:59"Check your pants.
46:02[Applause]
46:07This dropped. Okay. Hello. My name is
46:09Kelly Geppley. I'm an eight-year special
46:11education teacher, mother, and lifelong
46:12member of the Modesto community. And I'm
46:14here to encourage you to vote yes on the
46:16California Healthy Youth Act approved
46:18sex education curriculum, Puberty Talk.
46:20Rather than going through all the
46:21talking points of why it's an inclusive,
46:23age appropriate, comprehensive
46:24curriculum or combating the
46:26fear-mongering lies social media
46:27campaigns that have proponents against
46:29this curriculum have decided to spread,
46:31I'm up here to call a spade a spade.
46:32Every single person in this room knows
46:34why we are here. People don't show up in
46:36droves for choosing an ELA curriculum
46:38like what you see currently because of
46:39the implications of what this vote
46:40represents. This vote represents if you
46:42want our children to be on the side of
46:44of education that represents a
46:46data-driven approach which teaches
46:47children appropriately. You all have to
46:50decide with your conscience which
46:51direction to vote. Are you going to vote
46:52to help create well-rounded adults with
46:54an inclusive, age appropriate,
46:56comprehensive curriculum, or are you
46:58going to vote to instill the morals of a
47:00few people onto the whole community?
47:02Whichever way you vote, keep in mind
47:03that you are here to represent us. Thank
47:05you.
47:06[Applause]
47:17My name is Michelle Tomlinson. I emailed
47:19each of you already this morning. Um, so
47:23I'm going to leave those comments there.
47:24I just want to add to that though. this
47:29these people in here, the majority of
47:32the people here,
47:35I want to know what the numbers, the
47:36statistics are and the groups of people
47:38that you say are three major
47:41major roles in your decision and I want
47:45you to pick that majority.
47:47As I said in my email, I'm not here
47:50representing my children, my child
47:52anymore, or just a handful of families
47:54advocating for them. I'm here on behalf
47:56of 26,000 voters in my district
48:00and their values and their beliefs
48:04and I I can't let this pass. You guys
48:06have to think about you're the ones
48:08indoctrinating our children. Okay? The
48:12reason our kids are depressed and think
48:13there are different sex is because you
48:15guys are supporting this ideology and it
48:18has to stop and you're sick if you vote
48:21this in. You're predators. Thank you.
48:30Hello everybody. My name is Shia Lloyd
48:32and I have a daughter in Modesto City
48:34Schools. I have been a proud and vocal
48:37supporter of Modesto City Schools even
48:39before my daughter began to go to school
48:41in the district. I would be incredibly
48:43disappointed if the board allowed
48:45misinformation and ignorance to guide
48:47its path forward. Several studies and
48:49research findings suggest a link between
48:51children having knowledge about their
48:53bodies, including cor correct anatomical
48:55terms and an increased protection
48:57against abuse and empowering them to
48:59report abuse. Fifth grade health
49:02curriculums promote healthy habits,
49:03enhances mental and emotional
49:05well-being, increases safety awareness,
49:08reduces risky behaviors, prepares
49:10students for puberty, and connects
49:11health to learning. A group of parents
49:14at teachers administration have
49:16dedicated their time, energy, and
49:17knowledge to spending weeks determining
49:19that puberty talk is our best chance
49:21forward. And I stand in support of their
49:22hard work. Thank you for your time. And
49:24please vote yes on the complete puberty
49:26talk curriculum. Informed kids equals
49:28smart kids equals safe kids.
49:32[Music]
49:33[Applause]
49:36Good evening. My name is Elizabeth
49:38Guptal.
49:40I took the opportunity as I hope all of
49:42you did to preview preview the
49:44curriculum and as a teacher and a parent
49:46and a woman I find puberty talk
49:49precisely educational and easily
49:51presentable. It is extremely important
49:53to teach young children correct and
49:56scientifically accurate information
49:58about their changing bodies, emotions
50:00and behavior risks associated with
50:03adolescent decisionmaking. Puberty talk
50:06accomplishes this. Puberty talk is a
50:08curriculum adopted by Stannis Union
50:11Elementary School District, Stockton
50:13Unified School District, Mantika Unified
50:15School District, and Calaveris Union
50:18School District. These are all districts
50:20geographically close and demographically
50:22similar to Modesto City Schools. I
50:25understand that decisions about
50:26curriculum covering puberty and sex
50:28education are sensitive and have a lot
50:30of interest to consider. However, since
50:33parents are given the opportunity to
50:34allow their students to opt out, a yes
50:36vote is critical. Thank you.
50:42[Applause]
50:44Good evening. My name is Haime Perez. I
50:47am a son, a husband, an MCS parent, and
50:50a United States veteran. I'm here
50:52tonight to voice my strong support for
50:54Puberty Talk. Studies show that
50:56school-based programs significantly
50:58increase kids ability to identify and
51:00report abuse. A systematic review found
51:04children were up to three and a half
51:05times more likely to disclose
51:08inappropriate touching after such
51:09education.
51:12One study concluded that comprehensive
51:14sexual health education programs like
51:16puberty talk reduce confirmed child
51:20sexual abuse cases by 17% unconfirmed
51:24reports by 34% in places that
51:26implemented them. I am Latino and we
51:30make up 72% of the student population in
51:33MCS schools, but only 39% of Latino
51:38parents talk to their kids about sex.
51:41There's a big disconnect between parents
51:43and teens when it comes to anything
51:45sexreated.
51:46Our community needs this curriculum so
51:49that our youth are better educated for
51:51their bodies and have safe space to
51:53discuss these topics. Thank you, sir.
51:54Thank you. Thank you.
51:59My name is Moren Hall. I'm a daughter of
52:01a LA city elementary school teacher of
52:0350 years. As a mother of five and a
52:05grandmother of two, I would like to
52:07voice that I believe fifth grade is too
52:09young to teach gender ideologies. We all
52:13stood and said the pledge, one nation
52:15under God. Which God? Jesus or Baffomet?
52:19In Genesis 1:27, so God created man in
52:23his own image. In the image of God, he
52:25created him. Male and female he created
52:28him. Students are just starting to think
52:30about being male or female as puberty
52:32hits them at this age. This theology at
52:35this o age will only create confusion.
52:38If you are going to teach students this
52:40at this age, you need to also uh teach
52:42an alternative of what the Bible states.
52:45You can't say God take them out of
52:47church or out of school and then teach a
52:50religion that supports Baffomet as a
52:53different God. I urge you to vote no.
53:01Hi, my name is Nathan Lloyd. I'm an MCS
53:03parent and I'm a professor at MJC and I
53:07teach information literacy and critical
53:09thinking and because of that I think
53:11it's very important to address some
53:13misinformation that has been spread. Uh
53:16I've been attending some of these
53:17schoolboard meetings. Uh and I've been
53:20hearing parents act like there's some
53:23conspiracy involved when this process
53:25for the curriculum uh implementation has
53:27been very transparent. I've been hearing
53:29words thrown around like socialism and
53:32communism a couple weeks ago when I
53:34don't think the people throwing those
53:35terms around know what those terms mean.
53:38Uh it was just asserted here today that
53:41this curriculum was not approved by
53:43experts when the per the puberty talk
53:46curriculum is published by the nonprofit
53:48health connected and all of it is uh is
53:51has been approved by medical advisory
53:52council which includes a pediatrician a
53:55nurse practitioner a medical doctor and
53:57a licensed clinical psychologist who
53:59serves as the chief clinical officer of
54:01children's health council. His expertise
54:04is children's health mental health. I
54:06urge you to approve all in its entirety.
54:09Thank you.
54:15My name is Pat Agenburgger. I have
54:17taught around the country for 38 years.
54:21I have seen the friends of my children
54:26harassed so terribly that one of them
54:30left
54:32the Modesto and moved to San Francisco
54:36right after high school. I saw one of my
54:40friends sons was chased by a bunch of um
54:44uh athletes because he had makeup on.
54:49Children do develop very early a sense
54:53of their sexual orientation
54:56and they need to know that it's okay.
55:00The people who have a queer orientation
55:04are very small but nobody would choose
55:08to be queer with all the things that
55:11happen to you. I have I take this
55:14personally because I have another
55:17relative in the schools. Thank you so
55:20much.
55:25[Applause]
55:31Okay.
55:33My name is Christina Calderon. As a
55:35mother of two children, one entering
55:37fifth grade, I'm a completely appalled
55:39by this material that could potentially
55:41be shown to our children. Not only is it
55:44presenting radical gender theory, that
55:46queer theory isn't theory at all, it's
55:48clear indoctrination. This material as a
55:51whole is not appropriate for our
55:52children. I heard someone today just say
55:55that this is appropriate curriculum. How
55:57is discussing masturbation and wet
56:00dreams appropriate? This does not belong
56:03in our classrooms. Let teachers be
56:06teachers. Vote no. Thank you.
56:14Hi, my name is Jean and I'm a mother,
56:17grandmother, great grandmother and
56:20I used to have respect, high respect for
56:23the school education program. I don't
56:25anymore because of what's being taught
56:27here.
56:29as this one girl before me stated,
56:32somebody stated in uh in the talk before
56:35about puberty talk. Well, I'm gonna say
56:39something that's very embarrassing, but
56:40that is being taught to our children,
56:43and it's about
56:45acceptable questions for teachers to
56:47answer. What is it oral sex? What is a
56:50What is annual sex? How do gay
56:54people have sex? How do you know if
56:57someone is gay? I don't think that's
56:58appropriate to teach our children at
57:00all. And if you think so, you're sick in
57:02your mind.
57:04[Applause]
57:09Good evening. My name is uh Jan Anu. I'm
57:11a mother and a grandmother and I
57:14reviewed the curriculum for myself and
57:16uh it's not appropriate for fifth
57:18graders, for 10 year olds, 10 or 11 year
57:20olds. Some of the curriculum is uh in
57:22the pages on 59 is question students who
57:26identify as girls. Um they they want to
57:30talk about on page 163 gender dysphoria.
57:33That means a state of feeling very
57:34unhappy, uneasy or dissatisfied. Do we
57:37want to have them question? They already
57:39have a lot of questions already. They're
57:40already going through all these emotions
57:42and things that they're dealing with. Do
57:44we really want to pull that out of them
57:46and make them well? Yeah, I do feel
57:48uneasy. Yeah. What what is wrong with
57:50me? On page 77 is an explanation of the
57:53M-word. I can't They said it, but I'm
57:55too embarrassed to say it in front of
57:56you guys. Um, so I am urging you to vote
58:00no. It was mentioned the last week, the
58:02last meeting that this curriculum is
58:04$30,000. Why are we doing it when it's
58:07not mandated? I'm urging you, imploring
58:10you to vote no.
58:18uh Bianca Signarelli and I don't think a
58:20lot of people have a problem with health
58:22education being taught. It's what's in
58:24this particular curriculum that there is
58:27an issue and so there are other
58:29curriculums that can be looked at and
58:32brought in. It is not mandated by the
58:34state. You presented that it comes from
58:36the law AB329.
58:38I have it here verbatim. It it doesn't
58:41say anything about this. So this is a
58:43curriculum that has been put together by
58:46somebody that's selling to the school
58:47system to to make money and it doesn't
58:51need to be done. AB329 just requires for
58:54seven in the junior high basically in
58:56the high school. If you opt to do it
58:58into this level, yes, you must meet that
59:00criteria. The criteria is basically on
59:03the HIV subjects. uh information about
59:06abstinence and sexual activity,
59:08information about eth efficacy of the
59:11FDA approved uh uh transmittal
59:15um treatments, information about the
59:17effectiveness and the risk of HIV,
59:19information again about it's mostly
59:22about HIV and where that can go into the
59:24public and that kind of thing and ask
59:26questions. So you morph this to
59:29something else also. Thank you.
59:35Hello, my name is Annie Tello. This is
59:37my nine-year-old daughter. I have four
59:39children and she's the youngest and we
59:42have strong religious beliefs that we
59:44should be voting no on this. Um, I did
59:47ask her what her opinion was on this. We
59:49do openly talk about things at home and
59:50I feel it's a parent's job to talk about
59:52it, not to learn about it at school. So,
59:54I actually recorded her talking about
59:56what she thinks about it and I want to
59:58play it what she said. So, give me just
1:00:00a second.
1:00:04you're a boy or female. And he wanted
1:00:07that for a reason. So, I think you
1:00:09shouldn't be able to choose like your
1:00:12identity or like what your like sex
1:00:16thing is. And
1:00:20yeah, I I just think that they shouldn't
1:00:23be doing this.
1:00:25So, these these are her words. I did not
1:00:28tell her to say this. I really strongly
1:00:30believe that parents should be talking
1:00:32about their children about these things,
1:00:34not the school talking about it with
1:00:37children that are not their children.
1:00:38Thank you. Thank you.
1:00:42[Applause]
1:00:48Thank you board members for giving space
1:00:50to share feedback on this matter. Your
1:00:52esteemed positions are very important as
1:00:55you are considered gatekeepers as it
1:00:57relates to education. It is with your
1:00:59discretion that will either allow things
1:01:00in or keep doors closed that would try
1:01:02against to come against your sphere of
1:01:04influence. The curriculum doesn't sound
1:01:06like it's mandatory. It is troubling to
1:01:08consider spending 30,000 on a curriculum
1:01:11proposed when Trusty Daly mentioned that
1:01:13there are community resources that
1:01:15educate for free. Um, as I mentioned to
1:01:18Assemblyman Juan Alanis, there is no
1:01:20price tag on innocent children. Money
1:01:22like this can be well spent on other
1:01:24other things that can be that can
1:01:26greatly benefit our children. There is a
1:01:28lot of potential for our county to raise
1:01:30amazing leaders. Gender ideologies can
1:01:33be shared by the parents discretion.
1:01:35There are um uh there are community
1:01:39resources in the county that can support
1:01:40adults and children who are interested
1:01:42in these services. Education should be
1:01:45focused on the subjects that will carry
1:01:46the child into their adult years who can
1:01:48overcome and be resilient in today's
1:01:51charged climate. Thank you.
1:01:58Good evening, trustees. My name is Ryan
1:02:00Flity and I'm the parent of two MCS
1:02:02students, including a daughter who will
1:02:04be in fifth grade next year. Since the
1:02:06June 9th meeting, I've been focused on
1:02:07trying to understand one key question.
1:02:09Is the Puberty Talks curriculum age
1:02:12appropriate content for fifth graders? I
1:02:14saw conflicting claims from experts in
1:02:16the June 9th meeting. Trusty Daly argued
1:02:19it's not developmentally appropriate,
1:02:20citing her LMFT credentials, while a
1:02:23comment letter from another LMFT said it
1:02:26is age appropriate. So, I turn to meta
1:02:29studies, which are studies that look
1:02:30across a bunch of different studies to
1:02:32understand trends. And these studies
1:02:34overwhelmingly show that puberty
1:02:37education like puberty talks is not only
1:02:39age appropriate, but recommended for
1:02:41elementary school students. I also want
1:02:43to note that similar opposition to teen
1:02:45talk last year resulted in very low opt-
1:02:47out rates according to data Mr. Rich
1:02:50just showed 7% at Roosevelt and 1% or
1:02:53lower in other junior high. So this
1:02:55suggests the vocal opposition you see
1:02:57here doesn't reflect actual opt out
1:02:59numbers. Um I urge the board to look at
1:03:02the science and support the full
1:03:04curriculum. Thank you.
1:03:06[Music]
1:03:09Hi my name is Maria. I'm a mom of four
1:03:12kids. I have viewed the curriculum
1:03:14myself. It is very graphic and doesn't
1:03:16reflect how we talk to our children. In
1:03:18our c culture, we don't talk to our
1:03:20children in such a blunt way, especially
1:03:23about sensitive topics. We believe in
1:03:25handling these conversations with care,
1:03:28privacy, and at the right time. I'm not
1:03:30saying that we avoid hard topics, but we
1:03:32approach them with respect, modesty, and
1:03:35when we believe our children are ready.
1:03:37That that decision belongs to the
1:03:39parents. This curriculum was made in the
1:03:42Bay Area, but our community and culture
1:03:45is different. We have different values
1:03:46and different ways of speaking to
1:03:48children. I'm asking you that you
1:03:51respect that this curriculum does not
1:03:53reflect our families or how we raise our
1:03:55children. Please listen to our voices of
1:03:58parents. We deserve a say.
1:04:02[Applause]
1:04:07Hello, my name is Britney and I have
1:04:09four kids, my oldest going into fifth
1:04:11grade. I keep hearing the term age
1:04:13appropriate. Let's be clear, that
1:04:16doesn't mean giving all kids the same
1:04:18information at the same time. It means
1:04:20recognizing that kids mature
1:04:22differently, and only parents are truly
1:04:24equipped to judge what their child is
1:04:26ready to hear. For me, age appropriate
1:04:29means I answer my child's questions when
1:04:31they come, not when the curriculum
1:04:33decides it's time. The curriculum
1:04:35removes parents from thea equation and
1:04:38replaces us with a one-sizefits-all
1:04:40model that ignores our voice, our role,
1:04:43and our values. That's not partnership.
1:04:46It's overreach. Saying, "Well, they're
1:04:48seeing it on the internet anyway," isn't
1:04:51a valid reason. Not all kids are exposed
1:04:54to this and we shouldn't normalize
1:04:55exposure just because some kids
1:04:57encounter it. I'm not asking the school
1:05:00to parent my child. I'm asking you to
1:05:02respect that I already do. Please don't
1:05:05trade parental trust for political
1:05:08pressure. Let the parents and the
1:05:10teachers focus on education. Thank you.
1:05:13[Applause]
1:05:18Hello, my name is Jasmine White. Please
1:05:20understand this is not about hate
1:05:22whatsoever because as a Christian I'm
1:05:26called to love everyone. This is about
1:05:29the age at which the children learn
1:05:31these topics. I was here at the last
1:05:33meeting and had a question that wasn't
1:05:35addressed. There are multiple parents
1:05:36who opted out of the curriculum last
1:05:38year when a similar curriculum was being
1:05:40taught. However, their children were
1:05:42required to do makeup work for the said
1:05:45curriculum that their parents opted out
1:05:47of. My question is why did this happen?
1:05:50And doesn't that act of the school go
1:05:53against the parents basic rights? As a
1:05:55child, I grew up in a modest home and
1:05:57found myself thinking that certain girls
1:05:58were beautiful. Although I was attracted
1:06:00to boys and still am.
1:06:03The thought came across my mind, am I
1:06:05gay? As a teenager, if I would have been
1:06:07coached to think because I thought women
1:06:09were beautiful that I was gay, I
1:06:11wouldn't have the wonderful life I have
1:06:13today. If I as a teenager wasn't
1:06:17prepared for this curriculum, how much
1:06:19more are children now unprepared to
1:06:21choose their gender or sex ideology?
1:06:23Please vote no.
1:06:28[Applause]
1:06:31Good evening. My name is Aiden Armesto.
1:06:34Um, I'm 20 years old and what I'm going
1:06:38to speak about actually makes me
1:06:39uncomfortable. So, imagine how a
1:06:4110-year-old kid in fifth grade is going
1:06:42to feel. One lesson promotes anal sex as
1:06:46a safer alternative uh to vaginal sex
1:06:49simply because it reduces the risk of
1:06:50pregnancy and that is deeply
1:06:52irresponsible because it completely
1:06:55ignores the fact that anal sex carries a
1:06:57significantly higher risk of HIV and
1:07:00other STDs also including STI. Over half
1:07:03of the students uh in this district are
1:07:07Hispanic or black. In California, 44% of
1:07:11all new HIV cases occur in the Latino
1:07:13community and 15% in the black
1:07:15community. This curriculum places our
1:07:17children, especially in minority
1:07:18communities, at high at greater health
1:07:20risk, all while pretending to protect
1:07:22them. The California Healthy Youth Act
1:07:25has been in effect since 2006. Nearly
1:07:28two decades later, can we honestly say
1:07:29that is working? It appears that the
1:07:32motive isn't sexed, but sexled
1:07:34indoctrination that comes with severe
1:07:35consequences don't know.
1:07:40[Applause]
1:07:43Hello, my name is Tiffany and I'm a
1:07:45concerned parent and MCS employee.
1:07:47That's my 20 20-year-old son. This is my
1:07:4910-year-old daughter. I believe you're
1:07:51crossing a line, making decisions that
1:07:53belong only to parents. You are
1:07:56proposing to introduce sensitive
1:07:57material to kids that directly affects
1:07:59their understanding of sexuality,
1:08:01boundaries, and identity, and you're
1:08:02doing it without meaningful parental
1:08:05involvement. In the state of California,
1:08:07a child must be 18 to get a tattoo, body
1:08:09piercing, use a tanning bed, or receive
1:08:11a massage. 18 to join the military, 21
1:08:15to purchase alcohol, cigarettes, or
1:08:16marijuana, 21 before they can become a
1:08:18police officer or a firefighter. Why?
1:08:21Because certain decisions require
1:08:23maturity, guidance, and parental
1:08:25oversight. Who gave you the right to
1:08:27decide what's appropriate for my child
1:08:30when the law doesn't even let my child
1:08:31make a lesser decisions without me? You
1:08:34were elected to serve families, not
1:08:36sidestep them. Please return that
1:08:38authority to the people who love and
1:08:39know their children best, their parents.
1:08:41Thank you.
1:08:46[Applause]
1:08:50Hi, my name is Nicole Molina and
1:08:53currently I'm a child care provider, but
1:08:55I formerly worked for Sanwaqin County
1:08:57and Merced County school districts. And
1:09:00I'm telling you right now, I urge you to
1:09:02vote no on this. When I was a child,
1:09:05this was taught in seventh grade and it
1:09:07was this much comp compared to what you
1:09:09guys are putting in now. If I told you I
1:09:12was a cat, would you treat me like a
1:09:14cat? No. Why are we going to lie to our
1:09:17children? There are men and women and
1:09:19that is it. What is put in this? My God
1:09:22made two genders. Jesus Christ made two
1:09:26genders.
1:09:27Why are we promoting mental health
1:09:29problems?
1:09:31mental health hasn't even been
1:09:33implemented in here. What this will
1:09:35affect fifth graders, fifth graders are
1:09:38not mature enough. They're not mature
1:09:39enough now. You can't protect children
1:09:41from being bullied, but yet you're
1:09:43sending them off into a war zone to be
1:09:45bullied, to start more than what you
1:09:48guys can even control in this two
1:09:51genders.
1:09:57[Applause]
1:10:00Good evening and thank you. My name is
1:10:02Matt Martino and I am here tonight for
1:10:05two reasons. One, my 10-year-old son be
1:10:08a fifth grader in the district next
1:10:09year. So, I'm asking you to approve the
1:10:11puberty talk curriculum so that he can
1:10:14benefit it from it. his peers can
1:10:16benefit from it because not only is the
1:10:19information valuable, but there's value
1:10:21in students seeing that these sensitive
1:10:23topics can be discussed in a way that is
1:10:26polite, productive, and respectful.
