001Good morning all. Welcome. The time is now 10:04 a.m. on January 28th, 2026. Welcome to the regular meeting of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, including closed session items. I'm going to take role. Uh, Miss Newell, >> present. >> Dr. >> present. >> Mr. Meloinne >> here. Mr. >> Grigo, >> here. Miss Gomez, >> Miss Ortiz Franklin >> present. >> Board President Wilson >> present. >> Okay, that's six. I'm going to read through the purpose and authority for the items that we will be discussed in close session. >> Then we will take public comment and then the board will recess into close session. Under tab one, student discipline matters pursuant to education code 48918 CF. Under tab 2, personnel pursuant to government code section 454957, public employee discipline dismissal or release. Uh
002public employment involved will be chief of police, chief risk officer, director of budget services and financial planning, deputy director of facilities maintenance and operations and inspector general and the superintendent evaluation. No tab three conference with legal counsel pending litigation pursuant to government code section 54956.9D1 Jane do one at all va USD and the 1776 project foundation v Alberto M Carvalo in his official capacity at all uh case numbers can be looked up by going to our website. If you want to look them up further, you can use the case number on the LA County website, LA Superior Court website to look up the cases or the US District Federal Court case lookup website. Tab four, conference with labor negotiators pursuant to government code section 54957.6, the negotiators, Dr. Murphy. And the employee organizations are the
003Associated Administrators of Los Angeles Teamsters 2010, California School Employees Association, Los Angeles County Building and Construction Trades Council, Los Angeles School Police Association, Los Angeles School Police Management Association, Service Employees International Union, SEIU Local 99, Teamsters, United Teachers Los Angeles, and District Represented Employees and Contract Management Personnel for And [clears throat] for the following uh the negotiator is Miss Nea Reid and the unrepresented employees are chief of police, chief risk officer, director of budget services and financial planning, a deputy director of facilities maintenance and operations and the inspector general. So we'll go to public comment directed at those items. We have public comment under for tab four. We have none for tab one, two, and three. For tab four, we have one speaker, Mr. David Tokovski. I think I see you out there, sir. Come
004on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Thank you for the opportunity to speak this morning. Again, I want to re reiterate my concern about the spirit or if not the letter of the Brown Act where you recess and recess and recess a meeting thereby prohibiting the public from commenting on each and every time. Let me speak to the labor item that's before you. Um, let me just say that the decision to uh perhaps pay uh teamsters uh greater than UTLA is a very divisive way of negotiating. Um, the alleged uh pay raise is a three-year, but it goes back a year to 2425, which is a greater amount in a 643 than the 5% or whatever it was, but I may be wrong on that. Um but it is very um
005important that you begin to settle because then everybody can work together and go to Sacramento before the May revision and get the money. Teamsters lobbyists in Sacramento are among the most significant through four or five governors, SEIU, CTA. These are partners that can get a lot of that one-time money and the growth in the AI stocks to help the children and the districts across the state of California. So if that's the spirit of it, that's great stuff. Now, let me speak as well to the court case as the 1789. I mean, no, it's not the Constitution. They're using the uh declaration 1776. Uh let me just say it would behoove you to publish the academic records of the schools that they allege that are damaged. Most of those schools start with the letter W. Um
006ironically, with a W. Those schools are doing exceedingly well. They outperform schools in Orange County. There's not much damage alleged in here, but you'll you'll look and look at the DEI statement of the law firm. It's right on their front web page. Kind of ironic. And lastly, as you do the personnel matter, New York public schools has two inspector generals. They have one for the general fund and one for the for the facilities money. You have a a a difficulty with the general fund. And so I would definitely work hard because you have some uh Hamilton High at over 600 million and you have a lot of contractors that are problematic, but you also have ELOP and other monies. Thank you very much. >> Thank you for your time, sir. Now we will go directly
007to public comment, general public comment. I'll call on the folks who listed themselves as being in person and then we'll go to those who listed themselves as speaking remotely. As a reminder, the public comment period is two minutes each. All right, Carol Verde right here. Come on up. Okay, momentto. If you'd like to hear simultaneous translation, please put your headsets on. They're being passed out right now. Okay, graciasto. >> Good morning to all. Thank you for allowing me to be here. Well, I am here. I want to say that I am unsatisfied. Last week, uh, district employees were there because of the petition that I made to the board of sto King. We had an issue because the history teacher was removed. The problem is that they're giving him 20 students. They were there laughing
