Speial Board Meeting October 25, 2025

0012.1 call to order. The president will call the Parish Union High School District study session to order at 9:13. Please rise the pledge of allegiance. >> Do we have a flag? >> Put your right hand over your heart. Ready? Begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Well, thank you everybody for being here on this Saturday morning. We know everybody's got busy lives, but this is extremely important. Um, okay. Okay. So 4.1 invitation to address the board of trustees on any agendaized items. Public comments. >> There are no public comments. >> Thank you ma'am. No public comments. So we move on. >> And 5.1 board roles

002and responsibilities. >> Is that a Compton mug? cap. But we have >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. >> Put me on that list. >> You're right. >> And it's a Yeti. It's a good one. >> Oh, yeah. >> Here. >> I thought this was one here. >> Wait. You think so? >> No, that's >> Oh, okay. Speaker. All right, then. No problem. We have to just uh put this in manual. >> Wait, it's fine. You take it down. Yeah. All right. I need that one by me too. >> Oh, I left my other phone out. >> That person business. >> All right. Thank you. >> It's too developed. >> Mhm. >> And then they were stated brothers. You don't even know there's legs. >> I want to go to because I don't know the normal places. I've

003been shopping at the big boy store in LA. >> Oh, the garment district, >> you know, when you first get into >> Yeah. You can see the putter cont. >> All right. >> Good morning, folks. >> Good morning. >> Pleasure to be with you this morning. the president had asked and wish I had a click this I'll move around we'll just kind of go move about um the president asked when I put this together to really jump into the roles of the board and superintendent and we have Wi-Fi can we also play videos okay cool cool video all right so we're going to we'll jump right into uh this presentation of effectuating governance and of course there's a a subsequent subsequent module that we can deal with in this next succeeding weeks or months depending

004on the board schedule. And so norms for professional learning discussions, you know, what I'd emphatically encourage, pause, paraphrase, do ask open questions, presume positive intentions. Often times when we're working in teams or working in groups, we make an assumption that we're either being attacked or we're attacking somebody. Let's assume positive intent. Okay? So everybody's on one accord and we're trying to get to an understanding, right? Be aware of intent and own your impact. Sometimes we say things in training sessions or board meetings and we don't necessarily realize the reverberation or the power behind those words. You know, remember that old phrase, sticks and thorns may break my bones, but words will never hurt. Biggest lie ever told. >> Biggest lie ever told. My mother can get to me by calling me a couple names. I'd

005rather her just beat me. All right. lean into discomfort. Some of you are new to the board, new to the district. Some of you have been around a while, right? The sheriff's jeopardy, he's in school today, right? He's learning and he's getting a good breakfast. That's right. Expect and accept non-closure. So, we walk out here today. Hey, look, I'm no panacea. We're not going to get all the questions answered, right? And you may not ever get everything answered, okay? But the reality is when you're working in teams, let us accept elements of of of discussion and discourse that might be a little bit nebulous, might be a little bit unclear, and then let's work toward a solution. May take some months, but let's work to a solution. Mr. President, >> you know what? Um, so

006really quickly, just because now I think everybody knows uh your experience, could you just briefly give us your quick bio on kind of your role and what what who you are because I think it's you're multiaceted, wear a lot of hats. I I thank you. I've been on Well, I just go with the political stuff first. I've been on the competent school board for 18 years, president 13 years. Uh as a matter of fact, when I arrived to the board, property values, my mother bought a home. She bought several pieces of property, but in one instance, she bought a home when I first got on the board. Bought the home for $170,000. The house is worth about $900,000 a day, almost a million. We attribute a lot of that to the growth of the school

007district as well as all the investments made into our facilities. Same super has been there 14 years. I've been the president 13 years and the board has shifted but we've been able to maintain the board has been able to really maintain a strategic vision and framework around student achievement for all students black and brown. and in particular the work we've been able to do around sped students which has been unparallel our sped graduation rates and graduation data bar none right well when you look at when I arrived there we were nearly headed for fiscal insolveny and state receiverhip again we hunker down button up put our differences aside now now look I'm I'm going to be very very candid with you cuz there's no cameras in here some of my colleagues hate my guts and

008I'm okay with that and I don't like them either. But you know what happens? There's a symbiosis that exists when we work together. The super we cuss each other out. I mean we cuss. I would never cuss you and I but but we cuss. He drives and he lives right the corner here right in Paris Union High School District over in unincorporated Paris off of Alice was Alisandro in the 215 here. >> And he drives to Compton every day. He makes that drive every day because because guess what? He believes in a mission. He drives past damn dog going on near 100 school districts >> to get to count right every day. That's a lot of commitment. I couldn't do it straight up. So we're not we're like a husband and wife, a husband and

009husband, you know, whatever you like your business. But it works. My colleagues, it works. the staff, it all works because at the end of and we're going to talk about some of that down the line. It's not that we're doing anything different, anything special. We all know our lanes. We all know our lanes and we respect the roles of each and every individual within the organization. As a board president, sure, look, look, I'll be straight up. Hey, I got a buddy want to get hired. If he's qualified, why not? Not a big deal. But guess what? That's rare. And they got to be qualified and they got to go through the process. So there's a way to play the game. You can color within the lines. We're not so straight lace to where, oh no,

010you know, it's my way or the highway. It's our way. It's our way. And if the soup says, look, man, I want this carpet blue cuz I like blue. and the board says, "Well, you know, we want it red. What's in between, right? Let's find a common ground." Or sometimes not even a big deal. Hey, I don't really care. Paint the house pink purple, whatever you want. But when it comes down to hardcore instruction and fiscal decisions, man, we're born in the Same direction. And again, you ain't got to love the neighbor. You got to respect the mission, >> right? >> So, when it comes down to politics, we're apolitical. My board is far more conservative than you. You guys are. Some of y'all Republicans. Far more fiscally conservative because we know what it looks

011like on the other side to have been under state receiverhip before I got there. But we know what that felt like. In addition, raises. We want everybody to have a little raise. So everybody making enough money, want everybody to prosper, right? It all works when the board allows the data to drive the discourse. And it's not that you trust the soup and trust the staff, trust the process. We're all fallible. But again, if the soup is getting phenomenal results, hey, I do your job. He's up in Sacramento. He's up in Pebble Beach right now lecturing with Tony Thurman uh at the the Legislative Black Caucus. They have an annual event up there. They're lecturing around urban education and confident in particular some of the things we've been doing. They want to benchmark bills and so

012forth. Somebody, hey, you you don't want to go with me? Why? It's not my man. I don't want to travel with him. I got my own woman. You know, I don't want to go with the soup everywhere he goes and do what he's doing. We pay him to do that. We pay him to represent. I do my political stuff. He holds it down. Again, it's a symbiosis and and it's the entire board. I got a board member who's on the board right now who's also city clerk holding out two seats. >> Wow. >> The law allows it. Another story. >> I got one running for the assembly. She got on the board with the intent to run for the assembly. I'm cool with that. She's LA Unified principal, USCP, EDB. Hey, I'm cool, man. Everybody

013has an aspiration. Let's help everybody get to where they want to get. I don't have any more aspirations to run for higher office. I want to do what I'm doing in Compton, and I want to do this work, which I do nationally. I work with school systems across the country. I mean, literally, I was on a plane this week. I think I was in uh you know Annapolis, Maryland, DC meeting with superintendents around around some of this stuff and and superintendent search stuff and some other other matters legislatively and New York and some work at the DOE there in Miami and big conference in Philadelphia. So I'm I'm all over the place and I and I'm been very uh been a trusted partner of superintendent captain and boards around the country because of the work

014that we've been able to do. my team and I, but specifically the results that we've been able to get people put the superintendent in Fort Worth, Texas, Latina, I think we might have been first or second in the history, the board fired her. The state just took it over because she's not there. Had she been there doing her job? State just took it over. You Google it. Fort Worth, Texas. Horrific, right? And so there's examples we've been able to put folk of color all over the country in superintendent positions. Doing the search in Seattle right now do the work in Oakland. Just picked up Oakland the other day. And so again, been very proud of this work. By way of education, I went to Cal State Dominguez. Came out of Lynwood High, went to Alabama,

015Dominguez and Loyola, Marana, master's degree in education, leadership, school administration. um spent most of my years in commercial development, residential development and aerospace and defense. Worked at Rathon and Boeing in engineering management for years. Two decade. Yeah. Two two decades. Yeah. Left there to run the LA County Office of Education's foundation. I've been working in education public policy and education uh advancement and transformation since since then. So that's kind of sort of the quick quick pitch, you know, got a beautiful woman I'm with and we're cool. We have a great time together. Like cigars and tequila, you know, I like this stuff. All right, so going to jump right into it. All right, so this is this exercise I really wanted us to uh to do. We have any we have some paper and and

016what I'd love for you to do is is we can it's really self-explanatory, but I'll just quickly go over it. Draw a map with a winding road that symbolizes your life >> on a piece of paper. Yeah, we got some paper here. Yeah, this is great. Mark milestones along the path using labels and images or symbols, right? include key events and achievements, challenges and turning points and then we're going to share and discuss your life map with the group. So for example, my life map would be uh you know born at St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood. So I'm strictly hood right St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood right in Compton parents divorced. Uh that wasn't really a similar moment right because my had a big family big village right so like you know love my dad

017he's dead now but he wasn't like missed cuz it was like a huge family around like and then you go on meet a mentor mentor talks about real estate investment got into that education got into that how did I run for the board got into that so these are these events that become seinal moments milestones in your life >> okay >> you the Bernie platform of who you are, why you are, why you do what you do. And it have to be long, but there's there's a story behind each and every one of you here, right? And how did you like, for example, I mean, I talked to the president one time, he's from West LA, well, the reality is this. Had he stayed in West LA and bought a home in West LA, he'd

018be a millionaire, right? We got a board member here as a law enforcement. So which fire chief, right? Just >> fire department. Yeah, >> fire department. >> Okay. But he's all the way in Jersey. So how do you get from Jersey? How do you get from Jersey all the way to Paris of all the places? His mother's in Englewood, right? So there there's all these stories of how this all happened, right? Let's let's unpack that. Give yourselves about 10 minutes or so. Lay it out. 15 minutes. Maybe 10. See where you go. You ain't got to get too personal. Just some things you want to share publicly. You wouldn't mind, you know, uh, the Washington Post writing about Mr. Garcia and he has a bald head. How do they get that bald head? You know,

019>> well, you know, it's a process. >> Yeah, trust me, I know. But take a want to know one. piece of paper. Careful. Should be able to do that. Yes, If you think you're ready, we can we can begin. All right. Okay. Who would like to go first? We'll go with the newest board member. >> Ladies first. >> Well, hold on. Who's the youngest? >> Chuck. >> We don't talk about gender or race. We're going to go with age. >> All right. >> I've already got halfway through my life, though. Um, just a quick summary, I guess. Um, I was born in 1986 in LA. Um, my mom was born in Mexico. My dad was born in LA, but his parents were born and raised in Puerto Rico, so Spanish or they were So, my

020dad's Puerto Rico, but >> Okay. >> My mom is Mexican. >> They met at work. Um, >> I hope it wasn't her supervisor. >> I'll leave it alone. >> No. Um, my mom, they got married. Um, she became a citizen. She she learned English when she came. She came at 16, so she knew English. Um, >> uh, my dad, we live with my grandparents. >> My dad had addiction problems when we were young, and he ended up leading him to a Christian rehab center in Paris. So, we that's how we found out about Paris. And then he came back. It was like a I think he stayed for I want to say I don't know. It was a It was a time though. I'm not sure how long but um we he got a job

021opportunity at was called guidant which is Abbott now. So we moved to Tmacula and then he just did very well from there. He got raises promoted um which led to buying our first house in Paris. So that's how we ended up in Paris but still worked in Tmacula. And I had a very good childhood. I I never felt poor. I never felt like in me. My parents always provided. They were um very Christian- centered home and along the line uh my dad relapsed and it feels like from there it kind of everyone's life in our family kind of spiraled and got pregnant young. Um so I started my family young but I still did I finished high school. I wife I got I got pregnant after high school. So um when I found out I

022was pregnant I did a pharmacy tech. It was a quick got to do what I got to do. So me and my husband both did that and then um on my last year of school I had my son and then we both did our internship. So I'm newborn internship um we finished that and then we got jobs right away which paid very well. So we were able to move out. So I experienced moving out, having a new, he was like 6 months old, having rent, being an adult allin-one. So I kind of had like a mental crisis and figured out a lot about myself then. And then eventually, you know, you just grow up and you learn what you got to do, what you got to do. And then um my husband and I got

023married and I think I was really self-centered for a long time. I didn't realize that and then it kind of brought a lot of problems that I thought were everyone else was a problem and I never realized like hey you could be part of the problem too and I had um my husband and I were about to split. I think a lot of it was I just was very self-centered so made him the problem for a lot of things and then I found out I was pregnant when we were about to split and um it was triplets so that I was I was very headed up on my career and that was kind of like a okay you got to turn turn around. So that made kind of forced me to settle down with the

024home life, which I hated. I hated being home. I hated I I hated just being home. I like being I like working. I like I just needed to be out of the house doing something. And >> So Wait, you had triplets? >> I had triplets. Yeah, I had two and then I had triplets. Were a big surprise. >> Yeah, I bet. >> All right. >> Yeah. So when I had them, I was it that was a really big turning point for me because I had to stay home. I had to learn how to be um a mom cuz I really wasn't present. I was a mom, but I wasn't present. Um and then when I saw them growing up, it kind of hit me like, "Oh my god, I missed this from my first kids,

025the walking, the talking, the just the first steps." And I I I kind of went on a journey and then um I found a church. I gave my life to Christ in between all that. And then I found a church. That church ended up being very cultlike. So when I left, it took me to a journey of critical thinking. I didn't really I didn't even know what critical thinking was until after I left there. I was like, what happened? where my mind where is my mind broken that I was able to believe these crazy things and not even challenge them or question them. So it was a journey of like self-reflection and then a journey of critical thinking and then um that was and then after that it was just really God who are you

026what's true what's not and then I kind of went on my own journey. I was like, you know what? I'm tired of of believing people. I want to go seek the truth for myself. And then I started seeking. It was more of a spiritual journey, I guess. And throughout that, I went back to school. Um, I never really went back to work full-time. I just really locked in on being, okay, I'm going to focus on what's what's my responsibility, which is my children, my husband, and my home. That's what I'm held accountable for. And I went into that, and I was falling in love with it, honestly. came and now I'm here. So, I still work part time. I'm still taking care. I guess I'm just doing a little bit of everything right now and

027kind of letting God open doors and I'm like I'm tired of trying to bang my own doors down. Lord, you open my doors and let's see where they go. >> How old are the triplets? >> They're 12 now. >> Yeah. It's been a journey. >> Jeez Louise. 12. Three 12 year olds. Like, boom. >> Yeah. And they're all boys, so they keep me on my toes. >> All right. Well, thank you. Thank you. And thanks for the courage. >> Yeah. Most most people are not willing to >> be as open. So that that shows a level of trust that she has with this this group here, the colleagues. Who would like to go next? Or we'll go with the dean of the board. We'll go with the other new person. >> Who doesn't? Uh so

028yeah, I was born uh 1970 in Elmani. >> So from LA out here uh born into a Christian family. Um I was uh named after my grandfather which brought my mom and my grandfather really close. So that's uh is a um special to me you know. Uh so graduated in from Laente High School in ' 88 played baseball gave it all 110% uh one of the you know we were in a a very Hispanic area Hispanic and black area. So, uh, one of the few white guys that came out of it. >> Yeah. Um, yeah. My uncle's church is on Aaron Unreal. >> I live right around the corner. >> My uncle's church is right there right now. Aaron >> Hun. I have an older uh half brother that used to date a girl that

029was there. >> Yeah. >> Back in the day. You got the donut hole, In-N-Out. >> Yep. >> All that right there. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> You can't say plenty. You got to be 20. either quent or quent. >> The whole country black folks said plenty. >> Yeah. >> Uh you know I got uh got married young at 21. Uh my dad was a heart patient all my life. So uh we played catch twice because he was just unable to do you know physical things. So I spent my life on his lap watching westerns, his army tales, you know, that kind of stuff. Uh, so let's see. Yeah, got married young because I wanted I didn't know what my health would be. So I wanted kids that I could go and coach and play and do

030all the things that I wanted to do with my dad but couldn't. But when you get older, you look back, those were the best times to just sitting there talking, you know. Um, so got married at young early. Uh, started working at CentOS in '96. Um, still been there or I'm still there. Uh, June will be 30 years that I've been there. Been up management and all over the place in there. Um then uh took on my son or uh well my son my nephew who was 6 months old uh my sister was just going down the wrong path. So uh we took him on and he's 31 now. Um and we were just married maybe a year. So to usually I you know I'm pregnant you get that going into it all those feelings

031we just was like okay here's a 6 month you know that couldn't sleep because he had to have either the bottle in his mouth or in a swing because that's how my sister traveled. Uh so then yeah got with the cents. Uh my dad ended up passing away. So that was uh oh well my first son was born then uh my dad ended up passing away from congestive heart failure which was a shock because every time he got really sick and then he would pull out of it. So it was really devastating. Um then I had my next two daughters after that. mom passed um complications of uh breast cancer and uh we uh then we're married for 18 years. We had a falling out. We end up getting divorced. Oh gosh, when was that?