1:10:28Also, I am married to an eighth grade
1:10:30science teacher in the district, so I'm
1:10:32well acquainted with the teen talk
1:10:33controversy from last year. And I want
1:10:36to just reiterate something that was
1:10:37shown. 33 opt outs is about 2% of the
1:10:41eighth grade population. the people the
1:10:44the activists in this room are not
1:10:46representative of the community. That
1:10:47number is if you pass puberty talk,
1:10:50you're going to see the same engagement
1:10:52because families in this community
1:10:54expect this education. Thank you.
1:10:57[Applause]
1:11:02Hello, my name is D. Lesley and I'm a
1:11:05parent of a child in Modesto City
1:11:07Schools and I'd like to make two points.
1:11:09The first one is we have 53% of our
1:11:12children not meeting their reading grade
1:11:15level and there is a direct correlation
1:11:17with prisoners in prison and illiteracy.
1:11:21So this is our future generation folks.
1:11:24So you guys, you board members are
1:11:26deciding to choose 10 and 11 year old
1:11:28children what masturbation is and you
1:11:31are hyp you are hypersexualizing our
1:11:33children is what you're doing and it is
1:11:35wrong and I can't believe that any of
1:11:37you will vote yes and be able to live
1:11:38with yourself. These are little kids. Um
1:11:41my son's about to speak next and he he
1:11:44wrote he whatever he says he's saying
1:11:46it. I didn't tell him to say anything,
1:11:48but um and another thing I was going to
1:11:50say um is um Oh, I never mind. Um but
1:11:54anyways, um Oh yeah, that's what I was
1:11:57going to say. Also, um at 15 years old,
1:11:59100% of boys have masturbated and only
1:12:0225% of girls have masturbated. That's
1:12:05five years longer development
1:12:07and 25% of girls can't even relate.
1:12:10Thank you.
1:12:14My name is Elijah Galindo. I'm only 13
1:12:17years old. That was my mom up there. I
1:12:19just want to say I am a uncle of younger
1:12:22cousins and I don't think this is right
1:12:24to be teaching them about aurbation.
1:12:26They're just innocent. They haven't done
1:12:28anything bad. I think this may be right
1:12:3010th to 11th. I just don't think it's
1:12:32right to teach them these things when
1:12:34they're only in fifth grade and they've
1:12:35never experienced or heard of anything
1:12:37sexual. Maybe some of them have, but I
1:12:40think it's just safe to maybe teach it
1:12:41later or just not teach it at all. It's
1:12:43the parents job to tell them and to like
1:12:47explain to them what this is. It's not
1:12:50for the teachers to teach. That is the
1:12:52parents job to do. I couldn't really
1:12:54think of a speech, but this is going to
1:12:55be it.
1:12:56[Applause]
1:13:03I'll tell you how this happened. 10 of
1:13:06you on this board voted for it. That's a
1:13:10shame.
1:13:12I'm gonna say, can you I'm sorry, sir.
1:13:15Can you state your name for the record?
1:13:16It's David E. Okay. Thank you. Okay.
1:13:20What? Can you restart his time because I
1:13:22interrupted him. Thank you. Go ahead.
1:13:25Saying, you know, talking in the very
1:13:26beginning up here. Uh here's how this
1:13:29thing got started. All these things were
1:13:30happening and you know what happened was
1:13:3310 of you out of the 15 voted yes. And I
1:13:37said that's shameful.
1:13:40Um,
1:13:42innocent children,
1:13:44as everybody's going on tonight, this
1:13:46shouldn't be they shouldn't be shown
1:13:47this stuff. I'm just a simple guy who
1:13:50cares about the innocent children. A
1:13:52wise man once said,
1:13:55if you mess with the innocent children,
1:13:57doesn't matter about parents can opt
1:13:59out. Okay?
1:14:02If you mess with one single person,
1:14:06you're better off the millstone tied
1:14:08around your neck and you're thrown in
1:14:09the sea. The bottom of the sea.
1:14:13Folks, you're without excuse if you
1:14:15voted for this.
1:14:17[Applause]
1:14:24Good evening, members of the board,
1:14:25teachers, and fellow concerned people.
1:14:27My name is Marissa Cabera, and I am 18
1:14:30years old. I'm here Not as a voice, not
1:14:34as a voice in this room, but because I
1:14:36care deeply about our children, their
1:14:39hearts, their minds, and their futures.
1:14:42After reading puberty, the wonder years,
1:14:45I was heartbroken
1:14:46because this curriculum introduces comp
1:14:50complex topics like gender identity,
1:14:53sexual orientation, and consent to fifth
1:14:55graders, maybe 10, 11 years old. those
1:14:59of whom are still learning to be friends
1:15:02or afraid of the dark. This isn't about
1:15:05denying education. It's about timing. If
1:15:08we rush these topics, we risk confusion,
1:15:11anxiety, and silencing the most
1:15:13important part of their life, their
1:15:15parents who know their children best. I
1:15:18am not against health education. I'm
1:15:21against replacing compassion with
1:15:23content and curiosity with conf.
1:15:27Thank you.
1:15:28[Applause]
1:15:34Hello, my name is Bethany and I am an M
1:15:37I was an MU MCS student who graduated
1:15:40and I have taught junior high for the
1:15:41last eight years. I'm very concerned
1:15:44about this material and I don't think
1:15:45that it meets the board's goal that you
1:15:47guys stated on slide seven. This
1:15:49curriculum, including why, when, and how
1:15:51to masturbate, is not necessary to
1:15:53provide college and career readiness. I
1:15:56didn't receive this curriculum and I was
1:15:58fully prepared for college and for my
1:16:00career thanks to you guys. Another
1:16:03concern I have is that the teachers
1:16:05binder states that over 40% of the kids
1:16:08under the age of 18 have suffered some
1:16:10sort of trauma and over 20% of the kids
1:16:12have been traumatized more than once. It
1:16:16states that if a child is acting up, we
1:16:18shouldn't ask them why you are doing
1:16:21this, but instead ask what happened to
1:16:23you? How we as teachers with the ratio
1:16:26of student to teacher? How are we
1:16:28supposed to ask those kids what happened
1:16:30to you? Are you okay? How am I supposed
1:16:31to take that time to actually meet their
1:16:34needs? We should have psychologists in
1:16:36the room ready to deal with this. It's
1:16:38more damaging than it is helpful. Thank
1:16:40you.
1:16:42Um,
1:16:44so I I just didn't want you I I need to
1:16:47run to the restroom right now. I didn't
1:16:48want you feel like I'm running out
1:16:50because I didn't want to hear anybody or
1:16:51be rude. So, um, I'm going to let
1:16:54everybody keep going. I'm going to turn
1:16:55it over to Vice President Mia as I'll be
1:16:58right back.
1:17:05Go ahead. Hi, my name is Silia and I'm
1:17:07asking you to vote no to buying puberty
1:17:09talk. working firsthand um with MCS
1:17:12students. So many students at this age
1:17:13are struggling with many things. Gender
1:17:15ideology is just an extra layer of
1:17:17confusion. Why pay $30,000 for material
1:17:20when the majority here and I'm sure in
1:17:23your email say no. Consider this in your
1:17:25final vote tonight. Opt out is not an
1:17:27option for three reasons. The first is
1:17:29the district is going to lose money for
1:17:31the students not attending. Second is
1:17:33that um students might be pulled from
1:17:35the district completely. And third, if
1:17:38um opt out is not an option, when
1:17:41children are on the playground a fifth
1:17:42of their day every single day and very
1:17:44few employees watching them, recess is
1:17:47where bullying issues arise. What
1:17:48happens when we lose federal funding
1:17:50because the notice isn't adhered to?
1:17:53California Department of Public Health
1:17:55is ordered to remove all gender ideology
1:17:57from sex education in the next 30 days
1:18:00or sorry, 60 days or at risk losing
1:18:02federal funding. I did email that
1:18:04article from San Francisco Chronicle to
1:18:06all of the board members. Um, next
1:18:08year's budget is paying almost $8,000
1:18:10for to the um AB 218.
1:18:14[Applause]
1:18:19Hello. Hi, my name is Salace and I'm a
1:18:22Euro gynecologist, a women's health
1:18:24provider with a sixth grade daughter.
1:18:26The average age of puberty nowadays for
1:18:28girls can be as low as 8 to 13. Boys 9
1:18:32to 14. Learning about how our bodies
1:18:35grow and change is not something to be
1:18:36embarrassed about. It's actually
1:18:38science. Just learning about their
1:18:40bodies early helps them to arm
1:18:41themselves with knowledge to understand
1:18:43the amazing ways they grow, develop, and
1:18:45stay healthy. When we know the facts, we
1:18:48can make good choices, our smart
1:18:50questions, and feel confident about
1:18:52what's happening as they grow up. Sex
1:18:54education also teaches them how to
1:18:55respect their own bodies, the bodies of
1:18:58others, and how to protect themselves.
1:19:00It's not about being grown-ups too soon.
1:19:02It's about learning real science that
1:19:04helps them take care of themselves now
1:19:06and in the future. I am asking you to
1:19:08vote yes to the puberty talk. So, thank
1:19:10you. Thank you.
1:19:19My name is Pamela Los Chappelle. Puberty
1:19:22talk pushes students to adopt specific
1:19:25ideological positions which marginalize
1:19:27those with different viewpoints. Puberty
1:19:30talk also attempts to normalize
1:19:32transgenderism which is leading to boys
1:19:34and girls bathrooms and in girl sports.
1:19:37Most people see the dangerous
1:19:38consequences and unfairness of this
1:19:40practice.
1:19:42I also strongly object to providing
1:19:44names and contact information for
1:19:46clinics where minors can obtain free
1:19:48medical treatment without parental
1:19:50knowledge or permission. This
1:19:53information encourages kids to go behind
1:19:55their parents' backs. Unacceptable.
1:19:58If a child is being abused, we should
1:20:00provide preemptive measures that are far
1:20:02more helpful to them than this
1:20:03curriculum.
1:20:05Puberty talk can be a tool for
1:20:07pedophiles. We've talked about that. It
1:20:09disarms kids by normalizing sexual
1:20:11activity that is exploitative and even
1:20:13illegal for 10 and 11 year olds. A
1:20:16pedophile could use this material to
1:20:18desensitize kids to their sexual
1:20:20advances by describing these behaviors
1:20:22as pleasurable. Thank you.
1:20:30My name is Linda Legacy. I have a
1:20:32master's in social work from Stan State.
1:20:35My thesis work involved the sexuality
1:20:38knowledge of students in the central
1:20:40valley. Comprehensive sexuality
1:20:43knowledge is a very important factor in
1:20:46maintaining good sexual health. There
1:20:49are significant levels of sexually
1:20:53transmitted disease among our
1:20:55adolescents
1:20:57and the level despite the parents desire
1:21:00to teach the level of sexuality
1:21:03knowledge among these students is very
1:21:07very very poor. Better sexuality
1:21:11knowledge frees our children to make
1:21:13good decisions. Better education frees
1:21:17our children to communicate more openly
1:21:20with their parents about the physical
1:21:23changes and the emotional changes that
1:21:26are occurring in their bodies.
1:21:29Children become confused when they are
1:21:32deprived of um information or given
1:21:35misinformation.
1:21:37Please vote yes on this measure.
1:21:44[Applause]
1:21:45Uh, good evening. My name is Landon
1:21:47Whitney. I work with Senator Marie
1:21:49Alvarado Gills office. I have a brief
1:21:52statement I'd like to read. This is from
1:21:53her. She says, "I am firmly opposed to
1:21:57this proposed curriculum and I've heard
1:21:59from countless constituents, Modesto
1:22:01parents, who are rightfully outraged.
1:22:04This curriculum introduces sexualized
1:22:06content that simply does not belong in a
1:22:09fifth grade classroom, let alone any
1:22:10public school classroom. There is no
1:22:13need for 10-year-olds to be discussing
1:22:15gender ideology, sexual orientation, or
1:22:18any content related to sexual behavior
1:22:20at school. These are deeply personal
1:22:23conversations that should happen at home
1:22:25between parents and their children, not
1:22:27dictated by a school district. I've
1:22:30always supported local control and
1:22:32respect the role of school boards in
1:22:34shaping education policy. However,
1:22:37school boards are elected by local
1:22:39stakeholders and they must answer to the
1:22:41families they represent. Parents are the
1:22:44first and most important teachers in a
1:22:47child's life. And when they voice their
1:22:49concerns, schools need to listen to
1:22:51them, not override them. Thank you, sir.
1:22:58Hello, my name is Mark Hammond and
1:23:02my blood pressure just went off on my my
1:23:05my watch here and I do a lot of public
1:23:07speaking. But in a world where predators
1:23:09exist,
1:23:11isn't it just poor judgment to all of a
1:23:14sudden expect our 10-year-olds to not
1:23:17share,
1:23:18teaching them about masturbation and
1:23:21expecting them to keep healthy with
1:23:22that? You know what's going to happen
1:23:24when they're 11? And then when they're
1:23:2512, when they're 13, it's going to
1:23:29continue. We're educating them too soon
1:23:31on things that are not relevant for
1:23:33them. This is why I'm here. I'm simply
1:23:35here to recruit. I would love to recruit
1:23:37you guys because I work with hundreds,
1:23:40if not a thousand men and women that
1:23:43suffer every day. And I'm going to need
1:23:44you guys in 15 years because I'm going
1:23:46to be old. I'll be 75 in 15 years. and I
1:23:51need you to come and help me mentor
1:23:52these people that have been traumatized
1:23:54by this education. Thank you so much.
1:24:00[Applause]
1:24:05My name is Cheryl Van Horn and I just
1:24:06want to say every parent has a
1:24:08fundamental right to direct the
1:24:09upbringing of their children, their
1:24:10medical care, their healthcare, their
1:24:11values. Parents know that they cannot
1:24:14protect their children from the world of
1:24:15sex. But parents have the right and
1:24:17responsibility to prepare their children
1:24:19for matters related to sex commencerate
1:24:21with age and maturity known only by the
1:24:23parents. Your consideration of puberty
1:24:25talk is yet another example that is
1:24:27extreme sexed gender components which
1:24:29are telling kids what to think rather
1:24:31than teaching kids how to think. It
1:24:33takes a very dogmatic approach regarding
1:24:35gender ideology and sexual behavior. The
1:24:38state isn't mandating this. So why are
1:24:39we trying to do it? This is an extra
1:24:41cost to the district that doesn't need
1:24:42to be. So, I'm asking you not to adopt
1:24:45any curriculum that contains sexed
1:24:46components for fifth graders. I have a
1:24:4810-year-old granddaughter's dead, so I
1:24:50just can't imagine her getting into
1:24:52this. So, if you still think that
1:24:5310-year-old children need to learn about
1:24:55hormone replacement therapy, racial
1:24:56justice, detailed masturbation,
1:24:58sex positive, and 30 plus definitions of
1:25:01sexuality, then please, please offer a
1:25:03class where parents can opt their
1:25:04children into this kind of behavior.
1:25:10[Applause]
1:25:15My name is Sean. Um, I am the the father
1:25:19of a seven-year-old child. Um, and to to
1:25:22to just keep it simple, um, I don't
1:25:26think that this is necessary to be
1:25:29teaching the kids. It's something that I
1:25:31wouldn't I my kid really doesn't know
1:25:32anything about. I wouldn't want him to
1:25:34know about it. And if my son asked me
1:25:36for ice cream for dinner, my answer
1:25:38would be no. And I think most parents in
1:25:40this room would say the same thing. And
1:25:41it's because I know what's best for him.
1:25:43A real meal is best for him. And and I
1:25:45also know that that this this curriculum
1:25:49that's that's going to be introduced to
1:25:50them um is not good for them at all. You
1:25:54know, um I feel like it's it's uh a
1:25:58manipulation almost, you know, for these
1:25:59kids to learn about things that they
1:26:01would never know u if it wasn't for the
1:26:03school. it kind of gives them an option
1:26:05to jump into something to maybe just to
1:26:07fit in. You know what I mean? And um I
1:26:10don't think that I I'm asking you please
1:26:13please like really think about this
1:26:14tonight and uh and and vote no.
1:26:17[Applause]
1:26:23Hi, good evening. My name is Kate
1:26:26Napier. I'm the parent of two MCS
1:26:29students, one who will be going into
1:26:30fifth grade in this upcoming school
1:26:32year. I there's been a lot of discussion
1:26:35tonight and a lot of disagreement, but I
1:26:37wanted to focus on one thing that we all
1:26:39do agree on, which is parents should be
1:26:42able to choose how their children are
1:26:44educated.
1:26:46And we have that through the opt out
1:26:48program. If you vote to not include this
1:26:51curriculum, we cannot opt into it, those
1:26:54of us that want this curriculum for our
1:26:56children. But if you vote to include it,
1:26:59the parents who do not want this
1:27:01education for their children are able to
1:27:02opt out. So I ask you please to not
1:27:06censor the this education from children
1:27:08who want it and families who want it.
1:27:11And you can see by the opt- out
1:27:13statistics from the eighth grade teen
1:27:15talk that most of us do want it. So
1:27:18please allow the parents who want it to
1:27:20have it. Um thank you. Thank you.
1:27:24[Applause]
1:27:26One one second. One second, ma'am. I So,
1:27:30we I think we're a little more than
1:27:32halfway. Um the you guys have been great
1:27:36and respectful. Uh I want to remind you
1:27:39booing or jeering is not respectful and
1:27:43I would please ask you to remain
1:27:45respectful in the room. Thank you. Go
1:27:48ahead, ma'am. Good evening, trustees. My
1:27:51name is Selia Garcia Perez. I'm a mother
1:27:53of three, including an incoming MCS
1:27:56fifth grader. I want to ground this
1:27:59conversation in data, not fear.
1:28:02According to a 2023 national survey, 41%
1:28:07of LGBTQ plus youth seriously considered
1:28:10suicide in the past year. But here's the
1:28:14hopeful part. That number drops
1:28:16significantly when young people feel
1:28:19supported, seen, and included,
1:28:22especially at school. Inclusive sex
1:28:25education is proven to reduce bullying,
1:28:29harassment, and feelings of isolation. A
1:28:322020 survey found that LGBTQ plus youth,
1:28:36students, and schools with inclusive
1:28:37health health education were 75% more
1:28:40likely to feel safe. The benefits extend
1:28:42beyond them. Inclusive curriculum helps
1:28:44all students develop empathy, improve
1:28:46school climate, and reduce incidents of
1:28:47bullying overall. This isn't just about
1:28:49quality instruction. It's life saving.
1:28:51Please vote yes on puberty taught
1:28:53curriculum in its entirety. Thank you.
1:28:57[Applause]
1:29:02Hello, my name is Patricia Gay and I'm a
1:29:05parent of two current MCS students. I'm
1:29:07here to express my support for adopting
1:29:10the puberty talk curriculum for fifth
1:29:11grade in its entirety.
1:29:14Comprehensive health education has
1:29:15proven to be the best preventive measure
1:29:17against sexual assault. And the puberty
1:29:20talk curriculum is designed to teach
1:29:22children about inappropriate
1:29:23interactions and give them the tools
1:29:25they need to protect themselves. One of
1:29:28its central purposes is making sure
1:29:30students feel safe and valued.
1:29:33Opposition to this curriculum is purely
1:29:35based on anti-LGBTQ
1:29:38bigotry
1:29:39and gender identity is important for
1:29:43children like mine who are non-binary to
1:29:45learn and understand.
1:29:47Three decades of research indicate that
1:29:50it helps prevent bullying and makes
1:29:52children feel safe. I urge the board to
1:29:55not give into this religious bullying
1:29:57and to pro approve the puberty taught
1:29:59curriculum in its entirety.
1:30:03[Applause]
1:30:09Can you Thank you. So, one moment. I do
1:30:12want to also remind the speakers to uh
1:30:15be respectful in your comments as well.
1:30:18Um, thank you very much. Go ahead. Good
1:30:20evening, trustees. My name is Raman
1:30:22Messik and I'm an MCS alum. I stand
1:30:25before you here today urging you to vote
1:30:26no on the puberty talk curriculum. It
1:30:29oversimplifies complex biological and
1:30:31psychological realities, presenting
1:30:33gender identity and expression as a
1:30:35fluid spectra based on flimsy social
1:30:37theory. It m misrepresents biological
1:30:40sex as a minor component, ignoring the
1:30:42clear binary norm in the and the rarity
1:30:44of interex conditions. Its subjective
1:30:47definitions confuses students,
1:30:49undermining their understanding of human
1:30:51development and risks stifling c
1:30:53critical thinking rather than fostering
1:30:55it.
1:30:57Sex is an observed reality existing
1:30:59independently of our understanding or
1:31:00perception of it. As someone who was
1:31:03bullied and struggled with my identity
1:31:05elementary school, I am most
1:31:07appreciative that I grew up with clear
1:31:08gender norms, which gave me the
1:31:10confidence to accept and embrace my
1:31:11roles and responsibilities as a man. Our
1:31:14children deserve a curriculum rooted in
1:31:16evidence, not ideology. Please vote no
1:31:18on the pubis curriculum. Thank you.
1:31:27Good evening. My name is Weston. Um,
1:31:30I've been a mental health professional
1:31:31for about the last nine years. Um, and
1:31:34I'm a parent of two daughters, the
1:31:35oldest of which will be in fifth grade
1:31:37next year. Um, I'm here to voice my
1:31:40strong support for PBD Talk. I know
1:31:42these conversations can feel
1:31:43uncomfortable. Um, I also know silence
1:31:46and confusion are exactly what predators
1:31:48rely on. Education is one of the most
1:31:50effective ways to break that silence.
1:31:52When we delay teaching kids about their
1:31:54bodies, boundaries, and how to speak up,
1:31:56we're not protecting them. We're making
1:31:58them more v- vulnerable. Research shows
1:32:01us that when kids are taught the correct
1:32:03names for body parts and understand what
1:32:05safe and unsafe touch looks like,
1:32:07they're much more likely to recognize
1:32:08abuse and tell someone. In fact, one
1:32:11review found out children who got this
1:32:12kind of education were more three times
1:32:14as like uh more likely to disclose abuse
1:32:17than those who didn't. That's huge. Um,
1:32:20it's not just about knowing, it's about
1:32:21feeling empowered. Kids who understand
1:32:23their rights are less likely to be
1:32:25manipulated, more likely to ask for help
1:32:27um if something happens. That's the kind
1:32:29of knowledge that can literally protect
1:32:30a child from harm. Thank you. Yes. Thank
1:32:33you.
