NJUHSD BOARD MEETING 3-8-23 NOTES and PAI Statement

NJUHSD BOARD MEETING 3-8-23 NOTES 

(and PAI Representative, Judy Wood, Statement Following)

The overall impression an observer gets watching this board at work is that they have created an echo chamber: every administrator, counselor, teacher, and board member is on the same page. There will be no diversity of opinion. Also saw a huge amount of “love-bombing” of students, how important their voices are, they are the customers (Nelson). Of course the students were preening.

Notes on the Meeting: (See Board agenda)

H3—report from Kelly Rhoden, principal of NU.

1. The WASC team observes NU this coming Sunday-Wednesday

2. Of their 5 goals, student learning is #3 after culture and communication;

3. Rhoden peppers her report with “evidenced based” and “data driven”—data mining our children (surveys).

H4—NUSTA strongly supports 5145.3—says it supports students

H5—Frisella reports school has been closed 7 ½ out of the last 9 days due to snow. These days will probably not be made up.

H6—Geoffrey Nelson, the new trustee, was on the SAELS board. Amelia Glaz, student trustee, worked to write the microaggressions policy (along with Ganskie) and made a heart-felt plea for its passage.

H7—LCAP Report by 3 students: of the 1178 replies to the LCAP survey, 882 were from students, up a huge amount from last year. Turns out the survey was taken during school hours—more data mining.

I10 and J—the two financial presentation by Kayla Wasley, Chief Business Official, were impressively concise and focused—no word salads. The district is running a $1.6 million deficit.

J—The debate class is being cancelled—only 5 students. Recommending this be turned into a club. Is this something we should pursue?

K. Policy 5145.3—Harassment and Microaggressions

1. Lisa Turbough, Director of Equity and Inclusion for the AAUW (American Association of University Women) gushed her praise for the policy and urged its acceptance.

2. Judy Wood (me) argued against—and my speech is attached. It was met with guarded hostility.

The trustees then spoke: Nelson has a gay son and another transgender child. He recounted bullying of his children and said this policy was only a small step toward creating a “kinder, gentler” world. He sees the schools as agents of social change. Both Johnson and Nelson lauded the efforts of students, identifying them as the customers. I was going to bring up the dog food analogy—“students aren’t the customers for education any more than dogs are the customers for dog food. Whoever pays the bills is the customer.” However, I didn’t want to offend anyone.

Reporter—Judy Wood, March 9, 2023

Judy Wood's PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD 3/8/2023

Policy 5145.3 (Microaggressions)

What is the role of a school board? According to the California School Board Association (CSBA), “The role of the school board is to ensure that school districts are responsive to the values, beliefs and priorities of their communities.”

Nevada County is an American community with American values, beliefs and priorities. Policy 5145.3 is a socialist policy, totally antithetical to American values. Three socialist features of the policy stand out:

1. This policy organizes students by groups and identifies each student according to their group affiliation. It says microaggressions is a “negative attitude toward….marginalized groups.” By contrast, Americans believe all humans are created equal and all humans should be judged as individuals.

2. Americans have traditionally sought to create strong independent children by teaching them Victor Frankel’s message from his great book “Man’s Search for Meaning”. The message? The quality of your life will depend on how you choose to interpret what happens to you. You have the freedom to choose your perceptions and your response. By contrast, this policy encourages students to blame others and embrace victimhood, thereby making them weak and dependent.

3. This policy jeopardizes freedom. If you want to control people, create numerous and vague rules, as evidenced in this policy. Beria, Stalin’s head of the KGB, famously said: “Bring me the man and I’ll find the crime.” That’s tyranny and that’s exactly what this anti-American policy creates.