032I don't know when that was. But then um you know, just diving into my church life and what have not. I met my wife um which I had to sell myself because when we got together we realized oh wow she has three and I have four kids so there's seven of us >> and she's like and that's what she said. She's like no we can't do that. So I really had to sell myself and um it paid off. So you know we're we've been married for over 13 years now. Um, and then just going to helping her out at her school cuz she's a kindergarten teacher in in Manip and uh seeing the struggles she she would go through of not being supported, you know, with just, you know, she's been there doing it for

033her life and she sees a kid that needs extra help and to get that without being able to say it, you know, um, is really tough. So, it's tough on her, you know, and tough on a student. And then it re brought me back to my my two kids that had IEPs and getting uh uh speech therapy. And it was the kindergarten teacher who brought us our son. She goes, "Look, I can't tell you, but I'm going to tell you. You know, you need to get your son checked. His motor skills are off." And he was our I mean, I had my nephew at the time, but he was our firstborn. So we just okay, you know, he did kind of move around a little bit different and so we took him in because she

034has their mom has a MS on her side. So we thought, okay, maybe that's something that's going in that route. Had them all checked out, which was a very hard road to go down. End up his eyes were uh in a socket run. So they had to we had to go down to UCLA and they had the eyes eye eye center down there. They had to detach and reattach his eyes because they were misaligned and he would kind of like walk and and look at things, tilt his heads. He he couldn't do this um couldn't tie his shoes at seven cuz he just couldn't do his motor skills. >> And we find that we found that out because we took him to the eye doctor and the eye doctor put prisms in his eyes glasses

035and he went straight and just was normal. No. Really? >> Yeah. And uh so for him to go through all that, all that time, oh my god. So then we had the surgery, but we're still dealing with the district on, you know, he had dyslexia, which I have it, my brothers have it. Um but they would not treat him or give him classes unless he was two years behind in reading or something like that. And I'm like, that makes no sense. So his mom at the time was doing all the paperwork cuz she was a stay at home mom. They call me at work and say, "Look, we have another program, blah, blah, blah." I'm like, "All right, that sounds good, but let me check with my wife." They took that as a yes and

036changed his program to something that was less uh effective for him. So I was just like, "Wow." And you know, so seeing that my daughter going through speech and what my wife deals with, you know, um got me into the board, you know, talking to people and what haveot and uh you know, with my customer service that I've had with CentOS and and management and you know, I don't want parents and teachers to have to struggle like that. They shouldn't have to. And so this is why I'm sitting here today. >> You know what's funny about you? You took out an incumbent. >> Mhm. >> A long-standing incumbent. >> So that that says a lot about you and this community, right? Cuz he's been here what 14 years. >> Uh three terms. >> Yeah. Three

037age 12 years. And it was just, you know, for me it was telling that story when I would because I did all my door knocking by myself. Um I unfortunately it was I've been out for two years because of uh rotator cuff surgeries on both shoulders. So and for me it was you know God put me in this place and for the because you know it's always a purpose. >> Oh yeah. And so I had the time to walk during the week and not have to rush after hours after work or, you know, weekends. So, and that was just, you know, I try to live by what I put on that that door knocker on, you know, a lot of people, you know, we put safety and we put all that stuff on on our

038door knockers when we're running, but we have to live by it and come to this stuff here and promote and and do what we said we're going to do. >> Absolutely. >> All right. So, we have to go next. >> I'll go. >> All right. There you go, Mr. Garcia. Uh, I was born in Hawaiian Gardens in 1980. >> And another LA guy. >> Yeah. Uh, when I was five, we moved out to Rubido. I grew up in Rubido most most well as a child and teen. I, uh, got caught up in the street life because I was from LA, born in LA, I was already labeled, you know, >> and getting tested. >> Yeah. Because in Rubido, if you're not from Westside, you're trash. You're the enemy. And uh I got labeled, got into

039some trouble, got sent back to LA by my parents >> cuz my friend was murdered. >> Uh man, you know, when you talk about these things as adults, sometimes like just makes an impact on you. You start digging like absolutely. >> So So I apologize. That just threw me off. I didn't expect that. >> Um everybody, so I ended up getting kicked out of Rubido High School. I told you about that. And I went to uh No, noa Vista. Nova Nova. I get confused out here too. Nova Vista where the principal was also our counselor, Mr. Hutchinson. He actually died of like brain cancer, I believe. >> And uh he inspired me to join the ROP firefighting program. >> So I did that. I graduated from there. Uh what else did I do? What else

040did I do? And you So I had to live life. You know, my parents were like, "Hey, get your stuff together because you're getting kicked out." So, you know, I got a job. I liked it. Then I got a job here in Valverie next door. And my life changed. You know, everything you're young, you think you're cool. You know, September 11 happened and all my buddies, they're joining the military. I enlisted in the Marine Corps. Didn't make it. I uh I had at the time my kid's mom pregnant and uh because I was enlisted in the Marine Corps and didn't think I was going to come back, she aborted the baby. that that just jacked me up. >> Jacked me up. So, they they put a freeze on it and I never went through with

041it after that. And then uh then I ended up having two kids later on the road. What else? I Oh, because of Mr. Hutchinson though, you know, he kind of opened my eyes. He was like, "You need to do something with your life. You know, you have a story to tell. You know, see my friend murdered, seeing all the drugs and gangs and all that stuff cuz that that was just the way it was. you know, you constant drivebys. You think I'm exaggerating. I don't know what you guys have gone through, but in our house, you know, if a car was going really slow or really fast, the the neighborhood, they'd whistle, right? And everybody knew to drop down. >> And so, it was like routine. You heard the whistles, you drop down and lay

042on the floor and you know, then you hear gunshots. You know, it was not too far behind Club Metro. I don't know if you're familiar with that area. >> And uh you know about that. Oh, he knows about Metro. >> He does. And she does, too. >> She had a moment over here. Wait a minute. >> I remember something. >> Yeah. Um I I've been through a lot, you know. I've seen a lot. You know, God intervene in my life many times. I should be dead numerous times. Sorry y'all. But he changed me. You know, just working in the district around kids, you you don't realize what happens, but you get attached. I didn't think I liked kids, to be honest with you, when I was young. And I have kids and I love them

043so much. I love our students. People don't know I have my story and I'm trying to help these kids not end up in a situation I was in. And I had multiple bad situations. So because of Mr. Hutchinson, I was inspired to do things that I wouldn't have done to step out of the zone that I was that I've only known. So I had to think outside the box. I uh like I said I went to college at Everest College in 2005 2007 graduated with the business administration degree. Um and after that I actually um got involved in the union. That's where politics came into my life unexpectedly cuz you know I was young. I thought I knew everything, you know, and I ended up becoming an ignorant activist because I thought fighting was the

044way to go. And I learned over time fighting isn't the way to go. You know, you could have a conversation and break down barriers tremendously, even over a meal. That's why I always say that stuff. You know, even with the enemies that hate you and want you dead, you could sit down and have a conversation and bring peace to the table. And I've learned that over the years. And I I ended up being the president of the union and I've learned so much. I seen, you know, unions have power, but they don't have the power. And if you want to make a change, especially in students lives, not just your colleagues lives, you have to consider the higher ups. You have to work your way up there. And sometimes, you know, building relationships is great,

045but when you're up there and you're seeing things from a different perspective and you come from a different perspective, as they say, the bottom of the barrel, you get to see the world in a different view. Now, now you get to see every perspective. And maybe not every perspective, but a good portion of it. And that's where I realized I needed to be to make real change to help everybody cuz if employees aren't happy, kids aren't going to benefit. And that's our future. I realized that being in the union, you know, yes, I love kids. Yes, I want them to succeed. But I realized the bigger picture. They are our future. Do I want a a mechanic to be my brain surgeon? Not having the knowledge, not having the opportunity to go to school. I

046didn't have the opportunity to go to college. I had to put myself through college, you know, because I got inspired by someone and figure out how am I going to come up with this money, >> right? >> Which loans come into play. But ever since then, I've been motivated. You know, there's a lot of things that happened in my life I didn't mention um a lot. Uh but I I definitely have a passion to help people and I believe and you know, I like that you guys brought up that you're saved, too. I'm saved. >> You know, uh you were talking about your scripture. I got a favorite one now. It's called I am saved. >> Nice. >> Yeah. And um anyway, bringing all that to the table now, you know, I'm a lot older.

047I'm 45. But everybody has a story. I want to hear everybody's story because we could learn from each other and we can make real progress. It doesn't have to be politically driven. As long as your heart's invested for what's right, I think we could uh achieve >> miracles. Yeah. Next person. >> Mr. So, uh, my parents immigrants from Mexico. Dad had a second grade, fourth, second grade education. Mom had a fourth. Um, my dad was a gardener. And very early on when he would take me to work, I knew I didn't want to be a gardener. Um, I didn't want to go to school either. And I didn't want to get get a degree. That was for sure. Um, but my sister, she she signed me up. She was an athlete, but back then, girls

048being in athletics wasn't was frowned upon, especially by Hispanic culture. So, she was kind of suppressed in in doing that. And so, she didn't want uh me and my brother to do that. So, all of our friends played, you know, organized baseball, but our parents didn't have the cash. So, she was working and she decided, hey, you know what? I'm going to sign you guys up for baseball. So, she did. And I excelled. You know, it was I I I always tell a story of my I have three loves. My first love was baseball. So, >> I excelled. I was good at it. You know, I just I I I that's all I thought. It was just baseball, baseball, baseball. Um, so anyways, that kind of led me through high school. Um, and then in

049high school and in college, uh, the greatest advice I'd ever been given was by my coaches. Unfortunately, my dad, Hispanic culture, at least mine, I can't I can't blanket everybody. But my parents didn't really start having conversations with me till I was like 18 and an adult. And it was kind of like, you know, you're a kid and what you have to say doesn't mean anything, right? And so I inside I was I had like this I don't want to say rage, but I had this like, you know, like what about me? Cuz they'd always tell me you have to respect us. I'm like, "What about my respect, you know, as a little guy?" And they're like, like, uh, calm down. So, anyways, um, that kind of, uh, baseball baseball just drove me. Um, good

050and bad. You know, my coaches, you know, in in high school, we played at Dodger Stadium, we lost. In junior college, I went to LA Harbor, we were state champions. Uh, at Pepperdine, I blew my arm out. We were national champions. So, I've always had great coaches of every color, and it didn't matter. They just were great coaches. So they probably had a bigger impact on my life than than my dad did because and my mom would always say Miho just you know you're upset cuz you lost you know can you just you know why do you want to play baseball get you so and I'd be like mom like what are you saying you know what I mean like I don't because she didn't want to see me in pain and you know when

051I lost that was like the worst thing in the world you know I mean winning was fun but losing was like devastating and so she'd always just tell me you know why don't you just give up the game and be like mom like what are you that's like insane you know and so anyways I followed that I followed my coach's path because I I did I made so many poor decisions in high school. I was a terrible student. I had a, you know, a file like that big. Um, and so I I learned, you know, that wasn't the route to go. So, finally my coaches said, "Steve, you need to quit being an idiot." And, you know, I know you want to be a pro baseball. I got drafted in high school by the Phillies.