1:32:39Hi. Thank you very much. My name is
1:32:41David Sandaval and I'm an LCSW. I've
1:32:44worked uh in healthc care with children
1:32:47and adults and I just want to say that
1:32:51in my own life and my own education in
1:32:54the school district where I was raised
1:32:56we had health sex education in fifth
1:33:00grade 7th grade and nth grade. So I'm
1:33:03going to start at the end and say please
1:33:05vote yes in puberty talks and then I'm
1:33:09going to say what is really important is
1:33:11knowledge is key for many of these
1:33:13students. Many of them do not get the
1:33:16information at home. Many of them do do
1:33:18not get help when they need it and this
1:33:21is very important for them to feel safe
1:33:24and empowered to speak for themselves.
1:33:27Thank you.
1:33:33[Applause]
1:33:37Good evening. My name is Dr. Nicole
1:33:39McLaren. I'm a family doctor that has
1:33:41been taking care of patients in this
1:33:42community, adults, kids, teens, cis, and
1:33:46trans LGBTQ for about 12 years. I also
1:33:50have three children in the community, a
1:33:51fifth grader, a seventh grader, and a
1:33:54first grader. So, this is very near and
1:33:55dear to my heart and very important. So,
1:33:58thank you for this opportunity.
1:34:00um public puberty talk is appropriate at
1:34:03this age for um 11 year olds, fifth
1:34:06graders. They're already seeing their
1:34:08bodies change. They notice it. They see
1:34:10it in their peers. Um this gives the
1:34:13kids and the parents an opportunity to
1:34:16have evidence-based and safe
1:34:18discussions. They learn what their body
1:34:20parts are called, the scientific real
1:34:22names. There's not shame behind that. Um
1:34:25it empowers them. The research shows
1:34:27that if you are empowered, you know
1:34:29what's happening to your body. You know
1:34:30why it's happening to your body. It's
1:34:32not unusual. It's not shameful. It's not
1:34:34bad. It's just the way it is. Please
1:34:37help us and protect our kids um so that
1:34:39they are empowered and can take care of
1:34:41themselves. Thank you. Thank you.
1:34:46[Applause]
1:34:50My my name is Mary Nardulli. I have a
1:34:52master's in clinical psychology. I've
1:34:55been a school counselor at three schools
1:34:57and I've also taught high school teens
1:35:00that were parents or pregnant. And I can
1:35:04tell you that if they do not get
1:35:06science-based information, they will
1:35:09have more children. Okay? Not because
1:35:13they just don't know what they don't
1:35:15know. And unfortunately, the parents
1:35:17aren't going to necessarily hear the
1:35:19questions that the children have. So you
1:35:22have to anticipate it. If we were
1:35:25talking about chemistry or some other
1:35:28subject, the board would not be
1:35:32frightened and the parents wouldn't be
1:35:33frightened if you said this was
1:35:35scientifically based and age
1:35:38appropriate. So I urge you to vote yes
1:35:41so that children can know what is the
1:35:44real truth.
1:35:45[Applause]
1:35:45[Music]
1:35:52Uh hello, my name is Noah Wilson and I'm
1:35:55uh the parent of two MJ sorry MCS
1:35:58students. Um I recently took time to
1:36:00review the slides and written materials
1:36:02and in addition to being a parent, I'm
1:36:04also a teacher. So I considered this
1:36:06curriculum through both lenses. Um at
1:36:09the last meeting and this one, uh what
1:36:11I've heard again and again was that this
1:36:12material is not age appropriate.
1:36:15However, the age when boys can begin to
1:36:16experience puberty is nine and recent
1:36:18research shows that girls are beginning
1:36:20menration as early as 8 years old. I
1:36:23also heard the perspective that our kids
1:36:24are not ready to learn this information
1:36:26because they are too young. Um, as an
1:36:28educator, I can't agree with that
1:36:30position. We don't wait until a student
1:36:32is prepared to learn something. Rather,
1:36:34we prepare them by educating them.
1:36:37Honestly, I can't I couldn't identify
1:36:40anything erroneous or irrelevant in this
1:36:42curriculum. And I found the information
1:36:44factual and more were presented in a way
1:36:46that offers respect to a diversity of
1:36:48experiences and perspectives.
1:36:51As the board for members as a board for
1:36:53public school, I hope that you can
1:36:55appreciate that education is different
1:36:56from indoctrination. Thank you.
1:37:00[Applause]
1:37:06Go ahead. My name is Dr. Margaret How
1:37:09and I'm a parent of two children and MCS
1:37:13first grader and sixth grader. I'm also
1:37:16a practicing OBGN in this community for
1:37:1811 years. I want to urge you to pass
1:37:22puberty talk and add back anatomic
1:37:25terminology. What we're doing at school
1:37:28and what we're doing at home is not
1:37:31working. In my practice, about 95% of my
1:37:35patients don't know the correct names
1:37:37for their anatomy.
1:37:39Vulva, labia, vagina. They don't know
1:37:43what they are and they don't know how to
1:37:45distinguish between them. Why does this
1:37:48matter? Because when patients can't
1:37:50adequately describe their symptoms, it
1:37:53leads to misdiagnosis, inappropriate
1:37:55treatment, and delay delayed care
1:37:58sometimes for years. In my specialty,
1:38:01it's very important and patients care is
1:38:04delayed for years. Terminology is not
1:38:07controversial. It's empowering. As a
1:38:10mother and physician, I urge you to pass
1:38:12it with anatomic terminology. Please
1:38:15help me help my patients. Thank you.
1:38:21[Applause]
1:38:26Good evening. I'm a parent of two MCS
1:38:28students. I'm also a licensed public
1:38:30health nurse. I have a master's degree
1:38:32in nursing education and a degree in
1:38:34social welfare. And I oversee health and
1:38:36mental health services at MJC. Can you
1:38:38state your name for your record? My name
1:38:40is Amy. Thank you. I can say confidently
1:38:43this education is not harmful. It's
1:38:46protective. Our kids deserve this
1:38:49information. There is no credible
1:38:51evidence that comprehensive sexual
1:38:53education is harmful even in fifth
1:38:55grade. On the contrary, curriculum like
1:38:58like pub puberty talk reduces bullying,
1:39:00supports child abuse prevention,
1:39:02improves self-esteem and self-protective
1:39:04skills. At MJC, I see what happens when
1:39:07young people grow up without early
1:39:09information about their bodies
1:39:10boundaries and relationships. So, I urge
1:39:13you to rely on the science and expert
1:39:15consensus of health and mental health
1:39:17providers.
1:39:19Please pass this.
1:39:24[Applause]
1:39:29Can can you please add one minute?
1:39:38Good evening. My name is Selen Reese.
1:39:43Hold on. Hold on one second. We're going
1:39:44to get you microphones.
1:39:53is good evening. My name is Ree. I do
1:39:57not speak English
1:40:02of the studies that were never available
1:40:04in Spanish.
1:40:12Even though we represent more than half
1:40:13of the students in Modesto City Schools,
1:40:20When I went to review the materials, um,
1:40:22there wasn't even an interpreter
1:40:24available to support me.
1:40:34I felt ex excluded from the process as
1:40:36if though my voice and my role as a
1:40:39mother um didn't mean anything.
1:40:47How are we to support and protect our
1:40:49children
1:40:52if we do not have access to the
1:40:54information?
1:40:56Thank you. Thank you.
1:40:59[Music]
1:41:02[Applause]
1:41:07All right, you can go ahead. Good
1:41:08evening. My name is Amber Shortage. I'm
1:41:10a mom of two and an educator within the
1:41:12Modesta City Schools.
1:41:15I am here to urge you to vote yes on
1:41:16puberty talks for grades five and six.
1:41:19Studies will show that comprehensive sex
1:41:21ed prevents and addresses and lowers the
1:41:25sexual abuse and molestation of young
1:41:26children. When we give our children the
1:41:28tools to identify what is happening and
1:41:31if something is consensual or
1:41:33non-consentual, just like I teach my
1:41:35first and second graders, they can say
1:41:36no to a hug. It's important to teach our
1:41:38young children who are in grades five
1:41:40that they what they can say no to. When
1:41:42we give our kids the tools to identify
1:41:44consent,
1:41:46they're able to identify when it's
1:41:48non-consensual and they're more likely
1:41:49to come to his trusted adult and say,
1:41:51"This is what is happening to my body."
1:41:53Just like I tell my three and a
1:41:54half-year-old when I was potty training
1:41:55him, I use the correct terminology.
1:41:57Excuse my language because some people I
1:41:59think might find this offensive, but I
1:42:00never thought I'd have to utter the term
1:42:03lower your penis so much when I was
1:42:05potty training than when I trained him.
1:42:08Sorry. Please vote yes. It's important
1:42:11for our children to get this curriculum.
1:42:15[Music]
1:42:17[Applause]
1:42:20Hello, my name is Pearl. I'm here as a
1:42:22grandma.
1:42:24I have two, my daughters are grown, but
1:42:26I have two granddaughters that aren't
1:42:28that age yet, but I have a grandson who
1:42:30was 12. Um, and he told me, "Grandma,
1:42:32did my mom tell you that I'm by?" So,
1:42:35what do you mean you're by? Yeah,
1:42:36there's a little boy in my class and I
1:42:38like him. And I said, "That doesn't mean
1:42:40you're by. I have a best friend that I
1:42:42hang out with, but that means I want to
1:42:44spend my time with her. It doesn't mean
1:42:45you're by. He got the same curriculum
1:42:47that everybody else is getting, and he's
1:42:49autistic, and he thought he was by." And
1:42:53it just it's very as a grandma I don't
1:42:56know where this curriculum is going to
1:42:57go. I I'm just worried for my
1:43:00granddaughters coming up that's going to
1:43:01learn this too. And we also have a
1:43:04family member that just comm committed
1:43:05suicide at 18 years old. And it's just
1:43:08really hard because that person was able
1:43:11to take hormones to trans to a different
1:43:14gender. And it was just, you know, you
1:43:18can't give kids hormones and expect it
1:43:20not to have a lasting effect on their
1:43:23bodies at that 16 years old. But vote
1:43:25no, please for our kids.
1:43:28[Applause]
1:43:32Hi, my name is Russ man and I'm here as
1:43:34a grandparent. Someone mentioned earlier
1:43:36that education is good and I absolutely
1:43:39agree that education is good but I want
1:43:41to remind the board that this education
1:43:43that you are proposing is not mandatory
1:43:45by the state of California for fifth
1:43:47grade level
1:43:49and according to the CHYA all students
1:43:53in middle school and high school will
1:43:56receive this education.
1:43:58So let the fifth graders be kids for
1:44:00another year. If parents want to teach
1:44:03their kids this information earlier, I
1:44:06am all for that. But do it in your house
1:44:08and not force it onto other students.
1:44:11What about the teachers? I know there
1:44:13was a mention uh last time that there is
1:44:15no opt out for teachers. So, as a man,
1:44:18if I'm a teacher, to look at your son or
1:44:21your daughter in the eye and teach about
1:44:24masturbation is putting them in an
1:44:26uncomfortable situation. And if you want
1:44:28to go by numbers, 85% and roughly 65%
1:44:33today mentioned no on this curriculum.
1:44:36Thank you. Vote no.
1:44:39[Applause]
1:44:44My name is Samuel Bosart and I just I
1:44:47had a three minute uh speech which about
1:44:49my personal experience in sixth grade.
1:44:51Uh I can't read that um in the time. Uh
1:44:54I will say that um there are second
1:44:57order consequences that happen with many
1:45:00things that are even uh uncontroversial.
1:45:02Um for example uh antibiotics used to be
1:45:07prescribed a lot um for health reasons.
1:45:10Um and eventually drugresistant
1:45:13superbugs evolved to jeopard that now
1:45:16jeopardize surgery. uh grocery bags were
1:45:19banned uh the thin ones and they were
1:45:22replaced with thick plastic or paper or
1:45:25cotton and the problem is people don't
1:45:27reuse them and life cycle studies now
1:45:30show they have a worse environmental
1:45:32impact. Um these kids are going to you
1:45:35know talk to each other so opt out has
1:45:37limitations and they're going to talk to
1:45:40kids of different grade levels. Uh so
1:45:43it's awful to chip away at the innocence
1:45:45of a child and uh thank you for
1:45:47listening. Thank you.
1:45:49[Applause]
1:45:54Good afternoon board. My name is Joel
1:45:56Compost. I'm a father of two. I'm also
1:45:58the chair of the Santaas Union
1:46:00Elementary School District bond
1:46:02oversight committee. The slide sharing
1:46:04the other school districts is erroneous
1:46:07and deceiving. I contacted the Stannis
1:46:10sauce union school district assess
1:46:12assistant superintendent for curriculum
1:46:14Katie Peterson about puberty talk and
1:46:16asked her do you guys uh share this with
1:46:19curriculum to fifth graders? She said
1:46:21no. So I can't trust that slide and that
1:46:24was the only school district listed in
1:46:25this county that said they're sharing
1:46:27this. So I ask you not to trust that
1:46:30information because that school district
1:46:33told me they're not sharing that with
1:46:34fifth graders. I have a nine-year-old
1:46:37and it is mine and my wife's job to
1:46:39teach her about this material, not the
1:46:41school districts. Also, teaching
1:46:4310-year-olds about and anal sex
1:46:46is not science. It's sick.
1:46:49As staff mentioned,
1:46:52you are not required to do this. You
1:46:55don't have to do this. Vote no or we'll
1:46:59vote you out.
1:47:01Thank you.
1:47:06[Applause]
1:47:15Can we get somebody over there, please?
1:47:43Okay, excuse me.
1:47:53We were We have two more speakers.
1:47:56All right. So, if we can please make it
1:47:58through. Thank you very much.
1:48:04Go ahead.
1:48:06Okay. Um, my name is Priscilla and I'm
1:48:09here as a concerned parent and also
1:48:12concerned for our future generations.
1:48:14Since 2011, California schools have
1:48:16embraced social emotional learning,
1:48:19promising to support mental wellness and
1:48:21reduce risky behavior. Yet today,
1:48:23suicide is the third leading cause of
1:48:25death among 10 to 12 year olds. Since
1:48:272008, youth suicide has increased by 8%
1:48:30annually. From 2009 to 2019, mental
1:48:34health hospitalizations for ages 11 to
1:48:3614 rose by 25%. Since 2016, suicide
1:48:40related ER visits at children's
1:48:42hospitals have tripled. Look at the
1:48:45data. This curriculum isn't helping,
1:48:47it's failing. No 10-year-old should be
1:48:49pressured to explore gender identity
1:48:51when they're still learning how to spell
1:48:53it. Stop pushing an agenda that asks
1:48:55them to question the foundation of their
1:48:57being when they are the most emotional
1:48:59and vulnerable. I remind you that you
1:49:02were elected to educate children, not
1:49:04confuse them. Thank you.
1:49:10[Applause]
1:49:16Sorry, just this is really hard because
1:49:18today happens to be my dad's 63rd
1:49:20birthday who's not here with me anymore.
1:49:22So, sorry. Oh my goodness. Do you I
1:49:24don't even need a microphone. Okay, here
1:49:26we go. Sorry. Okay, so my name is Ashley
1:49:29Anne Nicolich, my maiden name, also
1:49:31known as Mrs. Victoria or Coach
1:49:33Victoria. I was the first graduating
1:49:36class from James C Enox in June someday
1:49:38of 2009.
1:49:41That same day at my best friend's
1:49:43graduation party, I was added on
1:49:45Facebook by Dustin Bordro, a math
1:49:46teacher at Enox who was maybe 24 to 25
1:49:49years old. He invited me and my best
1:49:51friend over the following night after
1:49:53graduating. And yes, we were 18. He gave
1:49:56us copium copious amounts of alcohol,
1:49:58marijuana, and cocaine and showed us his
1:50:00gun. And after we were drugged, he raped
1:50:03us. Three months later, he shot himself
1:50:05in the head. And this is the first time
1:50:07I'm making this public because two years
1:50:09later, my dad took his life. And I walk
1:50:11by his mother every single year at the
1:50:13out of the darkness walk to prevent
1:50:16and raise awareness, not promote
1:50:21And uh I'm not done. Thank you. I'm not
1:50:24done. I I understand that we gave
1:50:26everybody I'm almost done. Can I finish?
1:50:28There's no one else. Can I finish,
1:50:29please? Can I please finish? There's not
1:50:31much. I'm not done. I I understand. But
1:50:35we I am not done. I understand. But we
1:50:37gave everybody a minute. So I'll just go
1:50:39on TikTok live. It's fine. Thank you
1:50:42with my huge platform.
1:50:44Thank you.
1:50:46[Applause]
1:50:52All right, thank you everybody for
1:50:54public comments.
1:50:56Okay, we are going to move to um board
1:51:00comments and questions. Um
1:51:05hold on one second. Give me a second
1:51:07here.
1:51:15All right, I'll entertain some comments
1:51:17or questions from the board. Um, I also
1:51:21I'll I'll uh I'll remain um I'll let the
1:51:25board talk. So, uh we'll have a
1:51:28discussion here and then uh we'll move
1:51:31to a vote. It
1:51:33So, are there any board members that
1:51:36would like to speak?
1:51:41All right, I have I actually have a
1:51:43couple questions. So, Mr. Rich, if you
1:51:46can answer these questions for me.
1:51:49Um,
1:51:54so I I went to another school district's
1:51:56website that offers uh puberty talk and
1:52:00there were Spanish
1:52:02supports. Do we does this curriculum
1:52:05have Spanish supports within it? No, I
1:52:09don't know the answer to that. Uh,
1:52:11specifically when we adopt a curriculum,
1:52:13it's we we teach the curriculum in
1:52:15English. Uh, in regards to the parent
1:52:18supports on that, I'll have to look into
1:52:20that.
1:52:24Okay. These particular ones I saw did
1:52:26have Spanish slides, so they might have
1:52:29Spanish support to look into that.
1:52:34Okay. Um that was that was most of my
1:52:38questions about the the curriculum
1:52:40itself.
1:52:42And if I have Oh, I did want to ask one
1:52:45more question. Um
1:52:48special ed, do we is there a a certain
1:52:52um
1:52:54I guess a certain way we approach
1:52:55special ed with curriculum?
1:52:59Yeah, the we have a uh instructional
1:53:01coach who's working on modifying the
1:53:03materials but still giving them access
1:53:04to to ensure Chia compliance.
1:53:07Okay, perfect. Um I want to just make a
1:53:12comment and we'll come back around. Um
1:53:15there are student the what was available
1:53:17for people to look at was teacherf
1:53:20facing material and studentf facing
1:53:23material. So studentf facing material
1:53:25was is different than the teacher facing
1:53:28material. Teacher facing material had
1:53:30more information in it just in case
1:53:32teachers needed
1:53:35more information or needed uh support.
1:53:38Is that true?
1:53:41That is correct. That'd be true for all
1:53:42curriculum. For all curriculum that way.
1:53:44Okay.
1:53:46Okay. Trusty Daly.
1:53:51So, because my my questions the last
1:53:54time I was told are rhetorical, I'm just
1:53:56going to make comments today. The
1:53:58majority of the bo people in this
1:53:59boardroom I've met over the last three
1:54:02weeks. I've spoken to over 300 parents
1:54:05and in reference to the eighth grade
1:54:07curriculum, most of the parents don't
1:54:09actually know what's in that curriculum,
1:54:12which is the reason there wasn't very
1:54:13much opt out.
1:54:16I want to quote a statement that's in
1:54:19the Loma Middle School or junior high.
1:54:23Wrong is wrong even if everyone's doing
1:54:25it. Right is right even if no one is
1:54:27doing it. I find it very interesting
1:54:30that that there are people in the room
1:54:32today that believe that we don't want
1:54:34appropriate health curriculum for fifth
1:54:37grade. Absolutely. Puberty is important
1:54:40to learn. An appropriate health
1:54:41curriculum that is medically based, as
1:54:44Chai states, is absolutely appropriate.
1:54:47However, when speaking to CBS 13, when I
1:54:52said masturbation, anal sex, oral sex,
1:54:54and which is in the
1:54:56curriculum, it was censored out. So, it
1:55:00can't be shown on the news, but then we
1:55:01want to teach our 10 year and 11 year
1:55:03olds that. How does that make sense?
1:55:12So just wanted clarification. Are are
1:55:15those in the curriculum?
1:55:22Those are reference. Yes, those are are
1:55:24they referenced in the student facing
1:55:26material?
1:55:27Yes. Okay.
1:55:31So twice now I've asked for a video to
1:55:34be played. Thank you. Twice now I've
1:55:36asked for a video to be played in the
1:55:38board meeting that is recommended by the
1:55:40curriculum and once I was told that it
1:55:43was not a question, it was a statement
1:55:45and the second time I was completely
1:55:47ignored. I received no response
1:55:51and then I have questions. So in in one
1:55:58I do have a question here because yes in
1:56:00one
1:56:02statement or in one PowerPoint it says
1:56:06that the district's office the district
1:56:09office attorney has clarified that
1:56:10gender identity is not required for
1:56:12grades lower than seventh grade but then
1:56:14we've changed it and said it is
1:56:16required. So there's two different
1:56:18communications. One was on Friday the
1:56:2120th and the other one I'm not sure was
1:56:22the date. So, which is correct? It
1:56:25doesn't make sense. So, after we posted
1:56:28the the uh report for tonight or on
1:56:31Friday, we were contacted by several
1:56:33people in the community saying, "Hey, we
1:56:35think that's incorrect." So, we reached
1:56:37back out to council today and verified
1:56:40that uh if we choose to teach the health
1:56:45curriculum to any grade, then we have to
1:56:47include the components of the California
1:56:49Healthy Youth Act.
1:56:51So that's what the law states. So the
1:56:55first slide was a little was a
1:56:57misunderstanding of yes, we don't have
1:56:59to teach it because it's optional for
1:57:01grades six and below. But to clarify
1:57:03that, we provided that extra slide
1:57:05tonight to say, but if we do choose to
1:57:07teach it, the California Healthy Youth
1:57:09Act requires those components. The the
1:57:12attorney also confirmed that parents can
1:57:15in fact opt out of the gender portion of
1:57:17the health curriculum despite the fact
1:57:19that we've been continually told that
1:57:21they cannot opt out of just the gender
1:57:24portion. Is that correct? That is
1:57:26correct. That's why we asked for that
1:57:28that question came up at the June 9th
1:57:29board meeting. So we asked for that
1:57:30clarification from legal counsel.
1:57:33So I want to remind everybody that we're
1:57:36elected to implement the will of the
1:57:38people, not our will. This is what makes
1:57:40the United States a constitutional
1:57:42republic. The overwhelming majority of
1:57:45the community is saying no to this
1:57:47curriculum. And if more knew what was
1:57:50actually in the curriculum, more would
1:57:52be here to say no as well. Allow the
1:57:54parents to teach this. Parents do not
1:57:57co-parent with the state or the
1:57:59district.