052Um, they said, "I know you want to play pro ball, but the reality is 1% of 1% make it to the big leagues. So, you might as well get a degree and um, you know, go from there and make a difference some other way." And so all the coaches that I had all produced coaches. So they were coaches who taught us the love of the game and the impact it had on us that we went out and became coaches. And a lot of my my teammates are now college coaches. They're high school coaches. They've been involved in the system in the process. And that I did that for the first part of my career until I got involved in like the political side and what was going on in education and I got involved in

053the unions and I realized that the system was broken. So for me it was um it was uh you know struggling the seeing the different things going on that our our voices teachers were never heard especially me as a PE teacher you know I mean it was one of those just like you guys are like not a teacher >> you know um but you know and we didn't fight that battle and I decided to do that and so you know fortunately with with my coach's influence you know I went to Pepperdine got my bachelor's degree got my master's degree got my credential and then I just kind of taught you know for so many years just kind of I always worried about the kids. Um, and that was my primary thing. I never got involved

054in stuff. Um, but you know, I realized really quickly that there's there's there's an impact you make every day as an educator. You know what I mean? For me, I know some people went administrative route. I, you know, I've been in middle school 30 years. I've never left middle school. Um, and and I realized nobody wants to be a middle school teacher. You're either an elementary school teacher who gets bumped up to middle school. I wanted to be a high school baseball coach because I wanted to impact young men and uh like like the coaches that I had. And so I wanted to be a high school baseball coach, but they I had a buddy that was a coach of mine. Saw him one day and he said, "Hey, you want a job? Come to

055my school, you know, Hawthorne." I said, "Sure." I I went there to meet the principal, I left with her giving me a position. I was just like, "Whoa, I wasn't ready for that." Um, oh, and I need to back up. It was funny. So, when I got drafted, I remember the scout telling me, you know, cuz I was like, "I don't know." You know, I I don't I'm scared. You I think it was Betavia, Illinois. We're going to fly you out on Saturday. gave me the date and I was like, "Wait a minute. I graduate on Thursday and you want me on a plane on Saturday?" I realized I was a mama's boy. I'm like, "Who's gonna fold my clothes? Who's gonna feed me? Who's going to do what?" I mean, all that stuff ran

056through my head. Um, it was crazy. Um, and then and then another thing I didn't So, I graduated, but I didn't walk. I was like a I I wasn't a good student. And so it was funny because the first graduation that I went to here at Paris Union, that was my first experience at a grad I mean I graduated from college and that was like you know I I went to my Pepperdine uh bachelor's didn't even go to my masters one everybody didn't go and I'm like for what like you know I had the one but the one that probably was the most important to me was high school cuz that's all my buddies I remember I'm sitting outside of the stadium I'm hearing names called >> and I'm just like no way like I'm

057sitting out here I made a mistake I was late to practice 15 minutes >> and they basically said if you're late, you will not walk. So, you know, I kind of like learned like uh that was probably I should have I should have been there, you know what I mean? But it cost me a lifetime. So, I remember the first graduation that I saw here, you know, high school was just like wa like this is really cool. Um it was like my first graduation, you know, I mean, but I was on the other side of the aisle. Anyways, um going back to the system, um you know, I and that's why I'm big on the programs because when I was in Hawthorne, we had the freedom to do things back in the day. You know,

058I drove kids to Pepperdine. We took them there. They got to see the experience. Um I would take them to USC volleyball games, the basketball games, UCLA football games, all these different things to expose them to a completely different experience that I didn't have. And uh you know, as time has gone through, buses are tight. like we're taking all that away in public education, which really sucks because those are the things that kids remember. You know what I mean? Um it's funny because I there was kids that I took in Hawthorne uh that went to those football games and I think three of them graduated from from UCLA and and they they said that experience was like they saw the band and the whole thing is really cool. So I think that kind of stuff

059is great. Um now then I got married. Um that was my second love. So first love was baseball, second love was my wife. Uh had kids, family that like in in that order. >> well, my first one was baseball. I didn't I didn't know, but shortly thereafter, you know, I met my wife in high school. >> I'll never know you said, but okay. >> But she, you know, so she's she's my second love. Um, and then, you know, we had a family and then kind of like everybody else has shared, my third was because of my family and my wife, I found my faith, which is my third and I believe my greatest love because that one encompasses not only me but them. and it covers them if you know I properly have done my

060job. And so for me it it's extremely important you know that those three things happen and they all happen for a reason. It's kind of weird you know I kind of sometimes think well I wish I was that kid. I kind of wish that I was my son because my son got the benefit from our relationship and our family life. And so now you know he's he's he's a teacher. Actually two of my three kids are teachers and uh he's actually going to be a missionary. And so it's tough for me because it's like, you know, my kid's going to go off into the world, but we kind of trained him to love people, you know what I mean? Hey, you love people and you'll be fine. And so that's the kind of kid he

061is. Um, so I I I wish that I had that kind of life that he had cuz we my wife exposed me to camping and and the outside world. And so I thought, "Wow, this is going to be great cuz I want to expose our kid to traveling and meeting people and, you know, tasting different foods." My wife's very like, you know, I'll only have this, this, and this. And I'm just like, let's try everything. You know what I mean? And so the kids kind of got that part. Um, but you know, now that I look at that and I think, you know, normal is an interesting word because everybody's normal is a different normal. And you don't realize how like, you know what, and I always and I try to tell my kids that,

062you know, and and and and it's when they become adults, they come back and tell you, you know, dad, you know, because we had this, it was normal to us, but we noticed that not all kids have that, you know, and and actually one of them was was insurance. Um, and I said, "Yeah, I mean, I got a broken finger, you know, from playing baseball. Didn't have insurance." So, I didn't go get it checked. It just kind of grew a little funky. Um but you know that kind of led to all this and so a lot of the things that I do are from that perspective to try to um let parents do what they can with their household and their kids but at the same time if if there's a lack or something lacking

063and we can provide an opportunity a program of this or that then that's why I think we're elected to do this to make sure that experience is is best with them. And then finally, and this is a completely different love, but uh I'm a grandpa now, and it's uh it's completely different. >> Mila was crying last night. I don't know what time in the morning. I went over there. My daughter's like, you know, half dead and holding the kid. And I just grab her, you know, as soon as I grab her and pick her up, she kind of just goes limp and, you know, I pat her on the back, she we both go to sleep. But it's just that's the next stage in life. So that's it. >> All right. Last but not least,

064the dean of the board. >> Oh, >> the longest he's longest serving member, right? He's the dean. >> Okay. >> Um, I was born in 1959 at White Memorial Hospital. So, in LA, I am the old guy, but I've been through a lot. Um, I went to eight different schools in four different states before graduating high school. And every school you went to had different challenges. Whether it be the um you had to fight or you had to uh just find your way around the school, just make friends. You lost all your friends every time you you moved. Um >> so I went to Catholic school. Um lived on Fifth Avenue and 59th. >> Uh I went to Catholic school on Crunchaw Boulevard for elementary school. my kindergarten days, which I don't count much. I

065went to a public school over on 54th Street, I think. Um I went to um school in Richmond, Virginia, which was um back in the 70s, and I went to Mosby Middle School. And it was um it was strange. It was back in the days of busing >> and they were busing in I didn't get bus out of the school. They were busing kids into the school. They were busing the the suburb kids into the inner city kid schools, >> which coming from California, I said, "This is like a cruel thing to do to people because they were scared to death and people were taking advantage of them." And I said, "This is this is just torture." Every day they had to get on that bus and come to that inner city school. Now in

066Virginia, the schools were dilapidated back in that day. They were hideous >> and you know they were trying to correct the system and you know that the whole busing thing was going on. So I left there went up to New Jersey where my aunt we used to spend summers in New Jersey. I we we would go from LA to New Jersey and spend our summers with our my great aunt and we'd go to Connecticut. We'd go to uh Pacific Palisades. We go to New York City cuz we live same place where I would end up living. You'll see in the end here. Um so we were really well traveled. I mean, I rode the super chief train across the country with my grandmother because she got a railroad pass because my stepgrandfather, a very violent

067alcoholic, was a railroad man. So, >> my grandpa, >> he was extremely violent. Nicest man in the world till he drank. >> He had a better alcohol, you better run because he's going to throw a hammer at you and he's going to do something. >> Yeah, I'm about the hammer. Good lord. >> Yeah, I remember I could still see that hammer spinning. >> Oh my goodness. and it hit my grandmother's car, the window. And the car had that jelly stuff and it shattered right in my face, but the window didn't shatter >> and then she pulled off. I I forget where we went to my mom's. >> My mom and I have a really strained relationship. Um, so that's that's been hard. She moved us around so much it just upended our life everywhere we

068went. My mother and father were divorced when I was 10 years old. My mother did not want her kids. I was told I'm the revenge baby cuz I said, "Why did you have more kids? Why did you stay with my father?" And well, you were a revenge baby. She's 89 now and probably the meanest woman in my opinion. She'll be nicest in the world to you guys, not me. >> I just buried my brother in April and we still don't get along. I can't even hand her the flag that my brother had. She doesn't even want me to come see her. I'm just honoring her wishes and just whatever. So, I ended up in New Jersey from Washington State. Drove from to know I'm skipping around, but I went from we were going to Mosby,

069not Mosby, uh, Louis Pastor in LA, and we were becoming the Crips and the Bloods were just starting out, >> right? So we were in our blue bomber jackets and her afro out the ear and the gloves and the the everything and we were becoming cry. I had buddies pulling up in stolen cars and all that stuff. And I myself got kicked out of school for carrying a weapon. >> In the school we had deputies way back there. You had to protect yourself and I knew from moving around trouble was coming. It's just a matter how it was going to get there. And with me, it happens. I I just went in the wrong bathroom and I shouldn't have been in that B. I knew I said, "Why did I go in there?" And then

070you end up in a big fight and all this and I dropped the knife and then they went and said, "Hey, he had a knife." I never used it or anything, but I got kicked out of school. So, I'm serving my suspension and I'm riding around on my dirt bike. Hey, I don't have to go to school. I'm Mr. I'm the man and I work at the liquor store cuz I'm I had a job at the liquor store. Always worked. Always had a job. So I before I knew it, my mom says, "Pack the bags." And we ended up in Washington State, the rainiest, darkest, black people were pale cuz the sun don't come out. And it just rained and rained and rained. And I said, "I hate this place. This place." But then the

071sun came out and it turned out nice. So I learned the city and the bus system wherever city I lived in and I found my way back to the ghetto where I belonged and I was partying and it was like hey then we moved out of the suburb down to the ghetto and I was like I'm fine. My brother wasn't with that. He thought we were rich because my mom worked for this company selling wiring cable to Boeing. So, we lived in a company house and had the pool and the cars and all that, but >> I didn't like I didn't like it, you know, and the people were very they just weren't nice. They weren't they weren't mixing. There was a lot of military. There was a lot of um just racial animous at

072that time still. And I didn't realize that was just the beginning of my my life. So anyway, moved from my senior year of high school. Uh my mom pulls us out of school. My brother had gone crazy a couple of years earlier. And that'll come in if I can speed this up. Um he had schizophrenia. It came out. He ended up in the hospital. My mom sent my dad. My dad sent him back and never did anything for him. I didn't talk to my dad for a couple of years for for what he did. He he had the health insurance. My dad was a postman in LA for 35 years. >> I used to come out of his little bachelor apartment and see him running down the street cuz he always lived on his route.

073So he'd be running down the street delivering the mail home by 10:00 in in the um morning drinking a beer and taking a nap and then go back and check out at 3:00. So he he had it down. He was he was in the army. He was in the military. Every member of my family was in the military except me. and I I did it in a different way. So, uh, I went to Jersey, graduated, I I learned, met people, actually knew some people from the summers I spent there, so I got a job in a print shop. Jobs were very hard to find at that time. Um, I I can't say exactly what the economics of the country was, but I couldn't find a job. So an old guy came, friend of my aunts

074who was u my great aunt sent me over to this company in East Orange. East Orange used to be the the capital of insurance back in the day. It was like where all the New York City elites lived and caught the train into New York, but they lived in these high-rise buildings with doormen and all that, just like New York City still has. But the city took a dive now when I went on uh well I don't want to skip that far. Uh, so I went with this engineering company. I learned I went in the print shop at $3 an hour. Got my first raise first year. I got $310 an hour. I was like, "Oh, this is this is this is great." Okay. Terrible. I I So, I always had two jobs. Um, I

075became a driver and I would do 10 stops in the city, then go through the the tunnel and then hit Kennedy and then hit the uh the Belt Parkway and come back around and be back in Jersey. or I saw I had to go to Trenton or something like that. I would do a deal with consulates and um electronic equipment in New York City. I drop off passports counselors to be um stamped so they could go overseas. This was international engineering company. They were so I went from print shop to drivers to that was the maintenance manager. Then I became a procurement manager for Rosen House air base which never got built when they killed Sedat and they were trying to send me to Egypt at that time. So there was an old guy at

076the desk. I think I told you all this story. He used to show me his retirement check and I said, "Hi Charlie, how do you get that check?" Old guy. And he told me, "Go take that test, kid." And he showed me that that retirement check. said. So, I went and took the test and I was actually on the list here to go to LA County, but I couldn't make it back in time. So, I took that test. The department got caught up in the Justice Department because they were depositing our applications in the trash and hiring whoever they wanted to. And they got caught by the Justice Department twice >> and they had to go back and give people their jobs. Uh, this is back in the days. This is 1983. This is back

077when affirmative action was still in place because um basically a lot of the civil service jobs, you just couldn't get in. I mean, it was very difficult and New York City is probably still like that at this point right now. But anyway, so I hung around the far that that job, the Lewisburg, the International Engineering Company for seven years. I worked there. Worked my way up to the top. Um then so Charlie was showing me that check and I said, "Well, I'll take the test." Took the test, went down to the practice sessions, was running 3 miles a day, lifting weights, and came out number 17. And at 17, they still had to make the cuts. You had to pass the background check, which was your life. They wanted everything you did. everything and told

078you filled that out and here you go and left out the stuff that couldn't prove. >> But anyway, got on the fire department. My training chief, he was one of the milestones in my life because my training chief became my tour chief when I went on on my actual tour. So I knew him from he trained me. So when I the next level, he was my tour chief. So he trained me again. Then I made captain. He trained me again. Then I was slated to make deputy chief and I ended up out here because my dad had lymphoma for 15 years and he had retired, moved out here. I didn't know where this place was. Had no intention of coming here. And I liked it out here. It was quiet. It was nice. Um it's

079grown so much since. a lot of good to it, but I don't think people see what I've seen in inner city life. You know, I think there's a you see neighborhoods go up and down and you see the elderly get try to stay in their homes and then get put out of their homes. That's was the situation where I ended up in New Jersey because my aunt was up in her 90s, my uncle Carl died. She could no longer afford to live in her own home. So, we went to that's why we went to Jersey. uh a vacation, took my family all over um the east coast and and back here the west coast. Uh because I wanted them to see everything and I worked quite a bit. Um a lot of overtime and um

080just it would wear you down. Plus, I had I I thought I was going to get rich property-wise, so I bought a lot of property, but it ended up the property almost did me in because it was a lot of work maintaining it. And the taxes, that's why I tell you guys about the bonds. Be careful. You keep raising those taxes. That is what will kill your city and will it's it's spending money you don't have. It's spending money your constituents don't have. So, you have to be real sensitive to that. Oh, they could take another $15. Well, something there's a line there somewhere. So, we I'm kind of cognizant of that. So, I also built a house in South Carolina. I was going to go there, but I came here instead and walked away

081from sold my brand new house sitting on the pond. Big mouth bass and the whole deal I was going to do. But it it was okay. I came home so it wasn't bad. Um, grandkids, too. I have two two girls, one six and 110. Now they're getting big. And it's I really could feel for you, Steve, when you were telling your story because the kids do changes. >> It changes our whole way of being. And it's amazing because where we weren't able to show love, all of a sudden you've got unconditional love that you're willing to give. and you know that that your grandkid needs you. So, you know, you're able to give your kids the love they need to support their family, but you're able to give those grandkids and and and be there

082for him because I I was gone a lot. I think that's why I've been married 37 years cuz I wasn't there. Well, you know, I was not far away, but I was always on an engine or a truck or, you know, the 911 thing. I was at 911 on the second day. I've seen a lot of tragedy. It's it sits back here in my head somewhere. I I try to pass on safety things to some people, but sometimes people have to step in that hole themselves. You can't stop everything. Um I was also uh I also worked two jobs. Had a landscaping business. Uh and I was a professional drummer for a while back east. We had a band. I was the >> of course the band leader and the manager and everything for the

083band and we were firemen because we were firemen. People hired us especially after 9/11. They wanted these firemen to play and we had some military in the band too. So I was always busy, always had a gig or overtime or something. Played ball constantly. That's why probably a lot of the aches and pains firefighting, >> I used to recommend it to people. I do not recommend it anymore. If you knew the pain, you would say, "No, no, that's not for me." If I could just put it on you for a minute, you'd say, "Oh, okay. That's not I don't want to do that." Um, so that's about that's about it. And and I worked for the school district for what 10 nine and a half years. Met Dr. Ralph Pennotti years ago. He was an

084administrator. He was influential in my life. Um and uh and the principal at the time was Dennis Bixler. He was very influential. I I was >> Dennis Dennis. I know Dennis. >> You know Dennis? Yeah. He said he knows. Yeah. And a lot of people would see something in me and see how far I could go and and and put they weren't scared to put the responsibility on me. So, uh, they knew I was honest and and they didn't have to worry about anything like that. I've had a top secret security clearance with the government because of the engineering job I had. >> So, I I've spent time training people for a couple of months in DC. Funny thing, those people, Harington County Fire Department, I trained and we promoted became the people at the

085Pentagon on 911, too. So, there was something about that day. I I today I still get chills and I say I just stay in the house and and I don't go anywhere and I don't it it's it's so fresh in my mind. I know other things have happened and life moves on. So >> um it's it's nothing about anybody else. It's just about me. My cousin said you you have some kind of PS what is that post-traumatic stress? >> So I looked at him. Was that an insult or did I do something wrong? >> I said yes I do. Yeah, I suppress a lot of stuff too and I I've seen so much that I I want to share um just like the trustee position what we we we do now. I was a trustee

086in in departments union as a as a captain. You had to be a captain or above to be in this particular union and we uh that union was very tough as was the regular fireman. It's very tough union. um didn't always do the right thing, but it was it was a tough business. So, I I totally understand what where our mission is. And for me, serving here is able to serve my community, do something for the students because remember many of my days I spent also riding in parades and going to the schools and they'd bring out the classes and we'd put them in the seat and they'd hunk the horn and some would cry, some would love it, you know, some, you know. So kids have have been always in my life working at

087at Heritage High School. Just being able to look at the kids and say, "Okay, this one needs more attention." You know, someone you could see it. Don't come from the inner city. You could see it. You know it. You know what you're looking at. And nobody's going to fool you. You might say, "Okay, well, you know, let's give him the benefit of the doubt." But why doesn't somebody let's see if he's interested in something or he or she let's let's see if they're >> interested and try to point them the right direction and had some success with that because they would send kids to us for uh you know to work around the campus if they were in trouble or something and I would talk to them I don't care what you're here for so

088we're going to do this and we can talk along the way and a lot of them took it quite seriously what I what I said and went in the service uh a I I wanted to become deputies and different things like that. Um so it it I could see the kids were very moldable and it's our job to do that >> and if we don't share what we know, it's it's a disservice. And the last thing I'll I'll say is becoming from my age group, families hide most of their secrets and won't even warn other family members about some of the pitfalls that they stepped into. It's like they don't want don't want to relive it or something. I I don't know. But anyway, >> for me, I I I just love life. I love

089the ups and downs. That's part of life and that's that's the way it goes. So, >> all right. So, >> we'll go to the cabinet. Dr. Higgins. >> Hi. >> Okay. So, I am the oldest of three on my mom's side and second to the youngest out of four on my dad's side. Um, so I met my dad 10 years ago on Facebook. So, I got to meet that side of the family. Um, and got to spend the last 10 years with them before he died of cancer. But, uh, growing up, it was just, uh, the oldest, uh, with me and my sisters and grew up in Alhhamra where I was born. Uh, Alhamra used to be um one side of the tracks in Monterey Park was um if you're Asian and the other side

090of the tracks were if you uh were Hispanic and um my mother uh married my stepfather when I was one and he was he was from Mexico City. So we lived on the Hispanic side um and that's where where I grew up and was uh >> that's that's interesting. I would have assumed that. >> Yes. Yes. Monterey Park. I never would have made that assumption. >> Oh, no. No. >> And it's Asian now. >> Yeah. Yes, it's it's Asian now. So, I grew up in Alhamra. Um uh Catholic school baby. Uh and so a big turning point was um later uh when they divorced uh in in junior high. It was my first time. We moved to West Coina and went to public school. And uh I didn't have like regular clothes. I only have

091uh church clothes on the weekends. So, you know, I walk in I walk into school in my dress and my stockings and heels um every day. So, I fit right in. Let me tell you, in public school, I had to um I So, I grew up with uh in public school with uh uh first time ever going to school with um kids that look like me. And uh the black kids would say that uh you talk white. I didn't understand what that meant, but you know, my private school, it was just my sister and I, her last name was Chavez, so it was mostly like me. Um and so I didn't know what that meant. I would go home and I say, "Mom, they say, you know, the kids are very nice. They say, you

092know, we talk white." and she said, "Oh, that's just because I stuttered as a child and a white woman taught me how to speak when I was 12." >> So, just tell them that you don't talk white. You just talk like your mother. And they said, "Oh, okay." And so, and I just told people that, you know, um, but, you know, over time it it was fine. I did blending. I got regular clothes that weren't just, you know, church clothes. is if you grew up in Catholic school, you wore uniform my entire life. >> Um and um uh my we would my my aunts intentionally brought my sisters and I over um because when the family would come around, you don't realize it, but if you go to school and no one looks like you,

093when you around a bunch of family that looks like you, we were we were scared. We didn't know what to do. We >> um >> you know our our entire apartment complex was Hispanic and my school is all white. So uh my my aunt still talk about remember we had to have mandatory parent like you know family get togethers like where everyone because they talked about how me and my sister would just be like together when we were younger not knowing what to do. Um, so just just uh interesting to hear the stories because we're older. We we don't remember that. We're like, "What are you talking about?" Um, but uh just looking at some other turning points. I ended up uh uh the semester before starting med school at USC um was able they

094had a program where you would work in county general uh in the trauma ward. >> Right. So, my last year at Cal State Fullerton as a bio major, um we were uh PA helpers and it was like your intro into before you started um med school. And uh I realized there I didn't want to go to med school. And uh I I got married I was 20 and I remember having to go home and tell my husband, you know, yeah, I don't think I want to go to medical school, you know, and we didn't have any kids. We got married for love. Um but you know, I he he's working and I'm I'm in school and I I just remember his face like, what are you going to do? I don't know, but the hospitals

095are depressing. Now if I had started at Kaiser I probably but interning trauma war at USC 11th floor was uh the the um the police floor >> right >> yeah the jail floor >> the jail floor. Yes. Yes. The jail floor. So uh ended up making a turn. Uh my husband worked for the city of LA at the time. Still does. um and uh got me into LAPD um scientific investigations division where I was uh they didn't have these forensic programs and I I really like the forensic the science component. Um they didn't have these programs. If you wanted to go into forensics, you had to volunteer at the police station and if you got hired, you can do so many years there and then commit to so many years there, get the training and

096then you can branch out. So I started there uh scientific investigations division in the drug lab. Um during Cal Fullerton I was a neuroscientist and did research under a grant. Uh so I was able to research do that as a undergrad not as a master student typically. So did that um and also looked at teaching. I would sub because again I was volunteering for LAPD as a as a civilian in the drug lab. Um, but my husband was like, "You you kind of need a job a little bit." Um, so I was substitute teach first day ever middle school home. Uh, Mr. Compul scared me to death. They threw a piece of paper at the back of my head when I went to put the VHS tape in. Uh, cuz it was long, it was

097a while ago. Um, and realized I'm not doing education because half the school was puberty and half of them wanted to be grown because it was middle school. and I'm 24, like I'm not grown enough to be patient. And so they would call and I would hang up because I'd rather drive from Mareno Valley to right by Twin Towers to work in the in the drug lab for free than um than sub in Marino Valley Unifi where where I lived. I lived in Marina Valley Ranch at the time. Um but uh and I was did number one on Department of Justice uh to be hired and then they did a hiring freeze and so I just stayed number one but then uh they called me to sub again. Um I would hang up until my

098husband asked me, "Well, didn't you get a job yet?" I'm like, "Oh crap, I better I better take the call." Because they would call me every day. I would just answer and hang up. I'm young. So, I only took a call whenever he would ask me, you know. But either way, it it ended up um working out. They they needed um a science teacher to finish the year and um a earth science teacher. And I realized that oh, it wasn't teaching that I didn't love. It was substitute teaching. >> Yeah. Cuz you get treated bad. >> Right. You know, everybody cares about you. >> Right. Right. And at 24, you know, Yeah. I didn't know, you know, throwing papers at his. I I I had a mouth, >> you know, I I was giving it

099back. Whatever I was getting, I was giving back cuz I I'm 24 years old, by the way. >> Um and and found a love for it and ended up um got a call and an offer at the same time to be a a criminalist with the city or to be uh that substitute position for the rest of the year. and I took the substitute position um because I knew I always wanted to go back to school and I I I remember the teacher schedule probably would allow me to I still wanted to be a doctor. I just didn't want to be a medical doctor. Um so ended up doing that, fell in love with it and decided I'm trying to find a job and couldn't find a job as a teacher for the life of

100me. And Marino Valley at the time for a budget uh always used long-term subs for your first month. They didn't do full contracts until after they got butts and seeds. >> Nom day. Nom day. >> Yes. Yes. >> Horrible way of doing business, I might add. Horrible way of doing business. But >> yeah, that's what it was. They said, "Don't worry, you'll get a job in after the first month." I wanted No, I wanted a job once. I just I wanted to be a teacher. Um, and luckily, you know, back in the day, uh, you can get a job sometimes by by who, you know, and my husband, um, was at work graveyard. He said, he calls it, you know, just just talking with one of the guys and they're, "What your wives do?" My

101wife's trying to be a teacher. And he says, "Really?" Well, I'm the board president in Bowwin Park Unified. And uh, my husband called me at 3:00 in the morning said, "I got you a job." I said, "How do you get me a job? He got me a job. I went the next day 11:00 a.m. met a woman named Phyllis and I was uh got hired as a long-term sub in Ball Park and ended up u interviewing and being a permanent position as a teacher and did my entire career there in Ballpark Unified. >> You were there with the Rubio? >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Um >> Yep. uh and um that's where I was and and just ended up being a teacher for 10 years and uh uh decided to get my masters after 10

102years. I wanted to do it sooner, but life happens, kids happen, responsibilities happen. >> Um and you look up and what you planned on doing in a year, you you you look up and 10 years went by. So I went back to school, did my masters, um moved on into admin and then did my doctorate and and after um uh a total of about 15 years and finally met my goal of of being Dr. Youth and uh and had really felt, you know, the the impact and what I wanted to do uh for kids. Um, and growing up just, you know, my mother had I've had a few stepfathers and some had different abuses. So, I embedded my life and just being active in in school as a cheerleader, ASB president, and just really focused,

103you know, the more I can be in school, the less I can be at home. Uh, and so it it helped. And I think um with my own lived experience, I wanted to just make be see if I can get kids to love science as much as I love science. So ultimately that that was uh my journey and I only went into admin to be an ASB director. It was a requirement in Bowwin Park. You had to have your admin credential. So that way it gave other admin a break and you if I'm chaperoning prom, I'm also the admin. Um, and uh, that just turned out never happened and I ended up being an intervention uh, TOSSA and my life went a whole different direction. So I laugh I tell people, well, who knew how

104life goes, right? You think the you have a plan and God laughs at that like, oh yeah, yeah, ASB, I got you. >> That's why the wind is, >> right? So this is where um you know my my path took me and uh I thought I was going to make an impact through activities and uh and and turned out I was uh had a whole different journey of making an impact and still kept my love for forensics. So I was able to write the course for forensic biology made it A through G and it's still the template that they send out for schools um that >> you got here from this district. >> Oh yeah. Yeah, I I I I still have it. And and the UC system still uses that template and I never

105knew when you're young and they're like, "Hey, they accepted your class on the first submission." And you're like, "Well, yeah, of course." Right. Cuz I'm fresh out of neuroscience lab, fresh out of the crime lab. Not till I got older till I understood the significance of that, but um still kept those those parts of me. And uh and it just really uh I feel like I take every year year to year because I'm always like surprised at where life takes you. It's like oh okay now I'm in Paris and I love it. I'm close to home and and I get to make a difference in this capacity. >> That's Dr. Brown. >> Thank you. I'm going to go a little quicker because of the time constraint. I'm really really aware but I would like later

106on to have the opportunity to share. I have a lot of things to share and I identify on each of you I have identified some the first time when I came here to the US. Well, when I was a little kid, I was born in Solo, Mexico, but when I was two or three years old, I used to live in Paramount because my dad was uh working here and my mom came. We were there probably for a year. But then my mom got pregnant and went back to to Mexico because she wanted my sister to be born there and she wanted to be with her mom and things like that. So we stayed and then I came back until 1989 to Hather on Roskras and Prairie. >> My sister lives right by now. >> Okay.

107My first uh I didn't have time to go to school to learn English, but I remember I enrolled and I went probably for two weeks to Louisiana High School or >> Yeah. to >> Yeah. Another thing uh little quick Tony when you said that they used to when applicants they threw their papers in the trash. My daughter was uh six years old and we were living in Hather Washington Middle Elementary School. I believe >> I taught right across street. >> Okay. >> Intermediate. >> Okay. We used to live on uh 104. >> Yeah. So we fill out the papers and then one of the question was would you like your daughter to be taught in English or in the bilingual program? And I said, "English only, right?" Because I wanted her to learn English and

108not struggle like me that I came here without speaking any any English. And later on, I want to expand on all the experiences that I had to learn to learn English. Well, a few days later, Mika, can I see your your your homework? What's what you are doing? Oh, yes. And she show us everything in Spanish. Mhm. >> And I said, "No, we said English only. We are going to teach her Spanish." Right? I was a teacher before coming here. So, we went there and we talked with one lady and she was very honest. She said, "Oh, you know what? I think it's because they saw her name, Maria Dolores, Arouse, and they assume immediately Maria Dolores, Hispanic, and they put her in." >> Yeah. >> Similar to what you said, Tony. But then I

109thought I cannot allow this because what about when they are grown up grown-ups they apply for a position they see Maria Dolores there is some issue there and they just because of the name. So immediately I went to court right and I investigated I researched how to change her name. I did by myself and they gave me all the information. I needed to fill out an application, ran some ads in the LA Times, in the the newspaper opinion also >> some some information. Long story short, I finished the the process. So her name now since then is Marie Delores. So was not identified just in paper because if people just see the paper and I did the same with my son because he was already born right he he was Jose Luis like me and

110I didn't want to do the same thing so I did the same process Joseph Louis A so I identify that I remember when I was at Rubido actually I was living in Miraloma before becoming a a principal at Rubido and I had the opportunity to go to the metro club. Yeah, one time because we were just probably for 30 minutes. >> I think everybody's been >> not me. >> Is it Ben? >> He's not there anymore. Yeah. >> Every weekend. They would land the helicopter every time. >> Yeah. >> That's crazy. Yeah. I'm not sure. >> Yeah, >> it's already an adult >> and and I think that would be Is that okay with you? I can continue. I have a lot but later on when I get the opportunity I'm sure I will have

111the opportunity to show >> last. >> Well, I was born not in the LA area, not in the LA metro. I was actually born in the lower desert of California in India, California. >> Oh, wow. >> Really? >> And I grew up in Coachella. >> Okay. Oh, so you're the outcast. >> I'm the outcast. >> Um, >> the desert rat. >> I'm a desert rat. >> Um, you know, the predominantly Latino community. >> So, I grew up in in the full Latino culture. Um, you know, thinking Latino, thinking, you know, like my dad and things like that. U, I remember growing up waking up every morning at 4 in the morning because my mom and my dad had to go drop us off at the babysitter. they had to go work and they wouldn't get

112home till 600 7 o'clock at night um in the fields working the fields. We would follow the fields too. So we weren't even stationed at one location. We would always follow all the way to Bakersfield all the way back to Coachella and India. >> Um so I remember all that and all that changed. Um but I went to the Coachella Valley Unified School District for until we were in fifth grade and then my mom decided to leave my dad for the first time. So we went to Riverside. We did not like Riverside. We were there for a year when we then decided to My mom got back with my dad and we went to Indo neighboring district. India back in the day was more of the middle class Latino uh community. And um it kind