1:58:02Again, SE at all versus Gray was
1:58:05confirmed by the attorney that there is
1:58:08they are working on precedence in order
1:58:10to allow children not only to opt out of
1:58:12the health curriculum gender portions
1:58:14but in all aspects. We need to remove
1:58:18that is not sciencebased.
1:58:20We talk about CHIA saying that we are
1:58:23required to have medically accurate and
1:58:26objective information that is not
1:58:28medically accurate. It is not
1:58:30sciencebased.
1:58:32CHIA began in 2016 in California. Yet in
1:58:37California, the HIV rates and STI rates
1:58:40are going up, not down. So this is going
1:58:43on nine years that this has been enacted
1:58:46in the schools and those are going up.
1:58:48And the audience is correct. And when
1:58:50the person said 43%
1:58:54of those new HIV cases are from Latin
1:58:57communities, 15% of the new HIV cases in
1:59:02California, this is not in the United
1:59:04States, are in the black community.
1:59:10The Amaze website that is recommended by
1:59:13the curriculum will allow the students
1:59:15to access all videos. It will not just
1:59:20be age appropriate videos for them. It
1:59:23doesn't require them to opt in with a
1:59:26age or a birth date and limit the access
1:59:29to which videos. It will allow them to
1:59:32see all of the videos that are on there
1:59:34which is a real problem.
1:59:37There is
1:59:39talked about the opt out option. There
1:59:41is an optin option. those places in the
1:59:45community who want to opt their children
1:59:47into this can in fact teach their
1:59:50children that through the community
1:59:52agencies. The school does not need to
1:59:54step in. It is not required in fifth
1:59:57grade. It doesn't need to be taught by
1:59:59the school. It needs to be taught by the
2:00:01parents. At this age, the identity of a
2:00:04child is extremely important coming from
2:00:08the parents, not society at this point.
2:00:12the parents
2:00:14[Applause]
2:00:21check. Okay, thank you. Uh, Trusty
2:00:23Irvin.
2:00:26Um yes, I I just wanted to get some uh
2:00:29clarifications or um make some comments
2:00:33um because it seemed to get some
2:00:34information uh people bringing
2:00:36information to the to the podium about
2:00:39the the teacher facing portion of it and
2:00:43um confusing it with the studentfacing
2:00:46portion of it. But it seems that this
2:00:48been cleared up uh uh now also um in
2:00:53terms of I know at the last meeting it
2:00:54was mentioned that there was no mental
2:00:56health professionals a part of the the
2:00:58curriculum development for um for people
2:01:01to talk and that was not true as I done
2:01:03my research and contacts and that it was
2:01:06that there were medical uh um um mental
2:01:11health professionals that were leading
2:01:14um in the uh development of the
2:01:16curriculum. Um and then I also reached
2:01:18out to two psychologists
2:01:21um two psychologists and one um um
2:01:25licensed marriage family counselor um
2:01:28therapist and um because my concern was
2:01:31about the age appropriateness and all
2:01:33three of them um said that the puberty
2:01:37talk was age um age appropriate. Um and
2:01:42so I I use that data um as a as a
2:01:46measuring um tool to gauge where um we
2:01:51should be moving towards in in the
2:01:54curriculum. Um also um in my background
2:01:58um with uh reading also the uh research
2:02:02and the data and there were some who
2:02:04came up with data to um enforce
2:02:07reinforce you know that uh the
2:02:10curriculum fosters mental health
2:02:12literacy and emotional skills. Builds
2:02:14resiliency during a turbulent turbulent
2:02:17time. Encourages safe emotional
2:02:20expression and dialogue. aligns with the
2:02:23interdisciplinary evidencebased
2:02:25approaches. Um
2:02:29um and also I had uh researched
2:02:32uh the uh sus
2:02:36to see whether this curriculum aligned
2:02:38to their standards and it was the sexual
2:02:41uh the sexuality information and
2:02:43education council of the United States.
2:02:45is one of the foremost national
2:02:47advocates for age appropriate medically
2:02:50accurate sexuality and puberty education
2:02:53explicitly endorsing standardsbased
2:02:56programs with emotionally supportive
2:02:58strategies and um and that puberty talk
2:03:02curriculum seemed uh uh to align with
2:03:06that um based on that. And so, um, and
2:03:10talking to many, uh, parents, even
2:03:12students, um, throughout the community,
2:03:15you know, I had even shared my my cell
2:03:18phone, one of my cell phone numbers, and
2:03:19they were blowing it up. Um, but it was
2:03:22important for me to really get a sense
2:03:25and understand what we were dealing with
2:03:29and um, um, in these curriculums that we
2:03:33are pushing forward to um, adoption. I
2:03:36wanted to make sure that I was informed
2:03:39not only from a community level uh but
2:03:42from a research from a data level and
2:03:44from a personal level about what is best
2:03:49for our children at this age. And with
2:03:53the the responses of the two
2:03:55psychologists
2:03:56and the um um the therapists
2:04:01um you know saying that and then the uh
2:04:04the data that was brought or mentioned
2:04:06from some of the community members you
2:04:08know it seems to say that we are um
2:04:12within that realm and so um the other
2:04:15hardline stuff I didn't see that in the
2:04:17curriculum for the students. I saw it in
2:04:20the curriculing
2:04:21for the for the teachers as a way for
2:04:24them the detailed information for
2:04:26teachers to be able to respond if they
2:04:28get questions or to have a more uh
2:04:30detailed knowledge of the curriculum.
2:04:33Um and so um I just wanted to to clarify
2:04:37that also wanted to actually it was some
2:04:40suggestions from people that I talked to
2:04:43about the curriculum if it's adopted if
2:04:46we could uh host a town hall for for
2:04:49parents to get an understanding how the
2:04:53curriculum would be taught uh what
2:04:55strategies would be used and uh things
2:04:58of that that uh you know things of that
2:05:01nature. And like I said,
2:05:05those things seem to be clarified um um
2:05:08now that have done that that research.
2:05:11Um and then there was a one um young
2:05:13lady she mentioned about my son when he
2:05:15was in seventh grade just like the
2:05:16psychologist said because I brought that
2:05:18up to them his instance but he'd been
2:05:20out of junior high school for 15 years
2:05:23and like they said developmentally kids
2:05:26change five 10 years. I mean the changes
2:05:30are different. Kids are more mature in
2:05:32their um in their knowledge now because
2:05:34of how they're exposed to uh social
2:05:38media uh even in in schools where things
2:05:41are done online and they can get
2:05:43information they can do research and
2:05:45things like that. So they are ahead in
2:05:47some instances you know and there was
2:05:50another comment about you know we don't
2:05:52teach a second grader you know but we do
2:05:55teach junior high and high schoolers two
2:05:58three two three years ahead in math
2:06:01science and other subjects that they are
2:06:03shown promise in. So nobody questions
2:06:06their their developmental then it's like
2:06:09oh they're smart you know um feed them
2:06:13you know so um and you know that's about
2:06:16it that's all I wanted to put on that
2:06:18and I'm going let it rest there
2:06:27trustee Brown
2:06:31thank you
2:06:33I would like to first acknowledge all
2:06:37the people that are here in the audience
2:06:39today.
2:06:42Want you to know that we've been
2:06:43listening. We heard
2:06:46your passion. We heard your opinions.
2:06:49We have all been listening carefully and
2:06:53are going to make the best decisions
2:06:55that we can. Um,
2:06:59I appreciate the fact that the questions
2:07:02that I asked at the previous meeting
2:07:04have been addressed.
2:07:07I was uh very concerned about the opt
2:07:09out process
2:07:11and that we were told that it was only
2:07:15uh a choice for parents to opt out of
2:07:18the complete curriculum
2:07:21but not to have the ability to select
2:07:24items that they wanted to have their
2:07:26children
2:07:27opt out uh for. Uh so I I'm shifting my
2:07:35uh direction towards uh a a vote in
2:07:40favor of the curriculum
2:07:42because I feel strongly
2:07:45that it's important to have
2:07:48health matters uh taught to our children
2:07:53at earlier ages than we
2:07:56were comfortable receiving it when we
2:07:58were children. I I've heard enough uh
2:08:02information that tells me that that's
2:08:04important. However, I know that there
2:08:07are strong feelings within our community
2:08:09about gender identity issues and there
2:08:13are other issues that parents may
2:08:16selectively choose not to have their
2:08:18child a part of in in the curriculum
2:08:24materials. I would ask the district to
2:08:28be very clear in the opt out form
2:08:33whether they are choosing to opt out
2:08:35completely.
2:08:37But I also think that it's important
2:08:39with that opt out form that that be
2:08:41given to all parents and list all of the
2:08:45items all of the topics that are
2:08:48included in the course and allow
2:08:53selective opt out for any of the items
2:08:56that they object to. I think it's
2:08:58important that we allow the parents to
2:09:01see the items that are in the curriculum
2:09:05and be aware of the things that they
2:09:08feel they need to specifically address
2:09:10with their children. So, I think that
2:09:13the more we can
2:09:15educate our parents, the better off our
2:09:19children will be.
2:09:21And I I strongly encourage us to be very
2:09:25explicit with the information that we
2:09:27provide with the opt out option. I also
2:09:32would request that we have that same
2:09:34material for opt out completely in both
2:09:38languages, English and Spanish, so that
2:09:42uh we don't leave anyone out of this
2:09:46question.
2:09:49Um,
2:09:52the last thing I'd like to say is that
2:09:54uh we have spent a great deal of time
2:09:56and effort as a board on encouraging
2:10:00student voice.
2:10:02I appreciate the fact that we've had
2:10:04some students of varying ages
2:10:08provide us their opinions and their
2:10:10feelings about the uh this curriculum
2:10:13question.
2:10:15Our children are learning and they're
2:10:18learning to speak with their own voice
2:10:20and we as a board are learning to listen
2:10:24and understand. And so I want to thank
2:10:28those students that have chosen to
2:10:31participate in this discussion as well.
2:10:34I want to thank each one of you
2:10:37for coming and expressing your feelings
2:10:42and allowing us to hear your concerns.
2:10:44We have heard them. Thank you very much,
2:10:50Trusty Lopez.
2:10:52So I I think that it was uh u trusty
2:10:56marks, but I will say briefly I just I
2:10:59just wanted to um I echo the statements
2:11:01made by uh my fellow board members um
2:11:06especially Trusty Brown around um the
2:11:09importance of this this conversation,
2:11:11the importance of these topics and that
2:11:13they're not taken lightly. Um but also
2:11:17in one key point we we had a mother come
2:11:20here um and often often we we talk about
2:11:24the availability of translation not only
2:11:28in um in written form but in ver and and
2:11:33verbal um I think we've been doing a
2:11:35great job in our in our verbal uh trans
2:11:37uh translation interpretation. Uh and
2:11:40it's as as mentioned before this is why
2:11:43we need those things because in these
2:11:45matters we need to hear everyone's
2:11:47voices and if uh individuals are not
2:11:50coming or don't have the the adequate um
2:11:54the adequate information in their
2:11:55language uh which we know that even in
2:11:58in our even in our own languages is
2:12:01daunting u daunting wording right and so
2:12:06u let alone if it's in a language that's
2:12:08not that is foreign to you. So, um I
2:12:11think that that that's a great example
2:12:12of why we need to have um
2:12:16the our our
2:12:19forward facing uh community facing and
2:12:21parent facing information in in both uh
2:12:25in the languages that we service here in
2:12:27in our in our uh in our district. Um,
2:12:31one thing I did want to
2:12:33make comment or make suggestion is that
2:12:36I would have liked, we talked about it
2:12:38last time about the work that we will be
2:12:40doing around human trafficking
2:12:42information and partnering up with our
2:12:45local agencies. Um, I would I would have
2:12:48wanted that already those conversations
2:12:50already happened. Um, and I would
2:12:52definitely want that information
2:12:54available to parents. who are we
2:12:56partnering up with one once this uh this
2:12:58curriculum um you know because I think
2:13:01that it's a topic that um I know that in
2:13:04the committee was was highly talked
2:13:06about and it was really important that
2:13:08it was come from a local uh context and
2:13:10so I would I would really like to have
2:13:12that embedded into that curriculum.
2:13:16Sorry for stepping in but that that's
2:13:19okay actually it came up as Lopez. So,
2:13:22Trusty Trusty Marks.
2:13:24Well, after you spoke, my name came up
2:13:26as Marks. Yeah, there it is. So, I was
2:13:28Lopez before. So, thank you. I missed
2:13:30one meeting and my name's changed. So,
2:13:32it's great to be here tonight. I'm sorry
2:13:35I missed last time. I so appreciated
2:13:37hearing. I watched the video of all of
2:13:39you that spoke that came last time and
2:13:41spoke again tonight. I appreciate all of
2:13:44the comments, both sides. I believe that
2:13:47as board members, we have to hear the
2:13:49whole story and hear from everyone to
2:13:51make wise decisions and be respectful of
2:13:54one another. So, I have to say you were
2:13:56much more respectful last time that I
2:13:58could tell by the video, but I
2:13:59understand there was some booing. I
2:14:01didn't know that. So, can't hear that on
2:14:02the internet. So, um I wanted to uh as a
2:14:08I was on the committee and as a board
2:14:11member on the committee with Trusty
2:14:13Lopez and Trustee Daly, I appreciated
2:14:16the opportunity to serve in that way and
2:14:20as we went through that and I pulled up
2:14:23the slide that has the um it's called
2:14:26topics agreed on by the committee. So, I
2:14:29just for the board members that weren't
2:14:31there and you saw this, but for me, this
2:14:33meant the most to me as a as a um
2:14:37listening to your comments and then also
2:14:38trying to make this decision tonight.
2:14:41Um, we had these seven, four, five,
2:14:45seven topics. Hygiene was number one. I
2:14:48think the committee that was our number
2:14:50one purpose in teaching in fifth grade
2:14:53was hygiene and growth and development.
2:14:56So those are two things that we believe
2:14:58that were extremely important as we talk
2:15:00about puberty. And then we had
2:15:02nutrition, internet safety, which was
2:15:04human trafficking influences,
2:15:06self-esteem, body image, communication,
2:15:09consent. To me, it was boundaries and
2:15:11relationships, which also could um help
2:15:14students.
2:15:15When I looked at that and then we looked
2:15:17at the curriculum that that we were
2:15:19presented with
2:15:21and the one that was chosen,
2:15:24it did not focus on hygiene. It focused
2:15:29on sex education. Now granted, CHIA is
2:15:33main purpose is to focus on
2:15:36comprehensive sexual health and HIV
2:15:40prevention and STS and all well STI.
2:15:44Sorry, they changed that years ago. So,
2:15:46as I looked at this tonight and I'm
2:15:48listening to what you said last time and
2:15:50what was said tonight, I realized for
2:15:54me, I really believe that
2:15:58we don't have to teach the gender
2:16:01identity. Now, I relooked at
2:16:09I looked at the information that the
2:16:11attorney sent us. Now I have read this
2:16:13paragraph
2:16:15in Chia like a gazillion times because I
2:16:18was reading it that you know in our
2:16:19meeting with the group reading it over
2:16:22and over and because it uses the word
2:16:24may I know we don't have to. So let me
2:16:26tell you what it is because I had to go
2:16:28to the internet tonight because I forgot
2:16:29to bring a copy of it. It is it's item
2:16:33C. Uh and I took it off my internet but
2:16:36it's item C. It's in um it was effective
2:16:40January 1st, 2025.
2:16:42It starts with this. I'm just going to
2:16:44read this paragraph because it's the
2:16:46last statement that makes me say we
2:16:49don't have to teach it unless we teach
2:16:53comprehensive sexual education. So it
2:16:55says, "A school district may provide
2:16:57comprehensive sexual health education or
2:16:59HIV prevention education consisting of
2:17:01age appropriate instruction earlier than
2:17:04grade seven." So, we already talked
2:17:05about that and agree on that using
2:17:07instructors trained in the appropriate
2:17:09courses. A school district that elects
2:17:13to offer comprehensive sexual health
2:17:16education or HIV prevention education
2:17:20earlier than grade seven may provide age
2:17:24appropriate and medically accurate
2:17:25information on any of the general topics
2:17:28contained in paragraph 1 to 11 inclusive
2:17:31of subdivision A. So that's the whole
2:17:34thing before that that goes into the
2:17:35gender identity. And so when I read
2:17:38that, I believe that what it's saying is
2:17:42that we do not have to teach gender
2:17:46identity if we do not teach
2:17:48comprehensive sexual health education.
2:17:50That is not what the committee wanted.
2:17:52The committee did not say we want to
2:17:54teach comprehensive sexual ed health
2:17:56education. Granted, that was a that was
2:17:59added later. It isn't even on this slide
2:18:01to do that. So when I look at that and
2:18:05I'm listening to tonight and I'm
2:18:06thinking about this, I'm realizing
2:18:10I believe we could do this in a way that
2:18:13meets the needs of our students and
2:18:15gives them the
2:18:18information for hygiene, growth and
2:18:21development, puberty without teaching
2:18:23comprehensive sexual education. I
2:18:26believe that
2:18:33As I'm looking at it, in order to do
2:18:35that, the only thing that this board
2:18:38would need to do is not vote for this
2:18:43puberty talk tonight, but to vote to
2:18:47have hygiene and growth and development
2:18:49taught or get a curriculum that just
2:18:52teaches that. We already have somebody
2:18:54free of charge. The sheriff's department
2:18:56will teach internet safety.
2:18:59[Applause]
2:19:01The three other optics
2:19:04that were very dis are very concerning
2:19:06to us were internet safety or the um
2:19:10influences, communication and
2:19:11relationships which without permission
2:19:13teaches. And so
2:19:19still I asked about nutrition in the in
2:19:21the meeting in the committee and we came
2:19:23up with um that we already teach
2:19:26nutrition in our schools. We already are
2:19:27teaching that. So that wasn't actually
2:19:29needed because it's already embedded
2:19:31into our curriculum which I appreciate
2:19:32that. So as I looked at this and then I
2:19:35reread this and then I reread what the
2:19:37attorneys said and I'm believing that
2:19:39the slide that you gave us on questions
2:19:40from June 9th about opting out of
2:19:43specific topics was written by the
2:19:45attorneys. But when I read the actual
2:19:48chia,
2:19:50granted I'm not an attorney, but I've
2:19:52read a lot of this code sex, not sex ed,
2:19:55but the codes, all these ed codes over
2:19:58the years. I was just talking to the
2:20:00superintendent today that I used to pull
2:20:02out the books. There's like 28 books on
2:20:04it. And when I would read an agenda
2:20:06item, I'd say, "Okay, what's the ED code
2:20:08say?" So, I went back to that because I
2:20:10feel like that's where I want my
2:20:12information. So, I'm just asking the
2:20:14board, I know you've already stated your
2:20:17opinions. You've already said you've
2:20:19supported this. I believe opting out.
2:20:21I'm going to just address that for a
2:20:23moment.
2:20:25It's very frustrating to me as board
2:20:28members who sit up here, who speak
2:20:30English, who read all this material, who
2:20:33have access to numerous things, who are
2:20:37representing the people, and then we
2:20:39tell you, oh, well, you may disagree
2:20:42with this. You can opt out. Well, they
2:20:44may not speak English. They may not read
2:20:46English. They may not be in a community
2:20:48that has access to this information. And
2:20:51so, I'm making a decision. So, I've
2:20:54always felt this way. Opt out is a cop
2:20:56out. Because when I did this on books
2:21:00and movies, I was protecting students
2:21:04who had been
2:21:06in violent countries who had come here
2:21:09from as refugees to be protected. And
2:21:12then we're exposing them to this
2:21:15horrible material. And I said, why are
2:21:18we doing this? Oh, we can opt them out.
2:21:20They can opt out. like their parents
2:21:21even could read English. So to me,
2:21:24that's not an option in this situation.
2:21:27And granted, I wish every parent could
2:21:29know and understand this information so
2:21:32they could make an informed decision and
2:21:33opt out, but I don't believe that's the
2:21:35case. So my job as a board member, and I
2:21:38look at it this way, is to protect the
2:21:42innocent, to protect the children,
2:21:52In that, I want you as a board, I know
2:21:56you've already made a lot of research,
2:21:58you've looked into data, but I plead
2:22:00with you to reconsider your positions
2:22:03and consider the idea of making this
2:22:10I just want to use the word protect and
2:22:14purify our students. Those are just the
2:22:16words I want to use. But
2:22:19if we could teach them hygiene, growth,
2:22:23and development through another
2:22:25curriculum, I believe we have the access
2:22:28to all of these other ones that would
2:22:30also agree to what the committee agreed
2:22:32on. Now,
2:22:34I'm not going to go into why I think the
2:22:37committee voted the way it did and all
2:22:38that because I was frustrated with all
2:22:41of that in the process. But that's just
2:22:43my opinion. So, I just want you as board
2:22:45members who especially those who weren't
2:22:48able to be on that committee to listen,
2:22:51hear the public, hear us, and hear our
2:22:55hearts because I don't believe that
2:22:56we're any of us. I don't believe any of
2:22:58you are here to harm our children. I
2:23:00don't believe you're here or you spoke
2:23:01up because you wanted to hurt our
2:23:03children. I just believe you have an
2:23:05opinion that is different than mine and
2:23:07different than what I believe is helpful
2:23:09for our students. So, um,
2:23:14with that, I'm going to make a motion. I
2:23:18couldn't get on here and so now I'm
2:23:19going to make a motion. If I I'd like to
2:23:20make some more. I'd like to make some
2:23:22comments and then I will entertain a
2:23:23motion. That's okay. All right. Thank
2:23:25you. I want to let you finish though. I
2:23:29believe that's all I wanted to say. So,
2:23:31wait a minute. Let me check my notes.
2:23:32Hold on. I wrote notes while I was um
2:23:38Nope. That was it. Thank you. Okay.
2:23:40Thank you. Um I also want to say thank
2:23:43you to everybody for coming tonight. Um
2:23:47I want to echo something that I heard
2:23:48this evening. Uh um many of you know I'm
2:23:52a teacher and uh I really appreciate the
2:23:57the passion and the uh desire to be a
2:24:02part of the educational process.
2:24:06I hope that many will consider that when
2:24:09we discuss which we do often discuss
2:24:12issues of mathematics and science and EL
2:24:17ELA and um all of the all of the other
2:24:21topics that we discuss that are so
2:24:25important to our kids um as as I also
2:24:29believe this issue is also important but
2:24:32um clearly there's a lot of passion for
2:24:34this issue which I I really appreciate.
2:24:38Um I hope that at some point there be a
2:24:41lot of passion for mathematics as well.
2:24:43Um but that's you know of course I'm a
2:24:46little biased in that cuz I'm a math
2:24:48teacher.
2:24:50So um but I do want to appreciate many
2:24:53of you and uh the um mostly the poise
2:24:58and the respect that you gave um our
2:25:00speakers and the speakers this evening.
2:25:02Uh, I appreciate that because it makes
2:25:04it makes it easier as the president um
2:25:07to control, you know, to have a meeting
2:25:09like this, but it also um lets everybody
2:25:13that watching and listening to
2:25:15understand uh why it's important to be
2:25:18respectful as we know that there's so
2:25:21many other places that are not. So, I
2:25:23thank you for that. Um, everyone,
2:25:28uh, I I do just want to echo a couple of
2:25:31things. Um,
2:25:34I I I looked at the curriculum over and
2:25:36over again and um, I also, just as uh,
2:25:41Trusty Irvin, I I didn't see anything
2:25:46um, I didn't see anything egregious that
2:25:48I wouldn't share with my daughter who is
2:25:51in fourth in fifth grade. So uh I had
2:25:54conversations with with all of them too
2:25:56and uh it was really it really is good
2:25:59to hear from students. Um different
2:26:02students have different perspectives. I
2:26:04know that from teaching for so many so
2:26:06many years that uh we can have the same
2:26:09conversation as we have as adults with
2:26:11differing opinions. Students have those
2:26:13differing opinions. And the important
2:26:15thing, just as we share respect in this
2:26:19room tonight, the important thing is
2:26:21that our kids grow up having that
2:26:24respect to understand that other people
2:26:27have differing opinions and differing
2:26:30thoughts and differing uh differing
2:26:34families.
2:26:35They grow up in different religions
2:26:38and are respectful of that without
2:26:40bullying. And as I read through much of
2:26:44the curriculum, there was a a large
2:26:47emphasis on respect and understanding of
2:26:51other people. Um not only uh that but
2:26:55understanding that other people are
2:26:56different and that I think was
2:26:59important. they come from different
2:27:00families and it was very uh you know it
2:27:03was very fifth gradeish um in the in the
2:27:06in the discussion of that people are are
2:27:09different and they come from different
2:27:10families and different family
2:27:11structures. Um
2:27:14that being said I I want to echo
2:27:16something also that trustee Markx talked
2:27:20about in um people that come from
2:27:23different areas. Uh, I think it's
2:27:26important to have this in multiple
2:27:28languages if if it passes to have it in
2:27:30English and in Spanish. I gave you the
2:27:33recommendation that I saw on the uh
2:27:36website of another school district that
2:27:39offers, this was interesting, that
2:27:41school district offers uh they do
2:27:43puberty the wonder years for fourth
2:27:45grade and then puberty talk for fifth
2:27:47grade and then again they do another one
2:27:49in uh 8th grade and then of course the
2:27:51the high school one. I thought that I
2:27:53found that kind of fascinating.
2:27:55But what was interesting is they had the
2:27:57slides in both English and Spanish.
2:28:00My recommendation is that if this passes
2:28:02we have um transparency in a way that is
2:28:06easily accessible for parents as it was
2:28:08for me to go on the website to see the
2:28:10slides that are student facing. I think
2:28:12that is um really important for parents
2:28:15to to have access to understand what is
2:28:17in the curriculum so that they can make
2:28:19those decisions and uh easy access to it
2:28:23through a website is is one way I like
2:28:26the idea of uh town hall um town halls
2:28:30in both English and Spanish but also to
2:28:33get back we have a lot of refugees we
2:28:34have a lot of people we have a lot of
2:28:36Muslim community that may um be feel
2:28:39object object to something as well Um I
2:28:42think that we need to have other
2:28:43languages available for people to make
2:28:46those decisions also. So my
2:28:48recommendation also is that there are um
2:28:52that it's available in other languages
2:28:55and the communication is available in
2:28:58other languages. I know that we are in
2:29:01an age where that is not as difficult as
2:29:03it was even 10 years ago. Um, I can ask
2:29:07chatgpt and Gemini to translate
2:29:09something that I got from a student that
2:29:11was in Arabic to uh to English and it
2:29:15translates it for me so I can understand
2:29:17her mathematics and she can show me that
2:29:20her mathematics. So I I think we have
2:29:22the capabilities of making sure all our
2:29:24parents can understand and be um and
2:29:26communicate with them.
2:29:29Um
2:29:31lastly, um I just also want to say that
2:29:33I did a lot of research over the last
2:29:36couple of weeks. Um looked a lot looked
2:29:38at a lot of studies, looked at a lot of
2:29:39data, and that's going to help me also
2:29:41inform my decision. So, um those are
2:29:44just just my thoughts. I think it's
2:29:46really important that we try to do the
2:29:49best that we can. Um and I just the opt
2:29:53out opt in. I just want to you know we
2:29:56are we're held by the state right in
2:30:00that uh there's an opt out policy um by
2:30:06by um not having something then we've
2:30:10basically um created a situation where
2:30:14we've taken something away from a lot of
2:30:16people rather than allowing people to
2:30:19make a decision on their own. So, um,
2:30:23and I'm I I really don't like, um,
2:30:26I really don't like taking things away
2:30:29from people, especially, um, their
2:30:32ability to make a decision. So, um, that
2:30:34was that's a really big big thought in
2:30:36my mind as I make this this decision.
2:30:39So, that's pretty much all I have to
2:30:42say. And, uh,
2:30:45I will entertain emotion.
2:30:48Um, well, I think what I'm going to do
2:30:50is
2:30:52I think we're going to go in in a bit of
2:30:54an order if that's okay. So, in what in
2:30:57I'm going to go with a order of do I
2:31:00have do I hear a motion to approve and
2:31:03then if that doesn't pass then we go on
2:31:04to the to another one. Does that make
2:31:07sense? you I believe that the
2:31:11so according to
2:31:14how we run board meetings okay a board
2:31:17member may make a motion it doesn't have
2:31:20to be to approve or disapprove a board
2:31:22member can make a motion and form their
2:31:24own motion recogniz yeah as long as
2:31:27they're recognized by the chair all
2:31:28right then and I will entertain a motion
2:31:32thank you thank you for your respect
2:31:35um so my motion is I move
2:31:40that we
2:31:49have a new curriculum that is on
2:31:54hygiene
2:31:56and growth and development
2:31:59and a supplement
2:32:01by the community these other items that
2:32:04the committee agreed upon. on.
2:32:07I can list them out if you want. I'm
2:32:09writing this down. It's okay. It's on a
2:32:11tape. But yes,
2:32:17okay. Because this was the committee's
2:32:19wishes though it came up with a
2:32:21curriculum that we were presented with.
2:32:22We didn't get very many options of
2:32:24curriculum to review.
2:32:29Now, I don't know if it'll pass,
2:32:32but I appreciate the opportunity for you
2:32:35to listen to me, to hear me, and to be
2:32:39willing to vote.
2:32:41Okay. Thank you. So,
2:32:46but I want to get the motion correct
2:32:48here. So, the motion is for a new
2:32:50curriculum. Yes. On hygiene and
2:32:52nutrition and growth, growth and
2:32:55development. Hygiene and growth and
2:32:57development. hygiene and growth and
2:33:00development basically puberty growth
2:33:03that's what we talked about on the
2:33:04committee is that correct you tell me my
2:33:07board members that were on the committee
2:33:09I I don't know is there any additional
2:33:11things to the motion motion for a new
2:33:12curriculum hygiene and growth and
2:33:14development and to supplement and a
2:33:17supplement the other topics that the
2:33:20committee asked for
2:33:23through the community the sheriff's
2:33:24department and without permission
2:33:28They both have programs that are free of
2:33:30charge
2:33:34that do internet safety. They do
2:33:37influences, self-esteem, body image with
2:33:40without permission. Communication and
2:33:42consent. What does that mean to you as a
2:33:44person? That's without permission. And
2:33:46relationships, they review all of that.
2:33:49Healthy relationships, unhealthy
2:33:51relationships. Okay.
2:33:53All right. So, I think I got this. So,
2:33:55the motion is for a new curriculum on
2:33:57hygiene and growth and development and a
2:34:00supplement for the other topics on the
2:34:02committee list um through the sheriff's
2:34:05department and without permission or
2:34:09or similar community service, right?
2:34:13Yes. Okay.
2:34:16[Applause]
2:34:23Okay. So that's a motion by trustee
2:34:25marks. I second
2:34:30that's that's
2:34:36a second by trustee daily.
2:34:40All those in favor raise your hand. It's
2:34:42and say state I I only two of us but
2:34:50all those opposed signify by raising
2:34:53your hand and saying nay
2:34:55nay.
2:35:02So there's two eyes um trusty daily and
2:35:05trust trust motion fails. Thank you.
2:35:12Okay. The two eyes, Trusty Daly and
2:35:14Trusty Marks. I have to state this,
2:35:16right? Okay. And five nays. Um, Trustee
2:35:20Brown, Trustees Brown,
2:35:23Lopez,
2:35:25Irvin,
2:35:28Mahia,
2:35:29and Mestus.
2:35:32So, I'd like to make a new motion since
2:35:33that one failed. Okay. New motion. My
2:35:35motion is to vote no on puberty talks.
2:35:40Okay. Proposed.
2:35:47The motion is to vote no. The motion is
2:35:51to vote no on puberty talks. Yes. Is to
2:35:55vote against the proposed That's
2:35:57correct. There we go. The motion is to
2:36:01vote against
2:36:05means no, right? I'm going to get we're
2:36:07going to get this straight. The proposed
2:36:09curriculum, which is puberty talks. A
2:36:12yes vote would be against the
2:36:14curriculum. A no vote um would just be
2:36:17no against that motion. Okay. So, that
2:36:20is a motion by trustee Markx. I second.
2:36:23That is a second byee
2:36:30by by trustee. My mic keeps shutting
2:36:31off. By trustee Daly.
2:36:34All those in favor of the motion to vote
2:36:38against the proposed previewer talks
2:36:41raise your hand and say I.
2:36:44I. I. Okay. I count two eyes. Those that
2:36:50uh vote no to vote against the proposed
2:36:53computer talk um please raise your hand
2:36:55and say nay.
2:36:57Nay.
2:37:00Was that an A? Trusty Irvin.
2:37:04Okay. So any obstensions?
2:37:07Any obsessions? One. Okay. If you
2:37:10abstain, you have to be able to explain
2:37:12why you abstain.
2:37:16I'm at staining because um it it just
2:37:19seems that there's um
2:37:22um
2:37:25and I love Cindy Marks
2:37:27that there's some type of trickery going
2:37:29that we're we're not I mean we we know
2:37:32we know what we want and it seems like
2:37:35there's a there's a there's um there is
2:37:41um
2:37:43um there's there's because it just seems
2:37:45like there's just trying to avoid the
2:37:49inevitable, you know, and I'm not I'm
2:37:52not for that. The avoidable we already
2:37:55know by the just the reason just votes
2:37:56just now. So, you know, so trust in
2:38:00order to abstain you have to have a
2:38:01conflict a conflict with the decision.
2:38:04So, either it's a yes or a no. If it's
2:38:08abstension, it's because you have a
2:38:09conflict
2:38:11um in the topic. Not a conflict, not a
2:38:15um a theoretical conflict. It's actually
2:38:18a a conflict.
2:38:22May I just explain why I did it that
2:38:24way? Yes. Okay. So, first I had
2:38:29something that wasn't um I had an idea
2:38:32that I thought maybe I had more support
2:38:34for. So, I asked for that idea to be
2:38:37passed as a board. That failed. So then
2:38:40I didn't know if people didn't if you
2:38:42all didn't vote for it because you
2:38:44didn't like that idea, but maybe some of
2:38:47you were opposed to the puberty talks.
2:38:50So now I made a motion that hopefully I
2:38:53will get enough votes to pass that to
2:38:57not have puberty talks. So that was the
2:38:59reason why I did it that way was because
2:39:01I wanted to see if because I didn't hear
2:39:03any other discussion. So I didn't know
2:39:05where you were at. So I had to ask
2:39:07again. So I asked it that way. So, I
2:39:09wasn't doing it to trick you. I just was
2:39:11doing it because I was trying to find a
2:39:12way to get it to pass in a way that
2:39:14would help me and get what I wanted,
2:39:17too. So, Right. Right. And I didn't mean
2:39:18like trigger. I'm just trying to find a
2:39:20word for it up here, but I'm just saying
2:39:22I didn't want to use deceptive, you
2:39:24know. So, so um Okay, I'll change my
2:39:28point to no. Okay. So,
2:39:32so all those in favor of I got to re So,
2:39:35I'm going to redo this so that way we
2:39:36have the right votes.
2:39:39Those in favor of the motion, which is
2:39:41to vote against the proposed puberty
2:39:43talk, raise your hand and say, "I."
2:39:47Two eyes.
2:39:49Trusty Marks and Trusty Dailyy.
2:39:52Those
2:39:55voting no on the motion to vote against
2:39:57the proposed puberty talk, raise your
2:40:00hand and say nay. Nay. Nay.
2:40:05Five nays.
2:40:08Trustees Brown,
2:40:10Lopez, Irvin, Mahia,
2:40:14and Meest Estus.
2:40:20All right,
2:40:22Lopez. Yeah, I wanted to call the motion
2:40:26the the uh the statement as it was
2:40:30written, but with the addition um to add
2:40:35um to work with the sheriff's department
2:40:39without permission or like organizations
2:40:42to talk about the the topic of internet
2:40:44safety and human trafficking.
2:40:47Okay, so let me get this motion correct.
2:40:53The this motion is for approval of the
2:40:56fifth grade health curriculum adoption
2:40:58for 2526
2:41:00which is puberty talk with
2:41:04with the addition of um services by the
2:41:08sheriff's department or without
2:41:10permission or similar community
2:41:12organization on the topic of human
2:41:14trafficking and internet safety and
2:41:17internet safety. I think this reflects
2:41:19what the committee had had had also
2:41:21agreed to. Okay. All right. So the
2:41:24motion is so that way we have it on the
2:41:26record. The motion is for the approval
2:41:28of the fifth grade health curriculum
2:41:29adoption for 2526,
2:41:32which is puberty talk with the addition
2:41:36of
2:41:37um the sheriff's department or without
2:41:39permission or similar community organ
2:41:42organization to supply um the topics of
2:41:47human trafficking and internet safety.
2:41:50Okay, that's a motion by Trusty Lopez.
2:41:56I have a question of clarification for a
2:41:59second. Okay. Question of clarification.
2:42:02So, we've talked about the opt out
2:42:04process.
2:42:05I would ask uh Trustee Lopez if you're
2:42:09willing to add to your um your motion
2:42:14that opt out would be available
2:42:17including opting out of individual
2:42:20items.
2:42:24Is it there? Okay. So, that's already
2:42:26included. Regardless of what's in it,
2:42:28they can opt out of any lesson. Okay. I
2:42:30just want to make sure that we are are
2:42:34that that is part of our recommendation.
2:42:37Yeah. Okay. So, for clarity, parents can
2:42:40opt out of one or more or all of the
2:42:44whatever is adopted tonight. Okay.
2:42:49Did you have clarity, too? Yeah. I just
2:42:51have another question that
2:42:54the clarification for parents moving
2:42:56forward then they can also opt out of
2:42:59the eighth grade any of the subjects in
2:43:02the eighth grade curriculum as well or
2:43:04high school that so that that doesn't
2:43:07pertain to this one but I think that
2:43:09question can be answered by Mr. Rich at
2:43:12another time if that's okay after we go
2:43:14through the vote because but that's a a
2:43:16good question that we'll need
2:43:19clarification for. Okay.
2:43:22All right. So, I hear a motion by Trusty
2:43:24Lopez and I think I heard a second from
2:43:27Vice President Mahia.
2:43:33All those in favor of that motion to
2:43:36approve the fifth grade health
2:43:37curriculum adoption for 2526 which was
2:43:39puberty talk with the addition of the um
2:43:44contracting with the sheriff's
2:43:45department or without permission or
2:43:47similar community organization to
2:43:49provide
2:43:50information on human tra lessons on
2:43:52human trafficking and internet safety.
2:43:57Raise your raise your hand and say I I I
2:44:03I hear five eyes.
2:44:06Trustees Brown,
2:44:09Irvin,
2:44:12Lopez,
2:44:14Mahia
2:44:16Mestus.
2:44:18All those opposed signify by raising
2:44:20your hand and stating nay. Nay. Nay.
2:44:24See two nays.
2:44:26Trustees Marks
2:44:29and Trustee Daly.
2:44:31Motion passes 5 to two.
2:44:35[Applause]
2:44:45Thank you.
2:44:49Once again, I want to thank everybody
2:44:51for your civic engagement tonight um and
2:44:53for your respect and your willingness to
2:44:55stick to stay and be part of this
2:44:57process. We appreciate all that you do.
2:45:00You're welcome to stay for the rest of
2:45:01our meeting. Um but we'll take a short
2:45:04recess. We'll go five minute recess.
2:45:10Hold that.
2:54:29Are we ready?
2:54:31Yeah. Okay.
2:54:36All right. Well, thank you for those of
2:54:39that are here that have uh stuck around
2:54:42through through all of that. We'll get
2:54:44along get going with the rest of our
2:54:45meeting here and uh we're going to move
2:54:47to the period for public presentations.
2:54:49I've got some cards.
2:54:56All right. So, um, these are public
2:54:58presentations that are not on the
2:55:00agenda. Thank you for attending
2:55:01tonight's board meeting. I have four
2:55:05cards this evening. So, I'll ask each
2:55:07speaker to come to the podium and
2:55:08address the board and state your name
2:55:10for the record. You'll have three
2:55:11minutes to speak and an additional
2:55:13minute will be added if you need
2:55:15translation services.
2:55:18So, um, again, uh, make sure that I just
2:55:22want to reiterate that these are for
2:55:24comments that are not on the agenda this
2:55:26evening.
2:55:30Okay. So, we will start with uh, Dr.
2:55:32Eric and Haley.
2:55:40Dr. It says Dr. Eric.
2:55:48Oh, he spoke.
2:55:50Okay.
2:55:52All right. Looked for Okay. So, we'll go
2:55:56on if he comes back then. Um,
2:56:00David Sandival.
2:56:03I think that was in the last one, too.
2:56:05Okay.
2:56:07Celia Gonzalez McCoy.
2:56:10Oh, she's right here.
2:56:18Um, I'll wait for my timer to start. So,
2:56:21my name is Silia. Um, I am currently a
2:56:25student assistant specialist through
2:56:26Center for Human Services as well as a
2:56:30substitute teacher within the district.
2:56:32Um, and I wanted to address um part of
2:56:36the budget that was um brought up last
2:56:39meeting
2:56:41um in regards to the AB28.
2:56:44Um I was curious why we're going to be
2:56:46paying almost $800,000
2:56:49for one school year. um in regards to
2:56:52sexual abuse claims. Is this just based
2:56:55off of the number of employees that are
2:56:58um hired within the district or is this
2:57:02based on viewing what Modesto City
2:57:05School has had sexual abuse claims
2:57:08against them? Um and so I guess that's
2:57:11an open emitted question because this is
2:57:12commentary, right? Um but my concern is
2:57:16why is it so much? Oh, I'm sorry. Uh I
2:57:20just noticed this is on the agenda. It
2:57:22is. Yeah, it is. Um it is D5 on the
2:57:25approval of budget. Oh, so it was not
2:57:28approved last meeting. My understanding
2:57:30I thought it was approved. So this was a
2:57:3130-day set out to be voted on today. Is
2:57:34that correct? Yeah. Okay. Yeah, the
2:57:36budget wasn't approved last meeting.
2:57:38Correct. Okay. So it will be on the
2:57:40agenda coming up. Um so if you want
2:57:43Well, I will retract. Yeah, if you can
2:57:45just stay here and then come when it
2:57:46comes. Thank you. Definitely stay. Thank
2:57:48you.
2:57:51Demetria Montes.
2:57:58Hello board. My name is Dimmitri Montes.
2:58:01Um, I just wanted to come up here and
2:58:03just remind you that I'm still here,
2:58:04employee 24344.
2:58:07Um, I was here on May 12th, um, pleading
2:58:11to come to be reinstated. I just want to
2:58:13come up here and thank you um especially
2:58:16Miss Dailyaly for responding back to me
2:58:18because I believe I sent you guys all an
2:58:20email ex expressing my background to you
2:58:23and why I'm so committed. I hope that
2:58:25you guys had an actual chance to read
2:58:27that. But I just want to come up here
2:58:29and kind of share a little bit of the
2:58:32experience that I have been trying to
2:58:33get back on board. Um first off I want
2:58:36to give thanks to Miss Gil. she has been
2:58:38helpful as into reaching out to schools
2:58:41to be able to get um try to set me up
2:58:43with interviews. But I just want to let
2:58:45you guys know that I have applied for 13
2:58:47positions. That's how eager I am to stay
2:58:49on board. Um maybe one of them was um
2:58:52something I found out I wasn't eligible
2:58:54for. But the biggest challenge that has
2:58:57been is that since I've been since I was
2:59:00notified, I did venture off into doing
2:59:03subbing work in other districts. And
2:59:06some of the challenges that I've had is
2:59:07when I did get those phone calls back
2:59:09from certain school sites, I was told
2:59:11that they weren't able to accommodate me
2:59:12for the time. Example, just like today,
2:59:15I got a call for a job interview. Was
2:59:18told us was for 10:45 this Friday. I
2:59:20explained to him that I'm a dedicated,
2:59:23committed, and dependable individual and
2:59:25I've already committed myself to another
2:59:27job site. Is there any way that you can
2:59:29make it for three since I'm off at 2:30,
2:59:32giving me a 30 minute window to get to
2:59:34you? but that's what I'll do for you.
2:59:36And I was denied.
2:59:38Um, so it's very challenging to try to
2:59:42stay on board but then be still be
2:59:47treated as a person that's walking off
2:59:49the streets where you have an individual
2:59:51like I said before but exceeds
2:59:53evaluation that's dedicated to their
2:59:56job, dedicated to the students and
2:59:59basically is my giving back for my 30
3:00:01years of management. So, I just want to
3:00:04let you guys know what the status is
3:00:06with me and I'm still pleading for help.
3:00:10Um, I you can talk to all my
3:00:13recommendations. I'm just asking for
3:00:15help. I truly want to be part of this
3:00:17district. So, if there's any way if
3:00:20there's any teachers still out there
3:00:21that need some help or principal or
3:00:24anything like that, I really want to
3:00:26stay on board. So, thank you for your
3:00:28time and I appreciate you guys.
3:00:38Thank you so much. Um again, although we
3:00:41cannot engage in discussion or take
3:00:43formal action on items not on the
3:00:45agenda, we thank you for the following
3:00:47the protocol and addressing the board
3:00:49this evening um and taking your time to
3:00:52share your views.
3:00:54Uh one more time, I just want to make
3:00:56sure we didn't miss um
3:00:59David Sandival or Dr. Eric Haley. Okay.