113of seemed like that, right? like you know when you went from Mecca to thermal to Coachella like it like it just kept getting in in a different um social economic status. But we were there my my dad bought a little trailer. Um my first experience in that trailer, it was like we were there like 3 or 4 months when um my our friend one of our kid friends uh that we had a neighbor uh we were coming home from school and their trailer was burning and the kid our friend got stuck in the in the bedroom and uh he couldn't make it out. So, uh, it it just it's just it's that trauma of the youth. And I was never a good kid. Um, always in trouble, um, bad grades, um, through middle school. It

114wasn't until I got to high school, um, intense my sophomore year where my counselor asked me, he's like, "What do you want to do with your life?" Said, "I don't know." And, uh, so Mr. Durant, I still talk to Mr. Durant to this day. He's a school board member at Desert Sands. No, Palon Springs Unified, one of those two districts out there. But I still talk to him. But it was really him that really got me to think about my future. And so I turned my life around. I joined band. I was I always like to do music. So I joined the band. And I did that through my high school career. I used to play baseball and use baseball. So I was really good at it. So they never took off at and at

115the high school level. Um, I graduated and I went to UC Irvine, but wasn't ready. Um, it's just, you know, we they don't prepare you these 400 kid classes. You have a you're you're going from a 35 to1 now you're in a by yourself in a 400 class student classroom. And it was very difficult. Then second year, my parents divorced and I'm the oldest of five. My dad left to Mexico. My mom stayed by herself. she couldn't afford uh anything down. So I I dropped out of school, went back to India and I kind of followed my father's footsteps. I became an alcoholic. >> Um struggled, you know, I was still helping. I wasn't like violent like my dad. Um my memories of my dad was he got drunk, you better not be around. like

116>> he used to take remember those those carburetor the the cables that came out and he would use those to to um >> Ouch. >> Yeah. >> So, but yeah, got through went back um got a job was working at the casino helping family. Friday hit, take off to Mexalei with family, just start drinking. Uh it wasn't really until I started working for the school district that really kind of started changing my mind of what wanted to do. I always wanted I always knew I wanted to help people like even well when I was at school I my first degree was electrical engineering and then I did two years of that and I just took all the classes and and then I also took a lot of chemistry. So, I always wanted to do something

117there. But then when I started working at the school district as a par educator, I really started to think it's like I want to help other people. Everything that I've been through, I want to help other people. And and that kind of started my journey. Um and it wasn't until I met my my current wife that um because we were both at school districts, uh we were at a training and I met her and we got together and she really put that fire in me of of to change. So I, you know, I had to change my mentality and and since then my it's like my second round of life, right? The first half, the second half, and the second half has just been way way better than the first half. Um, I stopped drinking.

118I still drink once in a while, but you know, it's more social, but not like back in the day. Um, but I was able to go back to school. I was with a district for about close to eight years, and then I moved jobs in onto Ontario. So I you know to the county. So we started living in Banning. I started working there. Got involved in the community, became a board member. I went back to school, finished my gra my bachelor's degree in psychology because I wanted to help people. That led me to um to the HR field where for the county and I've been doing that since. That also led to getting another bachelor's degree in business because I wanted to be a partner for the business. Um, and then that led also led

119to my MBA that led to me going from the district to the county to the the private sector. Um, where I learned even more and then that kind of rolled all the way back to now. Um, and that's kind of shaped my thinking of giving back to the community, giving back to the students >> in that time frame. I also coached for eight years little league baseball. >> That's always fun. >> It's so much fun. How and how I got involved in that was my brother, my youngest brother wanted to to play baseball and I told him, "Yeah, I want I'm interested in coaching." And they called me and said, "Hey, we have this team that nobody drafted. You're going to come in last place, but do you want to coach?" >> I've been I've

120been on that team. I've been on that coaching team. >> I'm like, "Of course I want to coach. Why not?" And uh they told But you're going to finish last out of the six teams. Like, that's fine. It's just about, you know, teaching these kids how to play. >> We never lost, we never lost to the first place team and we came in third. >> And then I took that team from 9 years old all the way through until they finished their >> their pony league. Uh I think they were 15y old >> and we were in we went from this supposedly leftover team to champions getting sponsored by the casino by >> all these other sponsors. Um, couple of the kids went on to the little league world, not Little League World Tree, but

121it's called um, what's it called? Power baseball World Tree back in the day. >> They went to Colorado. They had a blast. So, yeah. So, that's that's where I'm at right now. >> All right, folks. Well, thank you guys for sharing. We we take a little little time there, but take a quick break. >> Sure. Yeah. Want to take a few minutes? What do you say? How many minutes? >> Well, five to four. >> I guess we do five. >> Okay. >> Five. Huh? >> You said current wife. >> Yes, >> I know. I've seen live. Uh >> oh. >> Hold up. Hold up. >> If we're taking a break, can we put these on pause? >> Live mics. >> My current wife. >> I was married. >> Oh. Um. We are back from our

122break at 10:58. >> So, we're going to jump into key works key worker school boards. I was going to say play this vignette, but for the sake of time, you know, I can send you that uh send it to you. It's kind of funny a little bit. We can we can do it another time. What is the key work of school boards from from your perspective? Just give me one word. Key work. You look at the school board from your perspective. >> One word. >> Collaboration. >> I have more than one word. >> Got to be one. >> I guess there'll be one. >> Protecting. >> I'm going to say communication. >> Training. >> Advancing. >> Oh, good word. >> Okay. Okay. Members of the cabinet, any thoughts from your perspective? >> Students. Okay. >>

123We care. Care >> care >> protection to >> All right. No, no longer right answer. Just simply perspective, right? And and what do you set as far as your frame of reference is concerned? All right. The key work of boards as the industry would have it. Mission and vision, accountability, policy, community leadership, and advocacy. board of superintendent relations. Okay. So, of course, we we look at the the overall the hub in the middle of the wheel, student achievement. If there's turbulence in any of these areas, clear mission, clear vision, the board not understanding the role of holding the staff, superintendent staff accountable is is a challenge. In California, our system is a little bit different. I know what the policy states know what the policy states as far as the superintendent being the only employee

124of the district. There's also some misunderstanding as to how that's interpreted. The board is the employer. The board is the employer and the board can evaluate anybody on cabinet if they're so if they're so inclined. That's in the law not my opinion. Now what happens is many of us don't really study the law so you don't understand that but the board a job offer cannot be given to anybody absent board approval. It's a law policy very very misleading you're not really unless you're really sophisticated high performing board you're not really writing much policy you're getting it from CSBA you're leveraging it from other districts etc. That's standard, but you can write your own policies. For example, you can add graduation requirements on students within this district. If the board desires, there's things you can do.

125There's a base the state sets. You can add additional. You can extend the school day if you want to pay for it. Extend the school year if you want to pay for it. Calling policy leadership and advocacy and board of superintendent relations. We'll jump into in some subsequent slides. Stop me anytime you have a question. Ongoing board self assessment very important that the board and this is of course from the New York State Department of Education of the New York State Education Department. Effective boards engage in and a continuing process of self- assessment and and use the results to identify opportunities for improvement. very important that the board conducts that assessment of itself as it's conducting the assessment and evaluation of the superintendent or our staff. Okay. Now, now I'm from the mindset the state

126sets goals if you're benchmarking the entire community meaning you're looking at so you benchmark here Marietta Paris Mo Valley Corona you wouldn't benchmark the elementary district because they don't have high schools you benchmark the systems of the comprehensive K12 around you right the objective is to beat them. >> So if you're in Compton, you want to beat Long Beach, GL, Paramount, Lynwood, Downey, Ella Unified, and you want to look over in the Beverly Hills and see if there's some metrics you can beat there, right? That's again as you're assessing yourself, assessing how you govern, assessing the system. The schoolboard meeting is just a bill pay session. Just pay bills. The real work is done as you begin to analyze the system, the impact of the system, the budgetary process, the LCAP process, assessing and evaluating

127and juxtaposing each juxaposing the budget with with the LCAP. How are we looking financially? Are we implementing our various programs? How do our students compare with college? The graduation rate. You graduate everybody. Saturday school, summer graduation. You want to look at the sped graduation rate, sped ELA, sped math, college completion rate. You guys are very fortunate because you you're one of the only systems just two of you in the entire state on the dashboard. The military metric, you guys hit that. Most do not. You guys are very fortunate to have a military institute in your system where your students can attend and it's a dependent charter model. So you're able to capture that data as a part of yours and you're able to claim that metric. Right. Very important work as far as the self

128assessment. We can get into some of that later on looking at various uh assessment that the board can undertake and then we can unpack some of that data in some subsequent sessions. Mainly something like a TTI analysis. Remember we did the TTI. >> Yeah. doing some of that, looking at that that data, plus building ongoing board assessment to evaluate the efficacy of the governing authority policy review questions. And some of these are are just derived from conversations and looking listening to board meetings and just overall policy review key questions board should ask. new board member walking in or kind of in the middle 18 years in. I mean, you know, been doing it a long time. It's what do you do? What problem is this policy trying to address or solve? So, when you come

129up to looking at policies that the staff is profering these policies for the board to consider and adopt, who and what is centered as the problem? What is the tone of the language? In California, we're very reactionary >> in our neighbors next door, we won't call names. Our neighbors next door, few other parts of the county, Riverside in particular, maybe some of you know, are reacting to Sacramento policies. Okay, I'll say I'll say it on the record. It's very difficult to beat Sacramento. It's very difficult to beat Sacramento. You will lose because we're agents of the state. Yeah, >> you're an extension of the state. What you can do and what you can work on is academic advancement and academic achievement. But to try to wage a political war against the governor and the legislature

130in a very blue, very blue state, you're not going to win. So you don't want to always drive public policy that is reactionary. You want to draft public policy that's very systemic and that will help you as far as your long-term goal and objective of moving and transforming the system. For example, TK prek if you're in the K12 system. TK prek full day kinder versus half day kinder. Okay. 912 system zero period versus an 8 period. That's a public policy decision. Pay for it, but it's a public policy decision nonetheless. What do you do with your art funding? What do you do with your elop funding? Those are public policy decisions that the board would want to question and weigh in, right? Lunch, right? The type of food you serve, public policy, sports, all the

131sports that are being that would be made available. Okay. Folks in Paris Union as a hypothetical says we don't want to do football anymore. We want to focus on on baseball, lacrosse. Those are public policy decisions because it requires appropriations, right? So, so these are the types of decisions that will come. Curriculum assessment, curriculum procurement, right? Incorporating resources. So, these are, you know, you're asking various questions around public policy and finding ways in which to solve and address issues. The third bullet is the language word choice centered around a particular culture, norm value, expectation. This is the questions you have when you're looking at various policy ideas that come to the board or various policy ideas you want to bring as a board member. Right. Tone of the language very important. And then of course

132uh word choice center on a particular sorry that's that's actually a duplicate uh that should have went off Russian last night. Tone of of the language as far as your policy is concerned. Right. We don't want to offend people. We want to find ways to which to work collaboratively with everybody. One of the most significant issues I've seen a system do that gets everybody upset limiting tickets for graduation. >> Mhm. >> People become angry. >> Yeah. >> They become angry. Right. They become very Now you explained it a thousand times. >> But back in my day, everybody could come. Well, there's only limited seats. >> Well, move to a bigger venue. Okay, it's still limited seats, right? You give somebody 10 tickets, they want 20 tickets. >> Those are things that parents really are upset.

133Or or mascots, school boards and staff want to change a mascot. Okay, huge problem. Some systems have allowed that decision to be made at the school site by the students. Step back >> naming of schools whole process around naming of schools as opposed to you just naming schools as you there's a process in order to ensure that we don't create a problem of one does not exist and there's community buy in. Any thoughts or questions on policy? >> Just question. You mentioned naming um mascots and and such. What about changing school district names? >> Board decision. >> Controversial. >> Uh elephant in the room. You know, it your district has is older than your newest communities around here cuz these names change, right? Mo because you're you're so different in that you don't have that

134unified title where you know you're unifying all these elementary high school systems into one, right? Could it be controversial? That's, you know, the solution would be an advisory vote to the community. There's an election in June. There's one in November. Figure out the cost. If it's cheaper in June, cheaper in November, put it on the ballot. Let the voters decide. Right >> now, at that point, you're saying let them decide whether you want to change or at that point you have a new name. >> Two questions. Do you want to change? Yes. Next question. >> Would you like this name? >> Got it. >> Ali Union High School District. >> Right. >> Because you would have had some discussions. You have all these schools site councils. You have all these >> right >> folks you're

135engaged by where the LCAP process simple community survey community survey can get you back the response. How would you feel if we change the name to? I The only way you can go is Paris Meny. If you chose to go that route, ask some folks say, "What do you think?" Might not be a big deal, right? I mean, who would really care? You know, nobody knows what the Union High School District is anyway. And why do we use the term, right? I mean, who has the historical context around? So, not not a big deal. And not a hill worth fighting or dying on. All right. Policies are doing and we're talking about policy because this this came up. The president had some concerns and wanted us to kind of delve into it. Policies, they do

136four things all the time. Exacerbating something, perpetuating something, mitigating something, eliminating something can get you in trouble as a system. Now, you look all across the country. Think about this. We got off into a huge fight over bathrooms. I assume everybody in this room, you boarded a plane, right? There's one bathroom. Now I think some of you guys said you got wives and girlfriends and it's one bathroom in the house but everybody uses it. There's a policy seat up down right but we politicize now that issue did all four at one time. Now I'm not debating whether it's right or wrong. I'm just simply saying you weigh into DC Sacramento oriented public policy debates at this local level and then you get what we get next door here. Won't call the name. Okay. A challenge

137for you. Now, am I saying shy away from controversial policy? I'm saying there's enough to be done within your in your own will. We need not get off into Trump, Obama, Biden, Hunter, the laptop, none of that. There's enough work to be done within our own realm and there's enough policies to be written and enough policies to be expounded upon that does not or that do not do any of the four. So we could throw out any we could throw out uh you have you also fortunate to have a eighth uh eighth grade campus. Okay. So let's hypothetically say you chose to something that might tick off people here. If you would have enveloped an eighth grade class at all your high schools 8 to 12, makes sense. Increase enrollment, vertically articulate students, right? Do

138what Paramount Unifi did. You can isolate them over here and then they can just simply migrate on in. Paramount had a ninth grade campus, a phenomenal model. They did an exceptional work back in the day under the superintendent named David Perdugo. Exceptional, brilliant guy. You could do that now. You could mitigate declining enrollment, right? You uh might eliminate uh families being separated. So, let's say, you know, if I got a eighth grader, I have 10 of them right here. I got three kids. They're all the same. It's like one and the same. It's three little people, like one, two, three, right? And then how old is your other son? Your oldest? >> 18. >> Okay. So, he's gone. So, let's say if he were >> 15. >> I have a 15. >> Okay. Oh, you