3:01:05All right. So, uh, we're going to move
3:01:07on to board reports. Do we have any
3:01:10board members who'd like to share a
3:01:11report?
3:01:13Trustee Marks,
3:01:17since I missed the last meeting, I
3:01:20wasn't able to share with you all the
3:01:21fun stuff that I did before I before we
3:01:25got um before I left on my trip. So I
3:01:29went to and a few of you were at the
3:01:31Downey groundbreaking for the athletic
3:01:33and science labs and buyer. That was
3:01:35really cool to see the science
3:01:36classrooms that they're going to
3:01:37modernize at BYer too in the afternoon.
3:01:39A few of us were at that and I got to
3:01:42go. So Gregori invited me to the medical
3:01:44science senior presentation. So the
3:01:47seniors get up about 50 of them and they
3:01:50share their um experiences in the
3:01:53medical field. It was fascinating. They
3:01:56work in ER, they work in the hospitals,
3:01:58they actually took care of people that
3:02:00died. It was quite the experience to
3:02:02hear their stories and they share why
3:02:05they're going to go into the new medical
3:02:06field that they've chosen. And most of
3:02:08it depended on kind of the experiences
3:02:10that they had in that um in that time.
3:02:13So that was really I'd never seen that
3:02:15before. So it was really fun for me. I
3:02:18went to the parent celebration that Mie
3:02:20Herrera organized at the Peterson Event
3:02:22Center. Dr. Naguchi I think was there as
3:02:24well. and we handed out um certificates
3:02:26to the parents, lots and lots of
3:02:29parents. It was great. It was a very
3:02:31special night. Many of us went to the
3:02:32retirement dinner and I attended the
3:02:35delegate assembly in Sacramento and that
3:02:37was helpful to hear kind of the budget
3:02:40where we were headed and where we are
3:02:42now with the budget which we'll get
3:02:43another update tonight and did the
3:02:46ethnic studies guidance council. But I
3:02:48have to say the highlight besides the
3:02:50science presentation and the retirement
3:02:54dinner which was very special to have
3:02:56that come back because I've missed it
3:02:57for a long time. I've just was
3:02:59disappointed when our budget cuts cut
3:03:01that out and our teachers missed it and
3:03:02staff missed it. Was a job shadowing
3:03:05with Ca. So I got to job shadow Tamara
3:03:09Garrett at Martone School. She was
3:03:13incredible. She met every student as
3:03:15they came to school. She knew their
3:03:16names. She talked to them. She met the
3:03:18parents. She moved kids that were
3:03:21struggling from one place to another. It
3:03:23was an awesome experience. She had more
3:03:26energy. I could not believe it for the
3:03:28entire morning. And so I just I thank
3:03:31our classified staff for all the hard
3:03:32work that you do. And it was really fun
3:03:35to be able to participate in that. I've
3:03:37never done that either before. So it was
3:03:38fun to have a couple new things to
3:03:40share. So that's it. Very cool. Thank
3:03:43you, Trusty Irvin.
3:03:50Well, I wanted to um
3:03:53um I recently and uh attended um uh so
3:04:00um kids from Modesto school, three um
3:04:04six of them are part of uh Project
3:04:05Uplift mentoring program which I'm a
3:04:07mentor in. um they attended a 3-day um
3:04:123-day STEM camp and uh with the Sanwaq
3:04:16King Office of Education um out there in
3:04:19Mantika where they got a chance to learn
3:04:23a lot of great handson science um
3:04:28experiments, forensics, dissecting
3:04:33um uh mixing of u uh enzymes and all of
3:04:38that good stuff. And they learned about
3:04:41mushrooms, how I didn't know mushrooms
3:04:44uh actually some mushrooms prevent
3:04:46trees. They grow near trees, but
3:04:48actually prevent trees from getting
3:04:49diseases.
3:04:51And they feed off the, you know, the
3:04:54soil in and around the trees, but they
3:04:56prevent the trees from getting diseases
3:04:58because of um their enzymes. And so the
3:05:02the trees like them because they prevent
3:05:04the trees from getting diseases. So
3:05:06there's a lot of different uh things
3:05:08that they learn. Yes. Theic
3:05:11relationship. So um it was good to uh
3:05:14learn on the last day I participated in
3:05:16the all day the the last day of class
3:05:18and and it was about 30 uh students um
3:05:22from various different schools and stuff
3:05:24and um we were the only ones that had
3:05:26students from Modesto City Schools or
3:05:28our county in general. And so, um, it
3:05:31was good to to see our students being
3:05:33exposed to things like that to make sure
3:05:35that brain drain don't stop, you know,
3:05:38that that it does stop during the
3:05:39summer, that they're engaged in fun and
3:05:42creative learning activities to keep the
3:05:45mind going. So, good.
3:05:48That's all. All right. Thank you, Trusty
3:05:50Irvin. Um, I just have I have one thing.
3:05:52Um, I attended and there's not a lot of
3:05:54stuff going on right now, but there was
3:05:56a MS CIFA meeting that was really
3:05:59important because we had a vote on a new
3:06:01CFD, I believe. So, um we've got new
3:06:05housing developments that are now going
3:06:08to be part of some of the CFDs that we
3:06:11have which are going to bring us more um
3:06:14more uh uh bond uh money to uh use for
3:06:18bonds um in our u Modesto City Schools
3:06:21and um Silvin Unified. So, um it was
3:06:24good it was good to hear about all the
3:06:25new housing developments that are coming
3:06:27out. So, that's that's something I did
3:06:29this week. Okay. I have a question for
3:06:32you. Yeah. So, is Silvin building more
3:06:34schools?
3:06:36Um, I believe that we have the SIFA has
3:06:39uh 50%
3:06:43um for a new school, but right now
3:06:46middle school there's for a middle
3:06:48school, right? But, um, right now
3:06:50they're not building a new school.
3:06:51However, in the Tivoli neighborhood over
3:06:55by Trusty Brown, right above right north
3:06:58of Silvin. Yes. by Enox. There is Silven
3:07:03property for a new school within that
3:07:06development. Um there there's no plans
3:07:09right now, but uh it could be down the
3:07:13line that they'll need to build a new
3:07:15school because there's a lot more there
3:07:17could be a lot more kids. I was just
3:07:18wondering because SIFA
3:07:21Silvin asked us to vote to not keep
3:07:25their save their $9 million that they
3:07:27had saved to build a school. So about 10
3:07:30years ago, they chose not to do that. So
3:07:32we voted to um give up the nine million.
3:07:36So I was you were you were on your
3:07:39board, but you weren't on the SEIPA
3:07:41board. And so it was a very interesting
3:07:42decision back then. Yeah, I do know that
3:07:45um Stannis Stan Union is um looking to
3:07:50build 50%, right? They're building 50%
3:07:53of a uh new school um because they they
3:07:56really need it. So, they did ask for
3:07:58funds and we approved those funds in the
3:08:01previous meeting. Yeah, they're
3:08:04rebuilding structures.
3:08:09Okay.
3:08:11Um,
3:08:13Jesse Brown,
3:08:17just to clarify, when I was uh on the
3:08:19Silven Board, they purchased land in
3:08:23Tivoli with the anticipation of someday
3:08:25building an elementary school. They
3:08:27still own that property. There's been
3:08:30some shifts as to uh layout and
3:08:33placement and but the intent still
3:08:37remains to build an elementary school
3:08:39within the Tivic neighborhood.
3:08:46Yeah, it's exciting. We might have I
3:08:48mean there could be more uh an
3:08:51enrollment jump if we see the all of the
3:08:54houses being built out and claws out in
3:08:57Tivoli. um the new development on
3:09:00Oakdale and Floyd um and then Crossroads
3:09:05West um out in Riverbank. All of those
3:09:07are within the um Modesto City Schools
3:09:11at least for the secondary for the high
3:09:13school high school.
3:09:15Okay.
3:09:16So, we'll move on to our next item,
3:09:20which is uh our time for special
3:09:22recognitions. And we do have we had one
3:09:26that was the video, but we have a very
3:09:28special second recognition this evening.
3:09:31And
3:09:33we have to say goodbye to um our
3:09:37superintendent, Dr. Sarah Niguchi, as
3:09:40this is her last board meeting and she
3:09:44gets to go off and enjoy her retirement.
3:09:48So, we're very happy for you. Um,
3:09:53I just I want to say a few words about
3:09:56uh not only uh the experience that I've
3:10:00had with you on this board, um, but just
3:10:03the the impact over seven years as a
3:10:08Modesto City School Superintendent. So,
3:10:12I I think I mentioned this when I when
3:10:15my kids were seven years ago, my kids
3:10:18were my boys were in elementary school.
3:10:20my daughter um hadn't gotten to kinder
3:10:23yet and
3:10:26I remember hearing oh there's a new
3:10:29superintendent and at that time you know
3:10:31I'm so caught up in my own work as a a
3:10:34math teacher over in series and I'm like
3:10:36okay yeah I wasn't really thinking about
3:10:38I wasn't watching the board meeting
3:10:39meetings I wasn't doing any of that back
3:10:41then because I was so involved in my
3:10:42classroom um but I remember
3:10:47hearing that um our our new um
3:10:50superintendent um Dr. Sarah Naguchi. And
3:10:53I remember hearing about you and um the
3:10:57things that uh your vision at that time.
3:11:00Um oh, look at that. There's some memory
3:11:02down memory lane right there. Um
3:11:08and and I remember the vision that you
3:11:12had because I I even though I didn't
3:11:15know you and only the the name I
3:11:17remember the vision because as a teacher
3:11:20that and as a parent that was the most
3:11:23important thing to me was what was the
3:11:25vision coming in because I knew that um
3:11:29there were things I wanted for my kids
3:11:32and I
3:11:34remember
3:11:36thinking
3:11:38this is going to be great.
3:11:41Like my kids are going to flourish
3:11:45because
3:11:47there's someone that's going to do the
3:11:50things that I think we really need in
3:11:52our district.
3:11:54And then comes things that I I thought,
3:11:57wow, some structures that were just
3:12:00amazing. CIPD brand new new place and
3:12:03that was that's close to my heart
3:12:05because I'm a coach and uh I think that
3:12:08the
3:12:10better teachers can become through
3:12:12professional development um the better
3:12:15our students will be. So then there's
3:12:18MTSS
3:12:20strengthening those kids that need tier
3:12:22one, tier 2 support right away
3:12:27as things occurred, as my kids went on.
3:12:29And I thought, God, this is such I want
3:12:31to be part of this more. I want to be
3:12:33part of this more because the
3:12:34superintendent I feel is doing such a
3:12:36great just putting so many great things
3:12:38in place. So many great things in place.
3:12:40And then I ran for school board. And um
3:12:44I was lucky to get on school board
3:12:48and to have the opportunity over the
3:12:50last uh five or six years to work with
3:12:53you as a board member and as a
3:12:55superintendent. Um
3:12:58and I have to tell as as a professional
3:13:01and as a leader,
3:13:04you are amazing and outstanding at your
3:13:06job. as a person, you're even better
3:13:10than that. And I have
3:13:13I have um really appreciated all of the
3:13:17times that we've got to talk, all the
3:13:18times um that we've gotten to to know
3:13:21each other, all of the perspective and
3:13:22education that we got to talk about. Um
3:13:26some of them we disagreed on, uh some of
3:13:29it we agreed on. Uh, but being able to
3:13:31have that conversation is what I think
3:13:34has helped all of us become a stronger
3:13:37board is to be able to have
3:13:39conversations that we know we disagree,
3:13:43which was clear tonight, but we can we
3:13:46can respect and talk about those things
3:13:47and have discourse. Um, and I I
3:13:50appreciated that.
3:13:53I just want to highlight a couple other
3:13:54things that um
3:13:57I and I think my kids are ever and some
3:14:00other kids in this district are going to
3:14:01be ever grateful for. uh co-eing.
3:14:05Um I'm going to point that out because I
3:14:07know that that was a disagreement
3:14:08between you and I in the very beginning.
3:14:11And um through through a lot of work, we
3:14:14came with something that is working for
3:14:18our kids. And every day I try to move
3:14:23that to more places because so many kids
3:14:28are being positively impacted in
3:14:30mathematics and seeing success all the
3:14:33way through because of the the
3:14:35conversation that we were able to have.
3:14:38um
3:14:40your your history is going to be here on
3:14:43so many buildings,
3:14:45so many structures, so many lunchrooms
3:14:48that are going to be built here, so many
3:14:50fields. Um
3:14:53there are going to be students are going
3:14:55to feel your positive impact from years
3:14:58for years and years to come. And I think
3:15:01everybody, I know I don't speak for
3:15:04everybody, but at least for myself, my
3:15:05kids are getting to feel that positive
3:15:07impact.
3:15:09I appreciate everything you've done. I
3:15:11appreciate all your years of service,
3:15:13and I appreciate um I appreciate you.
3:15:18So, thank you for all that you've done
3:15:19for us. Um I'm going to open the mic up
3:15:22to other board members now to make their
3:15:24remarks.
3:15:30Vice President Mahia.
3:15:32Uh I'm I am going to be brief Sarah just
3:15:34because we we have talked uh so much and
3:15:38and uh and actually I didn't even know
3:15:41uh I became a board member and you were
3:15:43my first superintendent. So I I just
3:15:45thought like things were like that's the
3:15:47way it's supposed to be. But I've kind
3:15:48of asked people around and that's not
3:15:51usually the case. So, I just remember
3:15:53our first conversation and I don't think
3:15:54you remember me because I was at the
3:15:56listening session you had a handshot. We
3:15:58didn't even know we we didn't know each
3:15:59other. Uh I know by you just doing that
3:16:02that kind of set a precedent of like
3:16:04what kind of a superintendent you were
3:16:05going to be. I think you were doing like
3:16:07several listening sessions and I
3:16:09happened to be at the handshawan as you
3:16:12as you were doing that. That's my first
3:16:14interaction uh with you. So, I just want
3:16:16to say um thank you for for the
3:16:20training, for bringing me along at the
3:16:21beginning of this, but also I got to see
3:16:23that your convictions and what your
3:16:25drive, your vision and all that stuff
3:16:27was just you. You breathed that and it
3:16:29was just uh so for me it was it was just
3:16:33been an awesome experience. Even when we
3:16:35disagree on different things, you were
3:16:37you're I always I can trust that you're
3:16:39going to tell me the honesty regardless
3:16:41if you if if you were going to agree
3:16:43with me or not. But I just I'm thankful.
3:16:45I can mention a bunch of stuff that I've
3:16:47seen over the over the last five years.
3:16:49But I know the the department the the
3:16:52English learner and all the stuff you
3:16:53have done there. I mean that's was very
3:16:55close to my heart. All the stuff you've
3:16:57done with parents. I mean it's just I
3:16:58can go on and on. But I just want to say
3:17:00we all deserve retirement. Thank you so
3:17:02much. Enjoy your next stage. um you
3:17:05deserve it and and thank you for for the
3:17:08the leader and the example you kind of
3:17:10set forth for for our community and for
3:17:12other other superintendents in in our
3:17:14area as well. So just thank you so much
3:17:16and I'm eternally grateful
3:17:19trusty Irvin
3:17:23Dr. Naguchi
3:17:26man we go back to the beginning of your
3:17:28your tenure. I think I was having my my
3:17:31interviews at your first board meeting
3:17:34if I'm not mistaken. Yes. Of being
3:17:37appointed. Um and so that was my first
3:17:40introduction.
3:17:42And and from the very first time we had
3:17:45our first one-on-one,
3:17:48um I had um great admiration and respect
3:17:53um by just getting to know you in that
3:17:55setting. But over the years uh we too
3:17:59have uh had some buted heads and
3:18:02disagreements and stuff but it was
3:18:04always respectful. It was always uh from
3:18:07the heart and um and we left um both
3:18:13understanding that um it's it's okay to
3:18:18disagree. It's okay to disagree and and
3:18:21and then keep it moving, you know. And
3:18:24so, but in that in your seven plus
3:18:26years, I can say I have grown
3:18:30tremendously as a board member. I've
3:18:32learned a lot from you. I've, you know,
3:18:35I've gleaned um from that doctoral
3:18:38noggin over there and I've uh uh
3:18:42appreciated you have shared some things,
3:18:44you know, so making me a more confident
3:18:47and a more um um
3:18:51uh a more um
3:18:55I want to say educated uh board member,
3:18:58a more um passionate board member. um
3:19:03understanding what uh board members um
3:19:07you know helping me understand my role
3:19:08as a board member and that's based from
3:19:11your experience you know and uh your
3:19:13knowledge so I appreciate that and I
3:19:16also appreciate times when you you've
3:19:19checked me you know
3:19:22and I'm like oh okay all right sir you
3:19:25know all right and so that's
3:19:28appreciation as well um like I said
3:19:31that's that tenacity
3:19:32that you bring with your leadership, you
3:19:35know, and so and it's always in in in
3:19:38respect, you know. Um so, um like I
3:19:42said, I know you're getting ready to get
3:19:44on that horse and um and uh spend a lot
3:19:47of time with your grandchildren and
3:19:50probably going to see the world and and
3:19:52and prepare a mental block. I don't know
3:19:55if you're going to do that surgically or
3:19:57you're just going to do that internally
3:20:00of uh of us all here in Modesto when you
3:20:03ride off. But again your time and your
3:20:07and you know I would say this your you
3:20:08know your your friendship you know in a
3:20:12in a sense um has been well valued you
3:20:16know well appreciated and I and I hope
3:20:19it continues beyond beyond this that you
3:20:22continue to be a resource at times you
3:20:24know or you know something to bounce off
3:20:27bounce off ahead. So, thank you again,
3:20:32Trust Trusty Marks.
3:20:34Yes. Well, I got to be on the selection
3:20:37committee with three of us that are
3:20:39still here. So, that was pretty amazing.
3:20:42And I just want to say that you hit the
3:20:43ground running. I You said I'm because
3:20:46you had some health issues and health
3:20:48challenges. The short hair reminded me
3:20:50of it. I was like, "Oh, I mean, I had
3:20:51that already in my notes, but it was
3:20:53neat to see you with short hair because
3:20:54I'd forgotten that." and just that you
3:20:57you kept saying just wait I'm not 100%
3:21:00just wait to the staff and I know when
3:21:03you got going you just brought everybody
3:21:05along together you changed the culture
3:21:07here which was a huge lift to change and
3:21:11that's what we wanted you to do was to
3:21:13help bring people together to help them
3:21:15make better decisions you created
3:21:17confidence in our staff so they could
3:21:19make better decisions and bring them to
3:21:22you and I really got to know you in 2020
3:21:26because I was president that year and
3:21:282020 hit and we were on the phone I
3:21:31think every day two or three times a day
3:21:34because everything changed state county
3:21:38and federal government didn't agree and
3:21:40that was an amazing year but we had to
3:21:42make a lot of tough decisions right away
3:21:44so I appreciated that time I had with
3:21:46you to be able to work through some of
3:21:48those difficult decisions and it showed
3:21:52me you were a leader in our community
3:21:54because the decisions that you were
3:21:56making were affecting the other schools
3:21:57around us in Stannis County. You set the
3:22:00precedent for what are we going to do
3:22:02now? What are we going to do? And each
3:22:04time you'd go to a meeting, they'd come
3:22:06back and tell me, "Oh, well, Modesto
3:22:07City Schools is doing it this way." So,
3:22:09everybody kind of had to follow us. So,
3:22:11I appreciate that. And then, um, you
3:22:15helped, um, and you created you had so
3:22:18many innovative ideas. Um, I like the
3:22:21MVA at the time because you I mean it
3:22:23you created that idea and you wanted to
3:22:25bring more students back into our
3:22:26schools and that helped and then Talamy
3:22:28you did so much and then um just like
3:22:32John said I was like yeah we had our
3:22:34disagreements and yet you still you know
3:22:37we could still respect each other after
3:22:39that. we had different ideas and
3:22:41different ways of looking at things and
3:22:42you always had a good way of um just of
3:22:46still respecting one another after after
3:22:49we disagreed. And I think in that you
3:22:52built good relationships with the board,
3:22:54you built a good board team. I mean that
3:22:57was incredible to me. I hadn't I worked
3:22:59with a few superintendents and that was
3:23:01to me the highlight of these years was
3:23:04that you helped us all work together.
3:23:05Even though we disagree with each other,
3:23:07we can still work together. So, I
3:23:09appreciate that and I I just want to say
3:23:12that
3:23:13I wish you all the best in your next
3:23:16venture and spending time with your kids
3:23:18and your grandkids and just the fun that
3:23:19you're going to have and you won't have
3:23:21any more board meetings like this to
3:23:22deal with and then the last one because
3:23:26they're stressful. They're stressful for
3:23:27all of us. So, I appreciate that. Um,
3:23:30you're going to have fun in the next in
3:23:32the next venture. So appreciated working
3:23:35with you these I'm so it's been really
3:23:39good.
3:23:40Trusty Lopez.
3:23:43I'll I'll let um Trustee 007 finish up
3:23:46but or because I think we're eyeing to
3:23:49see who was next but um
3:23:58I've gotten I've gotten the distinct
3:24:00honor to
3:24:03be here. since your day one um
3:24:07as as the newest uh one that was there
3:24:10for your um um to be here today. Um even
3:24:16though however hard it is because I
3:24:18mentioned it to you, it is hard. Um I'm
3:24:21so honored that I got to uh be a part of
3:24:25the great work that this district has
3:24:27seen under your leadership.
3:24:29um
3:24:34you know what what my community means to
3:24:36me and the effort that we've been able
3:24:39to accomplish um has been tremendous.
3:24:43It's been um not many times you get to
3:24:46see it physically physical
3:24:48representation and I get to see that day
3:24:50in and day out as I go as I go and come
3:24:53from our community. um the work that
3:24:57you've done around around um changing
3:25:00the culture in this in this district
3:25:03really being about
3:25:06um one thing which has been big for me
3:25:08is that our district doesn't end at the
3:25:11at the at the school gates. We're an
3:25:14extension of community and in some cases
3:25:17we could and are the the the community
3:25:20hub. you really took that to ownership.
3:25:22And so coming in um coming into this
3:25:26community and and owning that and and
3:25:28and really making that a center focus
3:25:33is where words I can't I I could sit
3:25:36here and try to come up, but I just end
3:25:38up with appreciation. So um
3:25:42thank you for all you've done. Thank you
3:25:45for your leadership. Thank you for your
3:25:47uh for your friendship. and thank you
3:25:50for being um a mentor um as a
3:25:54professional um
3:25:57and getting to uh grow in this space um
3:26:00alongside with you. So,
3:26:04Trusty Brown,
3:26:10no crying.
3:26:12Okay, I'm gonna talk and you don't get
3:26:14to cry either.
3:26:17So, uh, Sarah, I want you to know that
3:26:20you will not be forgotten
3:26:24and you have helped each one of us
3:26:26become a better version of who we are.