139do. Okay. So then, so then, so, so, so this makes you So now you make stop counting five. >> You pull up one stop. Let everybody out. Wow. >> She love it. one stop. Boom. As opposed to a drive all over and then she's probably You're talking between two school districts, right? >> Uh right now. Yes. >> See, boom. We solved her. We've solved an issue for her. And guess what? She's like many in the community. We want our kids in one school at one time. One pick up, one drop off. But that's an example of of a public policy you can consider. You build the high schools for 1,500 to 2,000 students. thousand students. Hey, boom. Eighth grade, off we go, right? Who would that hurt? Innovative ideas in order to bring forth public

140policy decision. So, what do we do? And what have we done around the the state with helping school systems and you're both of you guys are K12, right? You you K12? No. >> No. >> But you worked in a comprehensive unified back in the day. Always high school. >> Always middle school and high school. >> Okay. But you K2. Yes. >> Okay. So, you you'll get this and you're a teacher in a K12 system, right? Garcia works in a K12 system. >> Yes. >> So, here's what we did. We said, >> okay, the charter schools, >> they're not going after 912 because Paris union cost too much to operate. This this is a very expensive system. this whole high school the 25 of you in the state it's expensive proposition but I can get great

141lift from K through eight so the charter schools ran to what K8 models I would research out of uh it's either Baltimore or Colombia one of the KA models are phenomenal which we used to have and we went to this middle school model right what did we do here back to Paramount they went back The K8 saw a significant growth in student achievement because you were able to maximize instructional minutes and time on task able to isolate situations and scenarios because if one child is failing if one of your triplets if there's an issue with one you can average there's an issue with all three one struggling in math they all probably going to struggle in math right because they work together I would assume okay and I'm making a generalization but that's typical for

142most students Right. Well, systems begin reverting back to K12 models. Now they're it's competing with the charter schools and and actually excelling far beyond which now means guess what in California law if the LEA that's the charter authorizer is outperforming the charter school then why they need the charter school right again there these are public policy decisions which are uh mitigating or eliminating some things perpetuate when you get off into the politics you're perpetuating and exacerbating causing far more harm than good. Right now, I'm not advocating for you to be a vanilla system and don't advocate for nothing. I'm saying that there's enough in the lane. Stay focused as a board. Equity decision making wins. Questions to consider for any policy, program, practice, design, etc. groups impact and barriers. This is out of some work

143out of the Portland public school system. Equity decision uh decision making lens. Now, now when we talk about equity, we're not talking about radical racialized policies and de we're talking we're talking about and the way I define equity very simple definition ethics doing the right thing for all students. So her triplets come in little challenge reading. I have twins a little challenge reading. Wait well well dog on it. It isn't it the right thing to to provide targeted interventions for these five pupils? Is that the right thing to do? Are we going to just let them just sit off to the side? And cuz then what she's going to go do, she's going to walk down to public council or the ACLU and then she's going to come on over and she's going to drop

144a lawsuit and she's going to go find 40 other parents. Now we have a class action lawsuit. And guess what? There's 400 of the parents. There's 4,000. Now, we have a huge crisis on our hands when all we have to do is provide the resources per the law. We're obligated to provide a fair and free fair fair access to public education. fame. >> So, and I have a question because I know sometimes where where that question gets kind of muddied in the waters is >> um obviously you have you know ELO you have special populations that are obviously generating the funds in order for you to provide those services but if they're outside of that scope um like you know obviously if if there's if they're not doing an intervention program because she's got her

145kids and they want to read and it's early you know it's like what Chuck said it's between K2 >> you know what I mean and and then they do have you in the water if they've been identified. How do you do it so that you make sure that you're hitting that? But there's also kids just because uh they might be socioeconomically there and that they're not generating the extra funds who could also use those services. Like how are you being because because you're right. I think in this situation you look at equity and they're going to say well give it to the to the least. But it's like, you know what, the right thing to do is all the kids, it doesn't matter what their socioeconomic is, they should get the services that they deserve

146so that they can compete just like everybody else. >> So, so Mr. President, in your scenario, and you're 100% correct, the response, it's a very simple one. You're hiring qualified and very technical people who can identify whether it's through child fine or any other mechanism. They can identify students who are struggling and provide those mitigations and also provide higher level rigor >> for students who might not need that level of support. Right? That's where we're relying on the superintendent and executive cabinet and all of the other people within administration to do their part. Now, you want to hear the other side, the phone call, the email, the Facebook post, the blog, etc. saying it's not being done. But then we need to go back to the few slides back and at accountability. Bold those words.

147We need to look and hold somebody accountable for that. Right? We're talking about looking at groups and talking about providing uh policy and programs and practices that impact these marginalized groups and or groups that are not marginalized. Right? >> Think about this. You have school systems. Beverly Hills, San Marino, Palace, Veries, Arcadia, Los Altos up north, right? Santa Barbara, >> there's Powe in that group. >> Powe. We're talking about very affluent communities with huge populations of English lang English learners and Eltales. Mhm. underperforming black children, black students, and then you have this these high performers. And so there, you know, you you're toggling between finding a equitable modality to ensure that these students, that's really the secret sauce. >> Yeah. >> Now, here's what happens. Here's what happens. What we normally do is we put

148all the shiny winds up cuz I don't believe you have any LTE. I don't believe anybody should have any hell tails cuz somebody did something wrong. You got a child in eighth grade and he's still in hell by 11th. It's a problem. It's a huge problem. And that means that the system people failed that pupil and the school board failed to do your job and look at that data and ask the appropriate questions. Ask the appropriate questions to be able to get to an answer to find a solution. is not the fact that I got you. You got tequila in that cup. I got you. Okay. No. No. We're not trying to get anybody because at the end of the day, you have 13 years with these little people. 13 years. >> Yep. >> So,

149no. Go right ahead. Go right ahead. >> I I think we all have really good ideas, but when we actually had the board, it just all business the meeting and then it How do you >> get that in there? How do we >> get our ideas off paper and >> phenomenal breaking phenomenal phenomenal question phenomenal question. So >> I I know this is okay. I'll give you a scenario and you you probably agree. You can nod and see if you agree. Okay. Uh you're talking to me. You met me at CSBA conference. I'm doing something great over in Compton. You want to do it now. You want to do it too. Okay. I got it. Or you met me. I'm from I don't know. I'm from Oakland. No, whatever. San Francisco, doesn't matter. San Diego.

150All right. Well, a we have to give the staff an opportunity to to take the idea, evaluate and assess it, right? Uh do we have capacity? Okay. Case in point, we want every child in Paris union to learn uh the violin. There's some art money. Everybody learn the violin. Okay. Dr. E is going to come back and gonna say, "Yeah, Dr. R, we can do that." But hold on. Then I go to him, right? I'm going boom, boom, boom, boom. Because they're all a part of the wheel. Okay. Yes, we can do it. Yes, we can we can find the funding. Go find the teacher. Oh, well, Mr. Ali, you know, violent teachers around. I mean, and here you're But I want my twins to play the violin. I want Well, you know, I Okay,

151so now I got to go recruit them. Okay, so now we're Now, now watch this. We're a year in now. We're year Well, Compton has them. Okay, competence has closer proximity to let's say the music entertainment center of Southern California or let's say there's closer proximity to Hollywood or whatever the case is cover city but there's more entertainers etc etc but and then you know San Diego but San Diego Unified and all those districts along the five they all have them already on locked they've already hired them all right well they need some time now what I would say is bring your ideas forward, let the staff assess and analyze, put it in LCAP, fund it, measure it, and hold the overall system accountable. Sir, >> well, it's interesting you bring up that analogy because

152uh my anecdotal evidence of that is usually with the Asian community. They know the benefits of producing a violinist, you know what I mean? And they understand the the time that it takes. >> Yeah. and for them to put in it and then if you look at the research and the results >> of what that produces, it's off the charts. >> So, I I'll give you let me give you another one. You're going to love this. I got an award received an award at the CSBA conference about 3 years ago in San Diego from the military. I had no idea that I was helping them with highest group recruitment in California. I can't even remember what I did. They came with this big eagle and I was pretty general comes in. I'm thinking this is

153cool, man. Okay. So, we're talking and I I said, you know what, man? I want these children in compliment. They got to learn chess. Okay. Yep. >> Military science, right? Okay. Analytics, math, the whole bit. >> Oh, we're not going to go hire a chess teacher, right? But we're very fortunate to have a nonprofit that has these master chess players and they provide this service to the school system. And guess what? It's a phenomenal idea. We talk about it. They assess it. They do all the due diligence. We can pay for it through Elop. Boom. There you have it. Now again, everybody has a thousand ideas. But how do you as a board how can we unite I guess without breaking ground about >> well sure you bring it up >> the idea but our

154meetings we don't we don't have time >> well so so I would probably say y'all you guys are a little loquitious the board talks a lot of talking >> too much talking >> a lot of talking and so you know and no disrespect but you know I mean we can reduce the conversation to be able to get to >> right these the board comment section within if Dr. Eaggan, you know. Uh, hey, I love I saw something that so and so Marino Valley is doing so and so. Hey, can we research it? Sure, we can research it. Now, now let's be careful because we're getting ready to enter LCAP and testing season. So, we got to be focused on that, right? Okay. So, we can't have a lot of ideas all the time. We want

155to be very pragmatic and practical. I can't have an idea at every meeting, right? because there just some some business that has to be conducted and you want to give people an opportunity to get back with the proper research right >> you know I've been um working with a gentleman back in uh New York it's a urban aviation group >> and they teach drone flying and uh have that somewhat pathway for aviation um which would I think would be great for CMI to start off but then I started talking to because I was doing some uh research uh talking to some people that he gave me names and I can ask questions to. Um, but we were talking there was like, you know, we have a film crew that comes from Heritage. They do our

156uh our um >> student of the month. You know, they come out and they got they're all technical and everything. Well, they can get into this and start, you know, using their drones to do our football or our uh graduation. what I'm thinking, you know, but students can get a drones license at 16. So, how like what she was saying, you know, that and this is why I brought it here. So, how do we implement that and get it going? >> Give it to the super I would assume you guys meet with the superintendent. You share your ideas with the superintendent, right? And and if in fact again back to the overall assessment, the review, the due diligence, looking to see where it's been done, >> uh actually looking at qualitative and quantitative measures, efficacy,

157scalability, they do all those all those uh activities to be able to form a perspective. And then of course, if there's funding, >> right? So the reason why it wouldn't happen, >> it's got to start somewhere. >> I got to start somewhere, >> you know. And I'm sorry. I'm just I was looking at at some of the agenda. So, we're kind of moving it. And so, at this point, as long as we we have the flexibility to kind of move because I know we were supposed to go overboard policies, but I probably want to table that. >> Yeah. >> Probably towards the end. And if we get to it, get to it. If we don't because I think we're doing one of the the things that we are about to discuss. >> Okay. >> All

158I'm asking is with flexibility if everybody's okay with that because this conversation went from board roles into some of something that we were supposed to discuss a little later. But you know, we can prioritize with the way the time has gone and kind of move. I mean, personally, I think right now the board policies will probably be at the bottom because of its importance and then there's a lot of word writing and reading and all that stuff. So anyways, if that's okay. >> Yeah. But now we can we can move the board policy discussion to another day. That's going to be very long. Yeah, that's going to take a lot of time. >> Okay. >> A lot of time. >> Um, so back to Mr. Hall. But I don't see no reason why the staff

159wouldn't. Again, we want to give them enough time. >> Correct. >> Right. Think about this. Let's just put this into perspective. Okay. You have LCAP March 15th. Okay. Budget, right? Budgetary process. You have testing. >> Testing. So there's a lot that's going to happen between January and let's say April, >> right? >> Okay. Now, not to say that they can't walk eyes wide open chewing gum at all at the same time, but we do want to be fair. So if we have some ideas, >> Give them now before we get to Christmas, the Christmas recess, right? But then if in fact we can I'm quite confident there's somewhere in the LC cap where this would go. I'm very confident. >> I'm very confident that there's some money around here for that. It's not it's after

160school program whatever the case may be. >> And if it's not then it just won't be this year to wait until you get into the budgetary season >> for 26 27. Mr. President. >> So now so now is it something that we submit in writing or can we like have an informal conversation? And let's just say like today um to >> that's not on the agenda. >> It is. >> Oh, this program is >> No, no, no, not this, but just the the ideas from idea to implementation. >> Sure. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yes. But remember some folks, look, don't make this too complicated. You talk with the superintendent all the time or under board member discussion and the end of the meeting. Hey, I'd love for the staff to research this or you know, you simply

161ask for your item to be on the agenda for discussion. Just simply, hey, I want to place the urban aviation group or want to place, you know, Coca-Cola or or Panera Bread on the agenda for discussion. Have a discussion about it. It's on the agenda. complies with the Brown Act is free flowing and there's no surprises because everybody knows what's going to go down and they can get back with you and and you meet once a month and get back with you with a report in two weeks. Email them a report in two weeks which will then be added to the next agenda as a as a an exhibit or an attachment. This report was provided to the board based upon this discussion. It's in the minutes and you can say that as a part

162of your overall discussion. I want the report to be added to the minutes. Boom, boom, boom. You have all the answers you need. >> So if right now November's packed, then we we start moving towards a dis a December discussion before we hit the wave of >> kind of just plant the seeds because obviously it takes time. It's nothing that's that's pressing or is going to be done this year, but at least the wheels are spinning so that we can move forward and they can accomplish everything they need to do. and then also look into that and kind of move on and and and I'm not saying don't bring any ideas you know I'm I'm kind of tongue and cheek on this >> you see something at CSBA nove in December you want to bring

163it bring it right or you go to another conference fine you know but my point is having done this for so long you just want to be conscious and cognizant that you may not get an immediate response >> right >> so you say okay Mr. You guys got to see a hypothetic. He says, "I want to change our entire automobile fleet to all electric vehicles." Come on. That's not going to happen to me. >> I know. It's not going to happen to them all. Okay. So, let's be realistic, right? Okay. Maybe one or two vehicles because there's going to be procurement coming up in 6 months, but not the whole fleet. Okay. You say you want to do something with aviation. Okay. It's in the LCAP. I'm very confident they can figure it out. Opportunity

164presents itself. Boom. It's done. Or you say, "Hey, well, we think we want to put nurses at every school. Actually, two nurses." Now, that might not happen. That may be a larger discussion because now you're talking about two heads and almost 150 to 200,000 each. Boom, boom, boom, boom. It's a larger discussion. >> So, we kind of want to be kind of realistic in our Christmas wish list. Very important. >> Very important slide. This is probably one of the most important slides. Take a picture >> of the deck. Okay. And I'll make sure you guys get a copy of this. >> Okay. Great. >> Who has the authority? Simple. The board has the power. The superintendent has control. Be very clear. The board has the power. The superintendent has control. That's why I go back

165to that word symbiosis. We're working together. Okay? Almost like you need the elbow for the arm to work, right? No elbow, no arm. Right. Superintendent's authority. Complete authority to decide with the limits of law, board policy, priority, and common sense. Common sense. All right. >> Common sense. >> Hey, I thought that left the building a while ago. >> And I could tell you, having been around, common sense is not so common, right? The board policy is important because here's the thing. If you want something done and you want to really enshrine it, put it in policy. Put it in policy. Right? Because edicts and fiats come and go. Now, I give an example. I wanted to establish the office of black student achievement. Why? because of black ch children in competing horribly. Nobody pitched a