3:26:30And I think I speak for not just the
3:26:33board or cabinet, but I think every
3:26:37employee in the district must feel the
3:26:39same.
3:26:41You have uh set expectations for us.
3:26:46You've encouraged us. You've recognized
3:26:49us. And you've shown gratitude and
3:26:52appreciation for the efforts that have
3:26:55been given because you've shown us how.
3:26:59Um, we've talked before
3:27:03about the legacy
3:27:08that will be
3:27:10your memory here in Modesto City
3:27:13Schools. you will not be forgotten.
3:27:16You look at the facilities,
3:27:19what we've been able to accomplish with
3:27:20the bond measures, the improvements that
3:27:23we've made on every single campus in the
3:27:27district.
3:27:30And I think that uh people will
3:27:32recognize and appreciate
3:27:35what those improvements have done to
3:27:38every piece of property within our
3:27:40district.
3:27:43Your efforts with the team
3:27:48and the teamwork
3:27:50have helped to improve property values
3:27:53for every every home within Modesto City
3:27:57Schools.
3:28:00We look at the educational advancements
3:28:03that have been made so much
3:28:07that we don't have time to go through
3:28:10all of all of them.
3:28:13But thank you for
3:28:15guiding us through so much progress.
3:28:20You guided us through co
3:28:23helped us
3:28:25do things that nobody thought would be
3:28:27possible.
3:28:29You've helped us uh just feel
3:28:34possibilities when the world was telling
3:28:36us there weren't any.
3:28:39Uh yes, there's still challenges that
3:28:42we're working through as a result of
3:28:43that, but uh we're on a good track
3:28:47because of the guidance that you
3:28:48provided. You helped us uh recognize the
3:28:51need for sustainability and through that
3:28:55we are nationally known for the things
3:28:57that we've accomplished.
3:28:59We're on the map. We've become the
3:29:02destination district and we've become a
3:29:06place that people are happy and proud to
3:29:09work for.
3:29:12Uh our graduation rates
3:29:15have improved.
3:29:18We are helping our students become
3:29:21better than they knew they were.
3:29:28You have been an amazing leader. You've
3:29:31been a mentor to all of us. You've
3:29:34taught us what it means to be a
3:29:36governance team and how to work
3:29:38together.
3:29:40Because of your guidance, we're going to
3:29:42be able to continue that and we thank
3:29:45you for that.
3:29:47And
3:29:49last but not least,
3:29:51um I want to thank you for becoming a
3:29:54forever friend. And I mentioned in our
3:29:58one-on-one that I'm inviting you to uh
3:30:01join Cheryl and me for a ski trip, join
3:30:04us in our cabin in Utah. And uh you say
3:30:08it's been many years since you've skied.
3:30:13You said you were afraid of getting
3:30:15hurt.
3:30:17I know your strength. You'll you'll
3:30:20bounce back and remember exactly what it
3:30:23is to ski and and we'll we'll help you
3:30:25through that. But uh I look forward to
3:30:28uh nurturing the friendship that we
3:30:31have. And
3:30:34last of all, I just want you to know how
3:30:37much you are loved and appreciated for
3:30:40all that you've done. Thank you.
3:30:48Thank you. Would you like to mite any
3:30:52just a few ju I'm just going to say a
3:30:54few words. Um first off um thank you all
3:30:59for your kind words. We've come a long
3:31:01way as a district as a team. The team
3:31:04that that is here and community that is
3:31:06here um that was here. Um it's not the
3:31:09district that I the district today is
3:31:12very different than the district um I
3:31:14inherited seven years ago.
3:31:17But what I've said all along, you can't
3:31:19do the work of this job because it's
3:31:22247,
3:31:26every day, all the time. People ask me,
3:31:28"What are you going to do when you
3:31:29retire?" My big thing is, I'm going to
3:31:31turn off my phone for two days. I've
3:31:33never turned off my phone because you
3:31:35can't turn off your phone because you
3:31:36always have to be ready. And you guys
3:31:37know when you text me, I'm I text you
3:31:39back, right? Um but I say that because
3:31:42it takes a strong governance team
3:31:45working together to make the changes in
3:31:48the classroom. We talk about facilities
3:31:49which is essential which is part of the
3:31:51bond but the real work is in the
3:31:54classroom with the teachers and the
3:31:56principles and the parents and you guys
3:31:58will see one thing that you will inherit
3:32:00in September is better data than we had
3:32:04last year on all the different metrics
3:32:06and so better graduation dropout you
3:32:08know dual enrollment AP you name it it's
3:32:11it's there and it's a great way to leave
3:32:14being even higher than we were last year
3:32:16that wouldn't have happened if We had a
3:32:18board that wasn't functional. So, like
3:32:22always, I give a little lecture. It's
3:32:24important to stay together as a team and
3:32:27for the board president to lead that
3:32:28team. And I have all confidence that the
3:32:31seven of you will continue the great
3:32:32work that we've been doing as we move
3:32:34forward. And also a a big shout out to
3:32:37my team, my direct team, although I have
3:32:39many teams. Um, cabinet, I couldn't have
3:32:42done what I've done if cabinet didn't
3:32:44put up with me because you guys know
3:32:46I've heard the word tenacious.
3:32:48But you all know it's more than that.
3:32:50I'm a I'm a a force to be reckoned with
3:32:52when I want something. So, but it works,
3:32:54right? So, I want to thank you all. And
3:32:57you guys have my phone number and I'm
3:32:59not going anywhere. So, um, feel free to
3:33:02reach out and I will take you up on that
3:33:04ski trip and the medical bills that'll
3:33:06come behind when I break a leg.
3:33:11Yeah.
3:33:14Go ahead. Yes. Thank you. Thank you.
3:33:19Uh, wow. I I have always wanted to come
3:33:22to this last board meeting. Didn't know
3:33:23that it would have uh so much going on
3:33:26at the beginning, but uh president,
3:33:29members of the board, um I read a quote
3:33:32couple of minutes ago that I found on my
3:33:34phone has to do with leadership. But it
3:33:36says leadership is about making others
3:33:38better as a result of your presence and
3:33:42uh making sure that the impact lasts in
3:33:45your absence. You have been amazing from
3:33:48from the day you came and I I know that
3:33:51every student matters to you and you've
3:33:54brought the best out in others. Um on
3:33:57behalf of AXAN of course she was our
3:33:59most outstanding administrator of uh
3:34:02five counties in region seven AXA. uh
3:34:06been such a pleasure to work with you
3:34:08and to get to know you in the way that I
3:34:09have to. So I've enjoyed being here with
3:34:12you and uh I don't want to see you
3:34:15leave. You know that. But uh
3:34:19happiness in the next chapter and and
3:34:21all that you do. You're just marvelous.
3:34:24Thank you so much. And that was Maryanne
3:34:26Sanders for the record.
3:34:30All right. So uh thank you. Um lastly
3:34:33I'll Dr. Gucci, I'll have you join me
3:34:35down on the floor for a special
3:34:37presentation, a quick photo.
3:34:42Uh, you know what? Let's get everyone.
3:34:43Come on.
3:35:47[Applause]
3:36:05All right. as we uh
3:36:08go through the rest of the meeting so
3:36:10she can ride off in into the sun. Well,
3:36:12the sunset's been gone for a little bit
3:36:14here. Um right off into the night. We'll
3:36:17go on to our MTA report. So, do we have
3:36:20a report from MTA? Yes, we do.
3:36:23We'll be brief to make sure we don't see
3:36:25the sun rise. Uh board president, trust,
3:36:29superintendent Naguchi and cabinet
3:36:31Modesto community. Good evening. My name
3:36:33is Chris Peterson, proud president,
3:36:35Modesto Teachers Association. On behalf
3:36:37of the association, I wish to publicly
3:36:40recognize and thank all the committee
3:36:42volunteers who worked on the fifth grade
3:36:44health curriculum to all the educators,
3:36:47parents, trustees who invested
3:36:49additional time and effort to keep
3:36:51students at the focus of the policy
3:36:53debate. I believe to my core committee
3:36:57participants evaluated the information
3:36:59to advance public policy. Students
3:37:02first, not politics. We thank the
3:37:06committee and their recommendations and
3:37:08their work on this very important
3:37:10subject for our community and students.
3:37:14Again, tonight we face many important
3:37:16topics to close 2425 school year. Let's
3:37:19continue to do the work that needs to be
3:37:21addressed. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.
3:37:24Person. Um, do we have a representative
3:37:26from CSEA?
3:37:34Good evening, president, trustees,
3:37:35superintendent, and members of cabinet.
3:37:37My name is Armando Orviso. I serve as
3:37:39the second vice president of California
3:37:40School Employees Association, Modesto
3:37:42Chapter 007, proudly representing more
3:37:44than 2,000 classified professionals
3:37:46across Modesto City Schools. I'm pleased
3:37:49to be able to provide this report on
3:37:50recent activities and ongoing engagement
3:37:52of the California School Employees
3:37:53Association. Work that reflects our
3:37:55members dedication to this district and
3:37:56the students we serve. Over the past
3:37:59year, we've seen a significant increase
3:38:01in members engagement. We welcomed 385
3:38:04new members into the Victory Club, and
3:38:06our chapter was once again recognized as
3:38:07the number one chapter in the state of
3:38:10California for the third year in a row
3:38:12in our fourth time receiving this honor.
3:38:14Excellent.
3:38:17Victory Club is a voluntary member
3:38:18program that supports education focused
3:38:20advocacy and helps elect pro education
3:38:22leaders at the local and state level.
3:38:24This growth not only reflects a
3:38:26workforce that is not only essential but
3:38:28also informed, invested, and actively
3:38:31engaged in shaping the future of our
3:38:33schools and community.
3:38:35Over the course of the year, our union
3:38:36stewards supported members through 189
3:38:38individual cases. Each case represents a
3:38:41situation where a classified employee
3:38:42sought clarity, guidance, or advocacy.
3:38:45These are not just numbers. They are
3:38:47real moments of need that speak to the
3:38:48importance of strong labor relations and
3:38:50responsive support systems. They also
3:38:53illustrate the role of the California
3:38:54School Employees Association plays in
3:38:56helping maintain consistency,
3:38:58professionalism, and accountability
3:39:00throughout the district.
3:39:02Next month, we will send 14 delegates to
3:39:04the California School Employees
3:39:05Association annual conference in Reno.
3:39:07There, they will join over 2,000
3:39:09colleagues from across the state for
3:39:10professional development, statewide
3:39:12governance, and networking
3:39:13opportunities, bringing valuable skills
3:39:15and insight back to Modesto City
3:39:17Schools.
3:39:18As we continue to build on that
3:39:20engagement, we hope to see the same
3:39:21level of thoughtfulness reflected in the
3:39:23way major district decisions are
3:39:24presented and discussed. One suggestion
3:39:27we'd like to offer is to consider
3:39:28scheduling budget pres budget
3:39:29presentations earlier in board meeting
3:39:31agendas. With such a large and impactful
3:39:33budget
3:39:35apologize, especially for our classified
3:39:37professionals, allowing more time for
3:39:39review and discussion could foster even
3:39:41stronger transparency and collaboration.
3:39:44We offer this in the spirit of
3:39:45partnership and with the same care and
3:39:47preparation our members bring to their
3:39:48work every day. We believe the
3:39:50California School Association, our
3:39:52partners in Modesto Teachers Association
3:39:54and District Leadership each represent
3:39:56essential parts of a strong unified core
3:39:58that supports the success of Modesto
3:40:00City Schools.
3:40:02Our roles may differ, but our commitment
3:40:04is shared to serve students, strengthen
3:40:06our systems, and build a future worthy
3:40:08of our community. We look forward to
3:40:10continued collaboration and meaningful
3:40:12progress in the year ahead. Thank you.
3:40:15Thank you.
3:40:19Um that'll move us on to
3:40:22D3, our report on local performance
3:40:25indicators. Mr. Hurst
3:40:44Oh, you need glasses.
3:40:48Uh, good evening, President Misus, board
3:40:51members, Dr. Niguchi, cabinet, and
3:40:53members of the community. Uh, my name is
3:40:55Steve Hurst. I'm director of state and
3:40:56federal. I'm here today to present on
3:40:59the local control and uh indicators
3:41:05presentation.
3:41:33you you can just go ahead and we'll get
3:41:36the right presentation up. So the
3:41:38purpose of the presentation is to
3:41:40provide the Modesto City Schools Board
3:41:42of Education with the required annual
3:41:44update of the local performance
3:41:46indicators as it will be reported on the
3:41:48California school dashboard. The local
3:41:50indicators measure district progress
3:41:52towards LCFF priorities. Again, this
3:41:56relates specifically to our collective
3:41:58why, which is our Modesto City Schools
3:41:59vision, which really is how do they
3:42:02support um our students as they gain
3:42:05skills, knowledge, and the character
3:42:06trace to thrive and be productive
3:42:08members of our community.
3:42:11Also, this aligns to all of the district
3:42:13goals one through five as the Modesto
3:42:15strategic goals affect every single one
3:42:17of the local indicators um that the
3:42:20state has.
3:42:21California has identified eight
3:42:23priorities and as part of the LCAP
3:42:25adoption, districts are required to
3:42:28report their progress on the following
3:42:29indicators. Priority one, two, three,
3:42:33six, and seven. These deal with basic
3:42:35services, implementation of state
3:42:37standards, parent engagement, school
3:42:40climate, and the access to a broad
3:42:43course of study. For each applicable
3:42:45indicator, the district must assign one
3:42:47of three performance categories met, not
3:42:50met or not met for two or more years.
3:42:55So starting with priority number one,
3:42:57which is basic services. This looks at
3:42:59how are teachers assigned appropriately.
3:43:02This is now based on a report from the
3:43:04state uh known as the teacher assignment
3:43:06monitoring outcomes report or the TAML
3:43:08report and is based on the most
3:43:10currently available data which is
3:43:12currently for the 2223
3:43:14uh school year as we speak today. They
3:43:16have not put out the next year at this
3:43:18time. It also looks at access to
3:43:21curriculum aligned instructional
3:43:22materials for our students.
3:43:28Um, it looks at uh safe, clean, and
3:43:30functional school school facilities.
3:43:32These are also all reported on the
3:43:34school accountability report card known
3:43:36as the SARKC. I uh I'm pleased to report
3:43:39that MedSo City Schools has met this
3:43:42priority.
3:43:45Priority number two, which is the
3:43:46implementation of state standards. This
3:43:48is from a state supplied rubric. We use
3:43:52it to measure our success in
3:43:53implementing the aligned curriculum.
3:43:55There is an uh attached report to this
3:43:57presentation that you can refer to.
3:44:00Ratings are for ELA, EL, math, science,
3:44:03history, social science as well as CTE,
3:44:06health, PE, VAPA, and world language.
3:44:09Again, I report that we have met all of
3:44:11those priorities.
3:44:14Parent engagement, which is priority
3:44:15number three, is a measurement again
3:44:18using the um state rubric. We
3:44:22administered our parent engagement
3:44:24survey and utilized that information to
3:44:27uh inform decisions made for the LCAP as
3:44:29well as our outreach um services. Our
3:44:32parent engagement outreach department
3:44:34has held multiple meetings and the
3:44:36trainings throughout this year on a
3:44:37variety of topics. They have hosted the
3:44:40parents make a difference uh program and
3:44:42informational meetings as well as
3:44:44supported the sites in their parent
3:44:46engagement uh activities. The parent
3:44:49ambassador program continues to engage
3:44:52not only at the district but at the site
3:44:54level uh having made I know over 10,000
3:44:56individual calls this year. Based on the
3:44:59information that is included in this uh
3:45:01and the rubric, Modesa City School has
3:45:03met this priority.
3:45:06Priority number six relates to SU uh
3:45:08school climate survey. Um we do
3:45:11administer a climate survey to all of
3:45:13our students in grades 3 through 12.
3:45:15This information is used again in uh
3:45:18preparing the LCAP and the development
3:45:20of it as well as uh
3:45:23defining priorities for the next school
3:45:25year that we need to look at for our
3:45:27students. This year the survey in grades
3:45:293 through 12 had over 14,000 responses
3:45:32from our students in that information
3:45:34and based again on the information of
3:45:36the rubric we have met that priority
3:45:37from Eodesto city schools.
3:45:40Priority number seven which is the
3:45:42access to a broad course of study. It it
3:45:44requires that we have given that course
3:45:47of study to all students as prescribed
3:45:49in ed code and that all the students
3:45:50have access as um applicable. When you
3:45:54look at this we have a lot of varieties
3:45:55of supports within our programs. Example
3:45:58being the dual language program IB
3:46:00language institute extended summer
3:46:03school are some of the um examples of
3:46:05that. Based on this uh and what we've
3:46:08done for our grade levels that are
3:46:09required medicine schools has also met
3:46:12this priority.
3:46:13So when you look at the five uh specific
3:46:16local performance indicators that are
3:46:18not reported as part of the LCAP process
3:46:20specifically Modesto city schools has
3:46:22met the standard in all five of these
3:46:24areas.
3:46:26The next steps will be u after this
3:46:29meeting that we will report uh this to
3:46:32the California um school uh dashboard as
3:46:35per their requirements. I will put those
3:46:37in in the first part of July and I turn
3:46:39it back over to you president.
3:46:42All right. Thank you for that report,
3:46:44Mr. Hurst. Um, do we have any comments
3:46:48from the public on this agenda item?
3:46:53All right. Comments and questions from
3:46:54the board. We'll start with trust. Oh,
3:46:56we do have one. Okay.
3:47:01Good evening. My name is Philipe
3:47:03Alvarez. As mentioned before, um, I'm
3:47:05part of the high school council at
3:47:07Davis. I have been participating in the
3:47:09in the meetings uh, with with Steve so
3:47:13so many meetings. Um the only the the
3:47:18recommendation that I will request from
3:47:20the parents point of view is that
3:47:24some of the me some of the measures that
3:47:27you're receiving right now um could be
3:47:31better or should be like an like a
3:47:34committee to review this is these
3:47:36measures really are part of let's say
3:47:39for example the um
3:47:43the Paris Paris Ambass ambassador just
3:47:46is has been mentioned uh Davis there's
3:47:49no ambassador has been but he's not
3:47:52there um before it was mentioned that
3:47:55ELAC or DAC uh DAC is a functional
3:48:00committee but the ELAs in each of the
3:48:03schools um they don't even have a
3:48:06meetings when we did the school council
3:48:10uh plan uh it supposed that we do
3:48:13receive give comments or reports from
3:48:16committees. There's no committees at
3:48:17Davis. There's um there's no
3:48:19recommendations. Then um all the
3:48:23regulations that the state give us are
3:48:26are very clear and precise. But as I I
3:48:31have been recommended uh to Steve is
3:48:33that we need parents. We actually need
3:48:37to be trained because there's no
3:48:39training. parents that they show up to
3:48:41the meetings, they're they're there for
3:48:43some other reason. Then uh there's like
3:48:46a as mentioned before many of their
3:48:50recommendations that they're presented
3:48:52are by perception more than actually
3:48:55like more scientific data that we do
3:48:58receive from from you in order to you
3:49:01know to do to do better. It's my
3:49:03recommendation as a parent and I have
3:49:05been following this even Mr.
3:49:08Steve mentioned where do you get the
3:49:10time to be here? Well, because LCAP is
3:49:13important. Last meeting that I was here,
3:49:16I mentioned in regards to the um to the
3:49:19students that they have difficulty in
3:49:21reading. The state they already approved
3:49:25and a bill and has to be implemented
3:49:28next year. Then my question that I that
3:49:32I give to son I already have meetings
3:49:34with some administrators and saying what
3:49:36you going to be doing on relation to
3:49:38this bill that is necessary for students
3:49:41that they need assistance in reading
3:49:43abilities then uh and I see this
3:49:46association is there the plan is there
3:49:50the it has been presented in the cap do
3:49:53they have funds is part of the plan do
3:49:56the do the um um principles
3:50:00Are they aware? I have been asking to
3:50:02principles. They don't even aware of
3:50:04several things. That's my recommendation
3:50:06and my point of view from parents. We
3:50:08need more training. We need more
3:50:10involvement. Um and I have been even
3:50:13requesting that Moto City Schools talks
3:50:16talks a lot about parents, but we're
3:50:1930,000
3:50:20students. Oh, may I tell you? Yeah.
3:50:23Thank you. Okay. Thank you very much.
3:50:26Thank you for listening.
3:50:30All right. Trust trustee marks.
3:50:35Thank you. Um I just wanted to make a um
3:50:40notice something and then ask a
3:50:42question. I have to remember what my
3:50:44question is. But um the I noticed on the
3:50:47safety. So I really appreciated that it
3:50:51does the percents on this because it
3:50:53helps me understand better how we've
3:50:55done. but that the majority of the
3:50:57students reported feeling safe at
3:50:58school, 63%. So that was really helpful
3:51:01just to see the climate that's changed.
3:51:03And the teacher support, 78% of the
3:51:06students responded that their teachers
3:51:07believe they can do good work. That I
3:51:10mean those kinds of things are important
3:51:13to understand about our students and
3:51:15where we are. So that was grades three
3:51:17through six. It was still really high in
3:51:19um high school as well, but I do know
3:51:22that our students don't feel they're not
3:51:23as uh proud of their schools. only 28%
3:51:26responded that they were proud to attend
3:51:28the school that they were at. So that
3:51:30was disappointing because we've done so
3:51:32much work to change to change that. But
3:51:34um then they said 76% of the students in
3:51:39high school 7th through 12th grade
3:51:41reported that their teachers want
3:51:42students to succeed compared to only 5%
3:51:45who disagreed. So that was really good
3:51:47that the students know that the p the
3:51:49teachers care about them. They also feel
3:51:52uh valued. So I to me that was really
3:51:55that was a really uh good one. I think
3:51:58the question I had was oh we had uh low
3:52:02ratings on peer kindness and
3:52:04collaboration. Um so suggested a need to
3:52:07improve social emotional learning and
3:52:09peer interaction strategies. So I didn't
3:52:11know do we have a plan to do that? Does
3:52:13that go to a committee? How do we do
3:52:15that? I'm going to defer and
3:52:17unfortunately Mr. Herps is not here to
3:52:19respond to that right now but it's it's
3:52:21in his area. um what they're doing as
3:52:23the next steps on that. Okay, that's
3:52:25good because I realized that I of course
3:52:28I know we all voted no or the board
3:52:30voted no to take life skills out of the
3:52:33uh measurements of how our students are
3:52:36doing. And so I look at these character
3:52:38traits and I go, if we were just
3:52:39teaching these more than once a month,
3:52:41which it says in LCAP, we're doing it
3:52:42once a month. I believe it would help
3:52:45our students care more about one another
3:52:47and so and modeling that as a staff. So,
3:52:50I'm hoping we can change that, but I
3:52:52don't know what the plan is for that.