166tent. You know why? Because we never tied it to federal money. State money. A and B, as we invested and spent money on black college tours for college exposure, everybody could could go. Every student could go. Got Latino kids going to historically black colleges, right? Now, think about this. At your age of 40 plus, you got some things going on in your head. When you get to the schoolhouse, those kids are having a good time. And I mean, a good time. They having a ball. Things you don't even see. I wouldn't even want to say on the record, right? So, sometimes we get, you know, we're wrapped up in our own ideological thoughts and perspectives. these kids are having a great time. But that was done based upon policy and it was put in the

167LCAP just like when we established the newcomer program specifically for Salvadorans and Guatemalans that we didn't sell Salvadorans and Guatemalans said newcomers but at that time the boat were Salvadorans and Guatemalans. So we invested an inordinate amount of resources in that. Now somebody would say it's rain. Hey, tell it to yourself. We want these children educated. >> Yeah, >> they're here. >> Amen. >> They're not going to sit in the classes look drooling. No, they're going to learn. >> Bottom line. And we're going to do it by any means necessary. Take us to court. Fine. >> We got to get them to learn. Decision making is shared. Sue has computer authority to act but must inform the board about decisions or actions. Now that's dayto-day. So case in point I'm a school bus driver. Something

168goes down. I place an individual on admin leave. I can act and inform the board. Hey phone call everybody. It's not a vote information here. Just put Mickey Mouse on admin leave. Slap this kid in the back of the head. Boom. That's a foreman, right? We're not saying that the superintendent can go out and let a contract. He can go now. He has signature authority, but he can't go let a contract to I want to rebuild a CMI tomorrow, so it cost 400 million. Boom. Signature. No, it's not how that works, right? Suit must obtain prior approval from the board before taking action. Board has the authority. makes a final decision but may permit or require recommendations from the superintendent. Now, not to say and California law has changed. Governor Brown changed this. So, the

169board could act as if you're a city council or board of supervisors and you can run the district. Well, we know where that's going to go. You meet once a month. You got to be meeting once a week, twice a week. There's a lot going on for your stipen, right? Nobody signed up for a full-time port position for whatever you get paid a month, right? And so when we look at at what we're going after achievement. So, so when you talk about shared decision- making, set attendance, achievement, and set requirements for graduation. That's shared. Now you can say we want more requirements. Sure you can. Case in point. Case in point. Some continuation schools have graduation requirements of 180 units. Traditional high school is it 220? Some >> 225 225. >> So what were some

170children doing? I won't call the district out. Children were smart. Duck out of high school. >> Ran the continuation 180. Watch this. What does the diploma say? >> Graduation. >> Chuck Hall High School. Graduation. Off he goes to college. When you get to college, Chuck Hall High School. Never heard of it. I never even asked you about it. So the school board says, "Wait a minute. School board. These children are leaving this 4. I have a 4.0 at the continuation school. Yeah, >> this kid's been carrying a 40 his whole career. >> 180 units. He's hanging out now, >> right? Share decision- making to up it all. When you up it all to 220, 225, what happened? Continuation numbers, >> right? >> Continuation at 700 students in the high school. 700. Yeah. Wow. >> Drop

171down to like 50, >> right? Determine graduation ceremony, dress code. This is a big one. Oh my god, this is a big one. Huge >> shared decision making. Okay, we don't want you to decorate the hat. You can decorate the hat. I don't really care to be honest. I'm not going to get into that. >> I just want you to wear the robe and don't wear the heels too high or you're going to fall over. >> Yeah, >> that's fine. >> Bottom line. But I'm not going to get off into decorating sashes. Yeah, >> people have >> I don't want to fight families. I don't want to fight parents. I want to I want to and the love me. I want to love them. >> There's new positions. Okay. And I put this one because

172this is very controversial. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Okay. I'm not advocating. I don't have one. I'm not advocating. I'm just saying. Soups have done this because of political winds and boards have said no, we don't want that because we don't know what that means. Mhm. >> Well, we don't have one anymore, >> right? We don't know what that means. And and they don't know what it means cuz we don't know we don't see the fruits of their labor. Right. Again, shared decision-m seek parent and community input determine if a school will adopt dual language model. Somewhat controversial, but it also determines on this. I'm one in particular push for that, but it requires a tremendous fiscal investment and teachers who can actually teach dual immersion, dual language immersion, Mandarin or Spanish, etc. And then

173a new course in health education, the high school level. Super controversial. Okay. All right. Now, we've been doing health education for eons, but now all of a sudden, it's a big deal. Okay. >> But again, again, we want to be able to substantiate and have research and analytics behind decisions that we make so that the community is properly informed as to what's going on, right? We we'll come back to this because some of these are are going to Okay, we'll jump into this and this was a question asked by a member of the board or the board. So, we're grouping the responsibilities into five categories. Okay, very few words, but the impact is is extremely potent and powerful. Adopt goals and priorities and monitor success. Now, this is requiring you to be an actively involved

174board member who actually does something. It's a fourletter word. It's really one of the worst fourletter words in the English language. Read. >> Read. >> Right. There's a lot of it. >> Read. >> Okay. The good deputy back there pulls you over. He's already ready. How you doing? I'm not saying a word. You're my ticket to me. I write the remain. I'm not saying a word. Here you go. >> Oh, I'm I'm late for Well, I'm late for church. He's late for church on a Sunday. He's writing back back of the ticket, right? Hey, he's reading the law. He knows you're going to start running your mouth, right? Read and understand, monitor success. Meaning, you're keeping the data. Dr. Ross gives you data. You're going to follow away. You're going to go back and reference

175it. He's making an assumption and he's assuming positive intent that you're reading what he provides. Okay. About policy review for effectiveness. Well, you pass the LCAP. It's not his responsibility to remind you to review. You ought to review. And you ought to chapose with each other. We We said we're going to do this. Did we do it? No, we didn't do it. Why did we not do it? It's fair question. It's not I got you. It's a fair question. Why did we not do it? Because the county is going to ask why did you do it and you said you were going to do it. So why would you abdicate your authority to the county office of education, right? Hire an evender. Okay, we've already hired a soup. Then evaluate the process. It's not I

176got you moment, right? Let's sit down. Okay, you only can evaluate the superintendent. Let me back up for a second. If you've effectively done the first two, you not done the first two, it's going to be very difficult for you because you don't really know what's going on. You're just pretty much a uh I I put board members into two buckets. You either uh having a flashback funny board meetings, man. You're either theatrical or you're a deliberative body. And it's interesting how when you there's some research out of Oregon. City manager did research on the shape of the dance. You're theatrical and performative. You're actually entertaining because you can't really see your colleagues. So you're talking to the community. So you think nobody's really listening to you. So you're just talking and words are flying

177all over the room, right? You're showboating as opposed to legislating as a local legislator responsible for an LEA. So if you're not effectively adapting goals and and which we can get into at a subsequent meeting, right? priorities, monetary success. Then when it gets to the evaluative process of the superintendent, you're only going to evaluate him based upon the 30-day feelings you have leading up to the evaluative process. I'm going to evaluate my good HR brother here December 1st. What did he do November 1? But now you have no idea how many folks have been hired, suspended, terminated, how many tests have been given. You have none of that data. >> Mhm. >> Cuz you didn't ask for it, which he can easily provide because they collect it cuz somebody's going to ask one day, right?

178So as a board, now I'm not telling you to start asking for a thousand documents. I'm simply saying you get a thousand documents every meeting. Maintain online, make the appropriate notes, reference, be very informative as relates to what's going on within the system. Mr. >> I know uh Marino Valley has a very detailed um weekly report. >> Yeah. >> That that goes over stuff like that. >> Um so something that like that stuff could be put in there and >> uh just more data information. >> So there's multiple ways a soup can communicate with a board. text. It's discoverable. It's all discoverable text. Meaning, for me, I don't really want um I've been doing this too long, too. So, it's different. It's very different. I don't really want a report a week. Send me a

179text of all the bad things only. Right. >> Okay. But no, how do we go? Send me a text for some bad things. Call me if it's really bad. Okay. >> Right. And then call me for a quote when it's really good. All right. >> It's really good. Call me for a quote. Right. Put a quote in there. Okay. But I don't want this volumin cuz we we've been there before. One time, man, we had had a board member ask a question. We don't get enough data. Sue wrote in. I'm not ser I'm serious. Whole war room, seven tables. Okay. Delivered to their homes. >> Oh my goodness. >> Hey, you said you didn't get, you know, it's everything. Boom. Here you go. L cap is 300 pages, >> right? >> Here you go. >>

180Budget. Boom. Here you go. >> Right. It depends. And and you as a board ought to determine in a public meeting what information, take the more valid example, what information you like to see >> and what do you want to know. No harm in that, right? >> No harm in you getting information. >> Steal and keep from other people, right? >> Use what's working for them. >> Exactly. It's I don't see anything wrong with that. No. Okay. Adopt a budget, set tax rate. I This is in here because in some places the board set the tax rate and and in California you can't tax. You can tax based upon the geo bomb, partial tax, etc. But the board can if you wanted to do something like that. not advocating for it, just simply telling you

181the lay of the land with respect to taxation and they communicate with the community. Every part is communicating with the community because you're all you fiber elected. If they ask you what's going on, well, I mean, you ought to be able to site off at least five exceptional things that are happening at the system, at least five, and then run those talking points to ground. Right. Okay. Now, most people in the community, you know, they're going to want to know the graduation rate. Great. You should have that readily available. They're going to want to know, hey, chronic absenteeism. Some communities are going to want to know, have you overly suspending black and brown boys? It's a question that people generally want to know, right? And then, you provide any extracurricular activities post the school day.

182These are things you ought to know. Mr. So, and I'm curious because you you mentioned that statistic about black and brown boys. Now, there's also the dress code with because I would say that's predominantly females or is that not usually an issue? I know that that has in gosh in years it's basically reduced and wiped out dress code because it was basically you had, you know, 90% >> were females. Now they're losing instructional time. >> Yeah. >> As opposed to the males. And so then it looks discriminatory and and and borderline or somewhat oppressive in some eyes. >> Yes. Yes. And and we reference black and brown boys in particular because of the data and the research right and and you know by and large young women are outperforming boys. There's actually phenomenal research. I

183got to get this guy's uh get his name. It's a whole book. I was reading the New York Times quite a few weeks ago. I got got to order the book. It's a crisis. It's an absolute crisis in our country. So, the way the school systems have marginalized young young boys. So, I'll get that information to you guys. You guys can check that out. >> Well, you know what? And I want to make one more comment. I think one of the things that you said earlier >> is is probably the biggest factor, >> reading, >> because everything has gone technical. And unfortunately now in middle school when we do intervention back in the day the majority of the girls read and some of the boys read. They might be reading magazines. They were reading novels.

184Now nobody reads. Everybody's playing video games on their on their little iPads and digital products. Now obviously this is middle school but I mean it it's a huge problem. And and the fact is that you know if you can read you can almost accomplish anything. You don't necessarily need, you know, quote unquote a degree, but if you can read, you have access to every bit of information that's out there. >> Absolutely. I would whole role of superintendent. Make sure there's a distinct difference here. Act as CEO of the district, move the district forward on the board's goals and priorities. I go back to the board's goals and priorities because if you're not setting goals and priorities, then how do you hold the superintendent accountable? Right. Right. Okay. Now, again, you're not abdicating or losing power.

185There's a there's a methodology to it. And so, I'll use our exceptional deputy here. Who is he? He's the tip of the government sphere. He arrests you on laws and policies passed by the legislature and arbitrated in court. I'm just doing my job is what they say. Got to arrest you. Boom boom boom. You have narcotics on you. You're drunk driving. You violate the law. He didn't pull you over because he wants to. If you want to speed, speed. He don't care. It's your business. But the law says 65. Okay. Pull you over, right? To tip up this government spear. ensure that the board policies are implemented fairly and appropriately. I go back to the policies. You guys have a just a plethora of policies and some of those policies are aligned to state law

186and case case president. There's a lot of case law out there. Be accountable for the progress moving the system forward. And then while the board's focus is here we go oversight of management policy making planning and evaluation of superintendent focus on implementation and management the day operations not saying you cannot have a say so input but do you realize the amount of power inherent in the oversight so so one one aspect about Trump whether you like him or not it's doesn't matter. The point is that what they've done this time around, they've went and scrubbed literally every ounce of the Constitution and every case they could find, every case to substantiate the play. First time did things, Congress slapped them down and so did the courts. Now, now you have a Supreme Court that are

187strict constitutionalist and Clarence Thomas is driving a court. A strict stone cold libertarian, right? Everything coming down now does what? It's oversight proof as it were because by the time it gets to court, well, you're already a year in strategy, policym, planning, and evaluation. What is policym? Policym continuous evaluation of your policies to make sure that they're being implemented fairly and that you're keeping the policies up to date. That's the board's responsibility. That's the board's responsibility. Planning, long-term fiscal planning, long-term staffing planning. Case in point, you have a you have a single subject credential or multiple. >> Okay. >> Multiple authorization. >> Okay. Right. So, let's say I'm on the board and I decide, you know what? I don't really want us to hire any more multiple subject people. I really want people who are

188specialist. We could do that. Well, guess what? You have some single subject here within this A12 system, right? These are decisions that that the superintendent and board will discuss the pros and cons, the rationale as to why. Because in California, most of your superintendents really are are KA people. High school is is is is a is a nebulous place for many. It's very complicated. It is >> very complicated. >> So, there's always that that that uh duality or that struggle between management and K12, which is a far different level of compliance and accountability, excuse me, K8 versus a comprehensive K12. Now you actually have grown people. I mean, these people are like literally like >> they're smart. >> Yeah. >> A voice and agency. Okay. And they can write and they can use social media.

189Here you're struggling with the iPhone. He's kids have popped out 40 tweets on you, right? Think about it. >> I don't like Miss Egan. I don't like her laptop. I think it should be an Apple. Oh, there's Apple. It should be an IBM or whatever. >> And it had a whole dissertation on it. Right. Just wait a minute. All right. Okay. So, what I think we do if I know you want you had a hard stop. We can stop pick back up in a few pick back up on on a couple Saturdays out and then we can forward into the role of the president. Let I'll touch that now. We can forward into the rest of the >> and and obviously we've got December coming up. >> Yeah. where you know and that's that was

190I think the important part of just kind of making sure that you know whoever that person is >> that everybody knows because everybody at some point is going to be that person in that role and so it's just an education for them. >> This would be a good place to stop because the next element of the presentation moves off into a different aspect of of >> governance role of the president. Now there's a always a lot of confusion with this position. Okay. Most school boards are five or seven in California. And of course, you don't get to nine till you leave. >> Chicago, I think it's going maybe 25 or something like that. >> Yeah. Seriously, >> some place of 13 most Pennsylvania is mostly nine. >> So, let's just kind of tiptoe through here.