3:52:53So, thank you for answering that. So,
3:52:55that was my only question.
3:52:57Thanks, Trusty Brown.
3:53:02Yes,
3:53:03we appreciate the uh effort that goes
3:53:06into this process. I know your job's a
3:53:09difficult one and
3:53:12we appreciate your uh efforts on uh
3:53:16helping us try to stay on track. So the
3:53:19survey that was uh was mentioned
3:53:23do are the same questions asked
3:53:26year-over-year so that we monitor
3:53:27progress essentially. Yes, we did change
3:53:31um the provider of the survey this year.
3:53:33So there's a small hiccup but the
3:53:35majority of the questions were the exact
3:53:36same questions we asked last year. So we
3:53:39have comparative data behind the scenes
3:53:40that we can look at to see how we're
3:53:42doing. It would be interesting just to
3:53:44see, you know, where we're making
3:53:46progress and u so just that number about
3:53:51how how much uh they they're recognizing
3:53:56that their teachers are um
3:54:01or their appreciation for the the
3:54:03efforts that the teachers are making on
3:54:04their behalf. It would uh be great to
3:54:08know how that compares with the
3:54:10responses we got in previous years. Get
3:54:12that information for you.
3:54:15Thank you.
3:54:18All right.
3:54:19Any others? Okay. Thank you for that
3:54:22report. Um I think you're staying up
3:54:25there for our next one, which is our
3:54:27approval of the LCAP.
3:54:33Excuse me. Let me get to that.
3:54:37So again, good evening everyone. Uh I am
3:54:39here now for the presentation of the
3:54:422526 local control and accountability
3:54:45plan and looking for approval on that
3:54:47plan. The LCAP is a three-year plan that
3:54:50describes the goals, actions, and
3:54:52services as well as the expenditures to
3:54:54support positive student outcomes that
3:54:57address the state and local priorities.
3:54:59Again, there are eight state priorities
3:55:01of which the outcome of the local
3:55:03indicators is also required to be
3:55:04presented at the boarding meeting in
3:55:06conjunction with the LCAP adoption. The
3:55:09LCAP is aligned to our Modesto City
3:55:11School strategic goals as it was
3:55:12presented at the June 9th public
3:55:14hearing. The LCAP was again developed
3:55:17through a collaborative process with a
3:55:19development and involvement of a variety
3:55:21of educational partners. The LCAP
3:55:23advisory committee as well as the
3:55:25district English learner advisory
3:55:26committee or DAC have reviewed the plan
3:55:28and provided input as required by law.
3:55:31Additionally, the plan has been reviewed
3:55:33by the Santaas County Office of
3:55:34Education for compliance. Community
3:55:37input from the public hearing was also
3:55:39reviewed. The LCAP plan addresses all
3:55:41five of our Modesto strategic goals and
3:55:44has actions and services identified to
3:55:46help meet those goals. Some of the
3:55:48highlights of the plan and review are
3:55:51full day TK and kinder social emotional
3:55:54supports and services, MTSS, expanded
3:55:58remediation and enrichment
3:56:00opportunities, team teaching for
3:56:02algebra, increased college credit
3:56:04courses, support for adult education,
3:56:07support for English learners with a
3:56:09specific focus on long-term English
3:56:11learners, supporting professional
3:56:13development and leadership development
3:56:15for our staff. the parent ambassadors
3:56:17program to uh help increase parent
3:56:19engagement. Technology supports are
3:56:22embedded throughout maintaining our
3:56:24school facilities as well as providing a
3:56:26safe environment, recruitment and
3:56:28retention with an employ focus on
3:56:30employee wellness as well as having a
3:56:33fiscally and operationally sound
3:56:34district. The LCAP plan presented today
3:56:37has all the proposed expenditures
3:56:39related to providing these actions and
3:56:41services and correlates with the budget
3:56:43adoption that is also included for
3:56:45approval this evening. We are requesting
3:56:47that the board approved the 2526 local
3:56:50control and accountability plan. Just
3:56:53one side note to you, the 20134 LCAP was
3:56:57a total of 19 pages. The LCAP that you
3:57:00have tonight is 194.
3:57:07that I'll turn it back over to you, the
3:57:08president asked us. Um, thank you for
3:57:11that statistic. Uh, it's remarkable. Um,
3:57:16are there any comments or questions from
3:57:18the public? Comments from the public.
3:57:29Once again, Philip is um
3:57:35um
3:57:36something that um I know is difficult
3:57:40because you have a huge amount of
3:57:42documents and we parents are the ones
3:57:45that we're dealing with the every day of
3:57:47education of our children. But something
3:57:50that I have been observing in your board
3:57:52is um the timing. This this district has
3:57:57154
3:57:58years old. That is interesting. It's
3:58:01more
3:58:03a century and a half. The situation is
3:58:06um maybe I try to project to you my my
3:58:09my mind on relation to demographics. the
3:58:13demographics on in relation to the
3:58:15people that we're serving that um 65% of
3:58:19the students from K from K to six 65 are
3:58:25Latinos 50% are Latinos in high school
3:58:31and I know we had to two district you
3:58:33you can talk two district at the same
3:58:35time then what I'm talking is about
3:58:38demographics I'm I'm listening to your
3:58:41comments And something that I that I see
3:58:45is that you talk about language uh learn
3:58:49um to be able to understand Spanish or
3:58:52some other language. But when I was
3:58:55serving in
3:58:57a committee at the U in Standard Laos
3:59:00County, we developed a program that is
3:59:03called uh cultural competency plan.
3:59:06Cultural competency plan is not just
3:59:09translation is is to be able to serve uh
3:59:14the the needs of a community depends in
3:59:17the area in which is then what I'm
3:59:19talking about here is in the area
3:59:21administration of some other areas that
3:59:24they can in which they can you can
3:59:26enhance to the students because of the
3:59:29diversity that we have at this moment.
3:59:31We can be talking about specific uh
3:59:34goals, goal one, goal two, goal three if
3:59:37I'm satisfied or not. But I see a lot of
3:59:40progress in the last two years that I
3:59:42have been involved in this committee. I
3:59:45I see a lot of progress. I'm very I'm
3:59:47very pleased with with your work
3:59:49especially with the English learners
3:59:51almost a thousand students they were
3:59:53reclassified and you if you will see the
3:59:56data of u the achievement of the
3:59:58reclassified it improves tremendously
4:00:01what I seen does this data what I can
4:00:04provide request to you is that pay
4:00:07attention to this uh cultural competency
4:00:10plan is a it's a it's not a new idea
4:00:14because the county already Some
4:00:16departments they already are in progress
4:00:18with that. It is in regards to who you
4:00:21are serving then and listen to us as a
4:00:24parents because we're the one that uh
4:00:26we're taking care of our kids at home
4:00:28with your assistance
4:00:30and we're here to support you. Thank
4:00:32you.
4:00:36Any other comments from the public?
4:00:40All right, we'll start with the board.
4:00:42Trusty Marks.
4:00:44Sorry, I wasn't here last last time. So,
4:00:47I have these few things. Um, thank you,
4:00:50Mr. Herps, for um Mr. Herbs, sorry,
4:00:53first for getting Sorry. And I'm on jet
4:00:56lag still. So, um, for getting that
4:00:59information for me on the percents that
4:01:01I was I wanted the percents, but it's
4:01:04not done that way. Correct. Um, so I'm
4:01:07going to make a general comment. I do
4:01:10believe this is way too cumbersome. If
4:01:12I'm a parent and I want to know how the
4:01:14district's doing, this is ridiculous. I
4:01:17mean, I have to wade through 140 pages
4:01:19or whatever, however many pages it is
4:01:21and then try to understand it. So, when
4:01:25I evaluated other districts to give them
4:01:28awards with CSBA, I got to view a whole
4:01:30bunch of LCAPS, which was fascinating to
4:01:33me to see, oh wow, you don't have to do
4:01:35it like this. So, um, theirs were
4:01:37smaller. Some of them had only like 20
4:01:40pages, which we started with 14. They
4:01:43were able to, of course, they were their
4:01:45boxes were pretty small, but they had
4:01:47their goals on the side and then they
4:01:48had the percent of students. So, to me,
4:01:51as a board member, I want to see our
4:01:53students making progress. I want to see
4:01:56how we're funding that in LCAP. Like if
4:01:59I want to see K through three increasing
4:02:01in their reading and math levels by 3%
4:02:05every year, then I want to see that I'm
4:02:07only at 25% this year. Well, I want to
4:02:10be at 28% next year. I want to be at 30%
4:02:1231% the next year. So, as a board, how
4:02:16do we change this?
4:02:19Unfortunately, the template that you
4:02:20have is required by the state and is
4:02:23controlled by the state board of
4:02:24education and is updated every single
4:02:27year. and they've continued to add items
4:02:29to the template. So, I'm trying to
4:02:32figure out how those other districts did
4:02:33it because theirs are in these little
4:02:35skinny little boxes and they had the
4:02:37question and then they had their little
4:02:39chart. They had a chart in it. So, maybe
4:02:41they took this information and put it in
4:02:43a different format. That could be
4:02:45possible, but the format you have is
4:02:46what's required by the state to be used.
4:02:48And I know I remember being on the
4:02:50committee when we were trying to figure
4:02:51this out from the state level and asking
4:02:53how can we make this parentfriendly and
4:02:56I don't think it is. So, um, I'll have
4:02:58to take that up with the state, I guess.
4:03:00So, thank you.
4:03:04All right. Any other
4:03:07comments from the board? Okay. So, I'm
4:03:10looking for a motion to approve the
4:03:14local control and accountability plan.
4:03:17Um, I see a motion by Trusty Iran.
4:03:22I hear a second from Vice President
4:03:25Mahia.
4:03:28All those in favor to approve the LCAP
4:03:31um say I. I. Any opposed?
4:03:36Um
4:03:38can we have a reason for the nay?
4:03:40Absolutely. I no longer trust the
4:03:42district or the way that they're
4:03:44spending the money and so I'm going to
4:03:46listen to the public and vote nay. Okay.
4:03:49So motion passes uh six to one with um
4:03:56the one name being trusted daily.
4:04:01That'll move us to our uh D5 which is
4:04:04the budget approval of the certification
4:04:07of 2526 budget.
4:04:09Mrs. Early. Thank you President Mestas.
4:04:12Good evening trustees. Um there is no
4:04:15formal budget presentation tonight as
4:04:17the budget uh public hearing was held on
4:04:19June 9th uh two weeks ago um with a a
4:04:23very detailed PowerPoint presentation uh
4:04:26regarding our proposed uh our proposed
4:04:29budget for 2526. The only change tonight
4:04:31in your packet um includes the
4:04:34supporting schedules as required to be
4:04:36submitted with our budget much like what
4:04:39you just heard from Mr. Hurst. Um, we
4:04:41have the same templates that we have to
4:04:43follow uh in what we what we present um
4:04:47as part of our budget. Ours is only
4:04:49about 150 pages. Um, a little little
4:04:51smaller than his. Um, but all of our
4:04:54required schedules are now part of
4:04:55tonight's um a part of tonight's
4:04:58approval process. um our projected
4:05:00budget and multi-year projections
4:05:02support um that our district is
4:05:06projecting to be able to meet its
4:05:08financial obligations for the current
4:05:10and subsequent two years. Um we are
4:05:13proudly recommending approval of
4:05:15certification of the 2526
4:05:17budget for all funds and authorization
4:05:20to transmit copies to both local and
4:05:22state agencies. All right. Thank you,
4:05:25Mrs. Early. Are there any comments from
4:05:27the public?
4:05:29Thank you for sticking around.
4:05:36I will get your own words. You have to
4:05:40make these reports parents friendly.
4:05:44Parents friendly.
4:05:46I mean basically how we can elaborate an
4:05:51a precise question or an intelligent
4:05:54question if we do not understand that
4:05:56data the way is presented
4:05:59how you expecting my information if you
4:06:02do not provide me information in a
4:06:04proper way you we're not talking we're
4:06:07not talking with the whole board and
4:06:09also with your administrators I need to
4:06:12have meetings with personally with each
4:06:14of them I have questions with the site
4:06:17just for an example with my site school
4:06:19council plan I had a question the
4:06:22director the principal cannot get me a
4:06:25question then I had to bring uh
4:06:29Steve I had to use him I'm sorry Steve I
4:06:31had to use Steve and and sit down with
4:06:33Steve and the principal in order to gain
4:06:36questions to to get those questions
4:06:38answered I think that's unfair because
4:06:41the money belong to our students then if
4:06:44they give us title and 500,000 close to
4:06:48500,000 to provide more services
4:06:52um ways to to increase the knowledge our
4:06:56students we have the say how we want
4:06:59that money to be spent then that's our
4:07:02responsibility that's why I'm sitting
4:07:04there and that's why I'm asking
4:07:06questions I called him to the meetings
4:07:08he has been very nice to show up but
4:07:11that's not the way we're not
4:07:12communicating we're not communicating
4:07:14right Now this is the second largest
4:07:18employer in the county second
4:07:22and we have hundreds of millions of
4:07:24dollars. That's why I'm calling you to
4:07:27all of you to think in a different way
4:07:30because we have more close to more than
4:07:33150 years the demographic fix has
4:07:36changed. You guys have to serve us
4:07:38because we are your community to serve.
4:07:41then let us help us but you help us and
4:07:45give us the proper information. I
4:07:47mentioned in this committee uh when when
4:07:50I when I have been in this LCAP that we
4:07:53answer the questions by perception
4:07:56by perception. That's not right. We
4:07:59shouldn't be answering those questions
4:08:00by perception. Last week I once again I
4:08:04present that is a there's a need for
4:08:06reading. We had to identify the kids
4:08:09that they have reading disabilities at
4:08:13the early stages. the state of
4:08:15California finally recognize that give
4:08:18gives to the the um district's direction
4:08:22then the person who handles the money
4:08:25the person who handles the programs the
4:08:27administrators they had to come out with
4:08:29the program and we parents we had to see
4:08:32that actually is working
4:08:35but give us the information in a proper
4:08:38manner let us work with you
4:08:41thank
4:08:47All right. Thank you for sticking
4:08:48around.
4:08:50Okay. So, hi, my name is Silia again.
4:08:52Um, I wanted to speak in regards to
4:08:56Okay. So, I was able to listen to the
4:08:59comprehensive
4:09:00um detail that was going on for last
4:09:03meeting for some funding issues. And so
4:09:05I did have a question in regards to as I
4:09:08mentioned earlier in public comment
4:09:09which I was not supposed to. Um about
4:09:12the AB28
4:09:15um and I'm just curious why it is
4:09:18$791,000 that we're going to be paying
4:09:21for one year. Um is there allegations
4:09:25that are against our school Modesto City
4:09:28School District as it is? Is it because
4:09:32we are such a large district? I'm just
4:09:35not understanding like this is going to
4:09:36be a daily thing and I do understand
4:09:37that none of you guys are saying hey we
4:09:40got to do this insurance like this is
4:09:41ordered by the state of California right
4:09:43and so I think like being able to
4:09:46present this to us and more than just uh
4:09:49this is a $791,000 expenditure that is
4:09:53being put on a slide and giving us a
4:09:55detailed reason on why it is so
4:09:57expensive would be really helpful. Um, I
4:10:00did also notice in regards to the budget
4:10:02that 70, I believe it was 76% of special
4:10:06education funds are going to be coming
4:10:08from a general fund. And what is that
4:10:10going to look like if funding is going
4:10:12to be revoked with current orders that
4:10:14are coming from presidencies to the
4:10:17state of California? Are we going to be
4:10:19wasting money? And are we going to be
4:10:21losing money on um, special education
4:10:23programs, which hold near to my heart
4:10:25because I do have a student in special
4:10:26education. Um, as well as I had my
4:10:29student was in special education and did
4:10:31not get qualified with Modesto City
4:10:33Schools. As I mentioned earlier, I am an
4:10:35employee in two capacities for Modesto
4:10:37City Schools, but I am very grateful
4:10:39that my student is not in the school
4:10:42district because you guys felt he didn't
4:10:44qualify when in fact he did when he
4:10:46returned to his home school of district.
4:10:48So, and that being said, are we really
4:10:50looking at
4:10:52the students? Like yes, I hear we're
4:10:55looking at the students and I've heard
4:10:57tonight a lot of you say that this is
4:11:00about the students and I do see how
4:11:02every student matters. I see how that's
4:11:04important. That's why I like working
4:11:06here. Also because of you guys taking
4:11:08care of your employees, right? This is
4:11:10one of the high page paying districts,
4:11:13right? But are we looking at the
4:11:14students when it comes to the familiar
4:11:17settings and saying, "My student has
4:11:21these things going on for special
4:11:23education, but I'm being told that, oh,
4:11:25it's maladapted behavior." So, at the
4:11:28end of the day,
4:11:30are we looking at the students? At the
4:11:32end of the day, I hope that you can
4:11:35bring an answer to us on why we're
4:11:38paying $790,000
4:11:40um a little bit more than that to us
4:11:44parents and the community and what are
4:11:46we going to do if we lose federal
4:11:48funding. Thank you.
4:11:50Thank you. Um could probably get some of
4:11:53those answers for her at some point. Um
4:11:57do we have any questions or comments
4:11:59from the board? Trusty Marks,
4:12:04I had two questions. We're deficit
4:12:07spending $16.4 million a year. Is that
4:12:10correct?
4:12:11I saw it on um unrestricted general fund
4:12:14summary that's projects the total
4:12:16operating deficit. Maybe it's a deficit.
4:12:19Are we deficit spending it? We are
4:12:21deficit spending. Okay. Um projected for
4:12:23um budget year and the two subsequent
4:12:25years. Okay. So when we do the
4:12:28unassigned balance that the combined
4:12:29balance it shows in 2728 that we will
4:12:33only have $4 million in that
4:12:37that is unassigned. Correct. We still
4:12:40maintain the um 6% reserve um which is
4:12:433% more than um district Right is
4:12:46required. Okay. So that's the lowest
4:12:48number I think I've ever seen on our
4:12:50district for the 27 years I've been
4:12:53here. So, I know that's disconcerting,
4:12:56but I know we're going to have to make
4:12:57some adjustments and that means make
4:12:59some cuts, I believe, for the next
4:13:02couple years just to make make sure
4:13:05because we have cola and we have all
4:13:06that that adds into that. So, okay, that
4:13:09was a comment. I do have a question. I
4:13:12just I don't know if it can be brief or
4:13:14not, but is it easy to answer the AB218
4:13:18about the $791,000
4:13:20because I wasn't here last board
4:13:21meeting. Is it easy to answer that for
4:13:23the why is it for the lawsuits?
4:13:27Yeah, I mean we um we went into that in
4:13:29in detail. It had its own um slide for a
4:13:31reason uh and the public hearing because
4:13:33it is um it is an amount that we have
4:13:36not seen at this level yet. Um it has
4:13:39nothing to do as I mentioned um two
4:13:41weeks ago. It has nothing to do with
4:13:43claims against us right now.
4:13:46uh prior to 2018 um we were part of we
4:13:49were part of the school excess liability
4:13:51fund um currently we're with nor um at
4:13:542018 we went Keenan or Norcow relief um
4:13:57so prior to it's the any claim that may
4:14:00come about prior to 2018 um we are we're
4:14:03part of other districts across the state
4:14:06of California is what's called the JPA a
4:14:08joint powers authority and so um as a
4:14:11member of that JPA um we own all of the
4:14:15liability um for that JPA. The JPA has
4:14:18to remain whole. Um and so what they do
4:14:21is they they they have what's called an
4:14:23assessment. This is our assessment three
4:14:26um for our district. It is based on the
4:14:28size of your district. Um so what
4:14:31they're doing is they look at um there
4:14:33is a evaluation done um uh from the JPA
4:14:38that looks at what's the current
4:14:39liabilities and what could be in the
4:14:42future. they've they give us an
4:14:44assessment to their member districts.
4:14:46Although we're no longer a member, we
4:14:47still own those um those potential
4:14:51liabilities. And so that's what that is
4:14:53for. Um and this is we haven't seen an
4:14:56assessment this size. Um this is
4:15:00assessment three as I mentioned. Um
4:15:02there's no guarantee that assessment
4:15:03four will be the same amount. We just
4:15:05have to wait until we see that um from
4:15:08the JPA um annually. So, it's almost
4:15:11like a reserve just in case. Yes, that's
4:15:13how I'm looking at it. In order to keep
4:15:16in order to keep the trust Yeah.
4:15:18solvent, right, that makes sense. So,
4:15:21thank you for taking the time to share
4:15:23that with me tonight. I appreciate it. I
4:15:25was trying to get through that whole
4:15:27five hours of board meeting and I think
4:15:29I missed that part. So, I apologize for
4:15:31that. Well, it's new. We haven't as I've
4:15:33never seen it before. Um, as I mentioned
4:15:35two weeks ago, um, we've never had to
4:15:38present that during, um, our our budget
4:15:40proposal. Y Well, thank you. Yeah, it is
4:15:44unfortunate, but I understand it's
4:15:47because of state law.
4:15:50Thanks, Trusty Daly.
4:15:53If I'm remembering correct from the last
4:15:55meeting, we get approximately $10,000 a
4:15:57year for students TK six. Is that
4:16:01correct? That's probably low. Um but but
4:16:05yeah, it's it's in the 10 to $12,000
4:16:08range. I I'm choosing the lower side and
4:16:10kind of an easy because math is not my
4:16:12forte. So, um I will be voting no on
4:16:16this. I'm letting everybody know now
4:16:17beforehand because we spent $30,000 on a
4:16:20curriculum that on the bottom end, if a
4:16:23thousand if a hundred students drop out,
4:16:26and I'm doing my math correctly, we will
4:16:28lose a million dollars a year. If a
4:16:31thousand students are pulled to
4:16:32homeschool, we will lose $10 million a
4:16:35year. So, I will be voting no on the
4:16:38budget.
4:16:42All right.
4:16:44Any other comments from the board?
4:16:47Okay. Um, do I hear a motion to approve
4:16:51certification of the 2526 budget for all
4:16:54funds and authorization to transmit
4:16:56copies to local and state agencies?
4:16:59Okay. Uh motion from Vice President
4:17:02Mahia, second from Trustee Irvin.
4:17:08Okay.
4:17:10All those in favor say I. I.
4:17:14Okay. Any opposed?
4:17:16All right. Motion passes six to one with
4:17:18the one name being Trusty Daily.
4:17:23All right. So, uh, are there any items
4:17:25to be placed on future board agendas?
4:17:29All right. Do you hear a motion to
4:17:30adjurnn?
4:17:33Moved by Vice President Mahia, second by
4:17:35Trustee Marks. All those in favor say I.
4:17:38I. Any opposed? No. Passes unanimously.

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