191presside over the meetings and conduct meetings in accordance with the law. That's easy. That's fair. Okay. Works in with the superintendent. Approve items you place on the agenda. Now, this is a little let me put a caveat. Reference your own board policy because some board policies are very different. Some board policies allow you to work in concert with the superintendent. Some allow the board president to actually place items and veto. Okay. Now, we encourage and maintain orderly conduct of the meetings. Allow for full exploration of each item for business. To what you were saying earlier, lead board self-evaluation, superintendent evaluation. The board president is generally the lead agency negotiator when it comes down to the superintendent hiring etc. and interaction around evaluation and so forth. That that person is the person who's talking with the

192superintendent during that process. Okay. Here is the big caveat. This is where people get into trouble. Or president only has power given to him her they by for policy or by forward action. What does that mean? Okay. If you're rotating the presidency and you're in the minority, then you just presside over the meetings. >> You get that? >> Yep. >> If you were in the minority on a rotation, you're just presiding over the meetings. If you're the poor president and you're a full majority, hear what I'm saying? Full majority or supermajority, the relationship is different. >> What does that mean? Well, if if you're on a board and there's five of you guys and you guys have a board policy that rotates the presidency, then essentially you're just going to sit there in that seat

193and presside over the meetings. You're not going to have any cache to do anything other than that. >> Meaning, >> if you want to do something, well, we might not want you. We might not want to do that. So, it's not going to happen. Oh, >> okay. You want two laptops? No, I think you ought to have one. We're going to take this one away now. No, no more food for you. Take your sandwich and throw it in the trash. You can't eat cuz now you got the power. This is real. If you're on a board or you actually have majority, it's people are people know that. It's clear. >> How do you How do you know if you're a minority or majority? >> Oh, you know, because I'll give an example. I'll give you

194an example. Give an example. Um I'll give an example. Uh, just happened next door. One of my neighbors. You want to go to CSBA? Nope. Nope. You're not going. Hold it down. You two can go. You three. Nope. Can't go. >> Or, >> but who gives them that? How do they establish that power? >> Oh, it's established because it's five people and we don't like you. Us four like each other. >> It's It's the If you have the 32, the 41, >> right? Oh, yeah. So, us four don't like you now >> and you don't go nowhere. >> You just sit here and you just call it a roll. >> So, can I can I add to that? So, you being there 13 years says volumes without saying volumes, right? Um and and I don't

195think our policy has that rotation. That's just kind of been the tradition here. And I think Jamie brought up something extremely important recently. She thought, well, we need to look into possibly making it at least a 2-year-old because the one year is is you're drinking out of a fire hose, you know? And so if you're doing, you know, let's just say that the tradition here has been set that you do one year in four, right, as a rotation. what he basically you're probably never going to accomplish anything that you want to accomplish because it's s by the time you're learning and fig figuring things out. >> It's your time's up. I mean, and so so when you brought that up, that was first of all, no one had ever brought that up. And so it

196was a very important comment because you were exactly right. You know what I mean? And everybody's and I I can only speak for me. I don't know about those two gentlemen because they might have been presidents more than one time, but for me it was drinking out of a fire hose and and learning a lot of different things. And I leaned a lot on Mai because of his experience as a schoolboard member and and doing that and and it's kind of interesting when you see that he's been doing it for 13 years because when you look locally that's not usually the case. But, you know, a lot of the credit in my opinion, you know, for what he's done in content is because he has that position and but he also has like-minded people who

197have have basically said, "Hey, you're doing a fine job with what you're doing and you're listening to us collectively and we're accomplishing all the things that we want to accomplish." >> Yeah. >> So, and I understand exactly what was going on in that neighboring school district. And there's >> it's when you see that kind of a decision made, you're like, whoa. Like, that's and I saw it. >> So the board president essentially you you want to set a tone because you tell the pace of the pack by the leader. You want to set a tone in the meetings and I go back to this and and the the staff laughed, the executive team laughed and and and it's it's it's a little funny, but I I gauge a meeting by how quick the meeting ends.

198If the board meeting is going on and on and on, there's two things I see. You did not do that that bad word, that fourletter word. You didn't read A. And B, if you read, you didn't even structure your questions to where the questions could be answered. Because at the end of the day, we're not talking about AI. These are human beings. So if you're rapid firing questions, then what are they going to do? lock down because I'm under no compulsion to answer. The answer's going to be I don't have any answer. I'll get back with you. That's a nice way of saying it ain't happening right now. It'll happen tomorrow, but not today. Right? Which is why it's a good practice as a board that collaborates, right? Hey, you have questions on the agenda.

199You get the agenda, your meetings on Wednesdays, right? You get the agenda normally what? Thursday, Friday, >> mainly Friday. >> Okay, Friday. That's ample time. Send your questions in an email to the soup, right? Watch this. He responds Monday, Tuesday. You take those answers, submit them to the record so the citizens can see. I ask 10 questions. He responded. They're placing the public record as a part of the exhibit. Boom. We're good. He's able to give a detailed response and then everybody can see it. It's not not a secret. It's all good. Everybody cares. Now, we're talking about governing at a very high level because you want your community to see that you're not governing based upon fiat or chaos. You're not these edicts and you, you know, raging and carrying on. Now, we're going

200to get mad at each other. There'll be tempers will flip. Trust me, I mean, come on. I've had my fair share of hotad moments. Okay, such is life. But watch this. I'm very, very, very passionate and very respectful even with foul language. I'm going to cuss at you. I'm going cuss with you. Okay. And so we still can walk out of there and move the move moving forward. Hey, Dr. Egan, you know, I'm not going to cuss. I just I really I'm hard time with with that comment you made that you know, you feel that you know, you feel that all children are going to go to college. Well, I don't feel that way. She comes back and said, "Well, here's here's empirical evidence that we are perform that that California children are better prepared

201for college today." What are you going to say? Which they are. They're better prepared for college today than they were yesterday. I agreed. Mr. Garcia would have most certainly had a different high school experience today than they did back then. All of the supports, all of the targeted interventions, all of the tutorial programs. Think about this kum and all that stuff. That was for the affluent or those with little money. Today, any child can get a tutor. We all are paying for tutoring. This is what we do. You know this, right? So, so again, we don't want to politicize the body, but you are a political body. this a political organization >> as defined by the law. The law says that, not my opinion. We want to make sure that if you're in the presidential

202role, it ain't that difficult. You're moving the meeting along, but you want to be very mindful because you know you are the county of Riverside that recognize and observes you as the president. You receive all the official correspondence as president, which means people going to know your name. I go I go to Facebook and I see Mr. Hill. He's in a fist fight in a CVS parking lot and he's president. True story by the way. In a district in Illinois, >> did he win or long as it wasn't >> dude? President this tall dude is like this president was working it right on. >> So, so uh uh again we're all fallible. None of us are perfect. But again, I like imperfect and irregular people by the way. love being perfect. The the reality is

203you're in a leadership role and you want to conduct yourself as such and you want the meetings to be very seamless. That way there's a high level of confidence. I'll say this in closing when I took the bond in 2015 to the community. I ran the campaign both took the bond in 20 was it 14 15 barely passed barely passed I'm talking about like 10 votes or something like it was like barely passed took the bond in 22 highest vote hitting bond in the state of California for that year >> why because you changed the perception that people have when you At Compton, there's a thousand adjectives that run through your mind and none of them are positive, right? >> Until now. Cuz you have experience of what you dealt with the way back when

204cuz y'all all fled LA to come here. You're fled. You're intelopers. You're not even welcomed here. >> I don't like that comment. >> I mean, you got help Alhamra. >> Yeah. La Pointe, West LA, >> East Low. I mean, and you're from even from LA. I mean, he's from LA. I mean, so it's like, dude, we got one cat from the desert, another homie from Mexico. Where you from? This area. Okay. Well, she gets a pass. She right. But think about this. You have a whole community of of folks at this around this. You're not from here. So you fled, >> right? You want people to have a level of confidence in the system. Parents come back. Everybody had declining enrollment. We're up like a little like a eighth of a point. We don't focus

205on the politics. We focus on instruction. >> And I want to throw something out um that I I saw over the course of when I was at LA Harbor College. Yep. So when we played Compton Community, it was dilapidated. It was it was a joke. We didn't even want to go there. Um they had a lot of talent. um the they just threw out bats and balls and and it was it was embarrassing for us to play, but what you've done with that place is amazing because >> like for me to to see it now as a new high school and what it is and then got the explanation of the name, I mean it's just it's phenomenal because >> when we went there like I said I mean and we were na we were

206nally ranked great ranked in the state. It was almost like we were better off having a practice game against our own against our freshman >> when we played then >> and the and that was because the community at that time it was like you said it was you know right after the whole easy but it was Compton was not looked at and viewed upon especially as an academic institution or place where academics were a high priority and that has switched and so >> no >> you know you've done a great job in doing that because I I saw it and it was bad. >> Yeah. No. Hey, I went to Lynwood as because of >> that's how I ended up in Limwood Unifi Paramount >> Lynwood graduated right because of now my man I'm not

207for sure if you know a guy by the name of Ceil Rambo he's number assistant sheriff LA County retired he's now the chief of police of LA airport >> so he I met him in 2020 he's like my dad >> he was hired as the captain of the sheriff's department when the sheriffs assumed the competent police apartment. This single this one man this one man cleaned up Compton in one year. >> Wow. >> You met him? Y'all met him? >> One year. >> Used to be the city manager. >> He was he was the captain of the sheriff's department. The city council tried to make him city manager and captain at the same time. That was hilarious man. He retired and he went to he came back. He went to Carson as city manager. came

208back to conflate city manager. But point being is that I go back to what we initially said, what I initially said at the top of the entire session. If we all are rolling in the same direction, not to say, hey, you know, Capos is a little tired. I'll pick up his slack. He's sleeping. Hit him in the head with the ore. Wake him up. Right. But but we all have to >> in the same direction again. >> Have your differences. have your differences. But if the fulcrum of our existence, if that's students in Paris Union, then then if it's good for them, then you set aside your difference because while I I love your five children, I love mine more. I love my child more than you're the board member. I don't care about your

209kids. I care about my kids. I voted for you, not for yours, but for mine. Right. All right. We want to move the system forward for ours. So, why don't we we'll get a date, Mr. President. Let's pick it back up so we really can delve into the policy discussion which will take a lot more time. >> We could pick a date later. >> Would it be wise to do it on the uh early in the morning from the state of the union? Well, it depends what time of state or the district is. >> That's on a Friday. That's on Friday. Yeah. Well, and and not only that, but you know, at that point, I we're going to have a reorganization. So, that might not be my call. So, >> Okay. So, so, uh, well,

210well, even if you set the date now, we can >> That's why I'm asking about what time is the state of the in the in the afternoon like 3:30 for >> He said I think the 12th. December 12th is the state of the union and that's why I'm asking. So, it would be the 13th. No, I'm asking that day. So, we're taking one day cuz I have to work that day. >> Yeah. >> It would be wise to take the whole day, right? The morning we do state or this and then go to the state. You guys do what you got to do obviously, but okay. If we're doing >> we're looking at December Friday, December 12th at 5:00 p.m. >> 5 p.m. And then you'd want to do >> for the state of the

211union. >> Okay. Then you want to do >> In the AM. Does that make sense? >> No. Fine with me. I'm cool. >> Yeah. I'm taking that day off. So that would >> No, the same day. >> You know, you know already taking the day off. How you doing? So >> she took care of it right there. >> She did it on her. >> Perfect. Is that a good day? >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. No, I was going to say just I was only uh suggesting that the Saturday only because I wasn't considering taking the because I can make a five o'clock meeting, but I'm okay taking that day off and then not having to use Saturday. That's I mean that's more efficient. I just was was thinking of of the work schedule of just hey

212I work >> to do what you do. >> Yeah. I mean well regardless that's >> so Friday the 12th would work. >> That's good enough. Friday. >> We did it in the morning and everyone had a chance to go there. >> Yeah, cuz we're live. >> What time? Same time. Okay. >> Are you good with the 12? >> 9 a.m. Are you good with the 12? >> Great. >> What? What? >> 9:00 a.m. >> 9 a.m. to 12th. >> 9 to 12. >> How long do we need? >> How long? >> I'll probably say uh if we're going to Are you going to bring some policies in too? >> Well, so so those board policies and then also we we didn't get to the the asset management piece. Yeah, I'll probably say let's block off

213four. >> Okay, >> we do breakfast and then lunch. >> Yeah, breakfast and lunch. >> Breakfast and lunch. >> 9 to one. >> We're there already cuz we can do working lunch cuz we'll be deliver right. >> You're thinking too hardly. >> Oh, well that's how we usually do it when we normal when I can't afford to let them like go off. >> This optimal location. Is this the best location? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Yeah. Especially because we're not going to have otherwise we have kids. >> Where where isite? >> Oh, we haven't determined the state. Oh, no. You did? >> Yes, we're looking at Paloma. >> Does that give you guys enough time to transition from here to be able to do? >> Yeah, because we have a committee that's going to be doing

214all the >> They'll just call you otherwise if they need. >> How do you feel about meeting changing the venue to the boardroom? >> I don't have a problem with it. Is there going to be parking for us? >> Well, but you invited a lot of people in so >> Well, we just for the meeting with the guy. Oh, >> it works better >> for Anna at the boardroom. >> Just technology wise, like it's easier. >> Yeah. No, no, the chair is down. The table's down here. >> Yeah, we'll set up the table that we have table that we move in there. >> Yeah, we'll set it up. >> Beautiful. Beautiful. That's all good. >> All good. >> Okay. >> And you're going to do the whole >> So, workshop. >> Yeah. Or studies. It

215doesn't matter. >> Let me ask you, would you want to continue this meeting >> to that day? >> Yeah. >> Just continue it. Not. >> Oh, no. No. Cuz you got to repost. >> Yeah. >> Changing the location. So, we just we adjourn this one and then repost. >> Okay. Cool. >> Cuz because we got to repost over there for the 12th. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. >> All right. We're good. >> So, yeah. Can we hit that five real quick? Just a quick explanation. That number five, trustee compensation. >> Um, let's deal with that. Let's deal with that. Yes. Let's deal with that on the 12th because because we need to look at that policy. >> Yeah. Okay. So, um so also there needs to >> be a change but that's like a month and

216a half >> but also Tony you are more than call >> you you can I mean we can have that discussion as a group but if you want the details >> I know there was a list of things that we had to do to get to that. >> Can you condense it within 5 minutes so we can just touch on >> we need to look at your policy because if the policy references you're paid according to state law you do nothing. Can you look into that? >> Right. Right. He he can easily >> I'll coordinate. >> He's aware. He can do it. And so you you >> if if it says that, then you do nothing because your compensation is set by the state. >> Mhm. >> If it says that, then it's simply >>

217and then if not, can we have it placed on next month's agenda so it kicks in when it comes? >> Yep. >> Y I'll wait for the >> No, but >> you guys will get policy. >> Yeah, >> there was a question about that. >> Can you submit the policy when you get a chance, sir? So, we heard it kicks in uh year 26, but at the new election or does it kick in for everybody on uh the year 20 January 26th? >> The I I have I need to go back and look at the full >> language. >> Yeah, because there may be some other guiding language >> from the CDE. >> Well, once you find out, can you get to them as soon as possible and they could get to us? >> I

218will make sure. I'll work with you on that. >> Yeah. 95. >> All right, folks. So at this point, you know, if if we we'd like to adjourn the the meeting of Parisian High School. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Okay. Any discussions, question? >> Thank you very much. This meeting is adjourned at >> call for a vote. >> Oh, I know you got things to do. >> I did. >> Okay. So, you got to call for a vote. >> No. >> To adjourn. >> Yes. >> Uh, so Trusty Annayas says yes. Trusty Stafford. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Trusty Hall, >> yes. >> Thank you. Trustee or >> here we go. We got the vote. >> Okay. >> And well, roll call, whatever. So, and and me. Yes. So, my assumption is we >>

219take 10 more minutes. No, I'm just kidding. That's just >> Yeah, we just voted. There you had a digital. Oh, we did both. I'm pretty sure the result might be the same.