008at special need parents, vulnerable parents. And what we will do today is a formal complaint and federal complaint because it is not correct that children with IEP, children with deficiency issues, they can't walk, they can't really hear [snorts] or talk. The district employees are supposed to be professionals, but they're laughing at the parents. That is not professional. That is not correct. That is antisocial. And this is a bullying that you as a district should see. You should see that directly. How is it possible that they come with big jackets and saying that the problem was resolved? Nothing has been resolved. We need to please, Mr. Alberto Carvalo, please Mr. Mr. Carvalo we need we need we we need please we need the attention because we will convene all the parents from start Thomas star king
009so that they can note because if not I will I will knock on Donald Trump's door not just Donald Trump we will go to federal laws saying that you are violating the rights of the children with special needs with IEP and the district is getting paid so that they can receive the best service and students are receiving the best service. You want to be in their positions. Make sure that the students are good. Many students of these schools are white >> and the representative like Miss Rosio, she's a racist because she wasn't born here. >> They Thank you for your time. >> Okay. Okay, the next speaker is Todd Grabbarski and then after Mr. Grabbarski is Bry Lee and then Christina Brown. Come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. and
010you're done. I don't want them to start reading it while you're speaking. So, please go ahead because I'm going to discuss it while I'm speaking. So, I think it would be helpful if they had it in front of them. >> Sure. Sure. But please begin. I >> I'll wait so they have it in front of them so we're we're all on the same page. >> [clears throat] >> Thank you. Um I'm a parent of a first grader um at a title one school in Lust. Um thank the district. Um I've had a few meetings with district representatives to try and get answers to some of my questions about basic issues regarding LUD's tech policies. Um I've asked a lot of questions and I really appreciate you all bearing with me. Um I've gotten some answers
011but again these are like on really basic stuff. So, for example, chief academic officer has confirmed that the I Ready personalized instruction minutes are not mandated by the district. I just want to be clear about that. If that's if I'm wrong about this, I invite Superintendent Carvalo or members of his staff to correct me about this. Um but even still even with that confirmation and that's been confirmed in by other communications and other memos from the district we are hearing from principles and teachers who in response to parents saying look I want to opt out of the I Ready personalized instruction minutes. Principles and teachers are saying sorry you cannot opt out because the weekly minutes are mandated by the district. Why are the principles and teachers misunderstanding this? It's just unclear. Can the district
012publicly communicate fullthroated unequivocally that the I Ready personalized instruction minutes are not required. I also want to address the RUP. I've asked what happens if a parent declines to sign the RUP. Just want to read from the RUP. The RUP asks parents to agree that quote the district is not liable for any claims, losses, damages, costs, or other obligations arising from the use of the network or district accounts or personal devices. The RUP also asks parents to agree that the district denies any liability for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through the devices. Why is the district asking parents to agree that the district is not providing accurate information to students, to children? Why is the district asking parents to agree that the district is not liable if if children are harmed for
013given wrong information on these devices? I've provided the the I've made a motion under board rule 132 providing an agenda for the district and the board Thank you for your time. Bridey Lee, come on up. Bridey Lee, you have two minutes to speak once you begin. And then after Miss Lee is Christina Brown and then Maria Louisa Palma. Thank you. We live in a moment in which we are told not to believe our own eyes, that the facts don't matter, that truth is a matter of opinion, a relic so manipulated and denigrated beyond recognition that it ceases to exist as a basis for public discourse. We live in a moment in which our institutions and elected leaders have failed us. We live in a moment in which moral imperative is written off as moral panic.
014At the center of this breakdown in truth and leadership is an extremely unpopular group of tech leaders that have used their unprecedented wealth and power to destroy every pillar of our society. Democracy, equal rights, free press, due process, jobs, the environment, and of course, education. Less than one mile from here, jury selection is underway for a trial against Google's YouTube. NBC and others report YouTube's internal documents state the following. We aspire to create an app that is addictive. Increasing number of children are in therapy after watching YouTube. No way to block unsafe content, comments, ads. Hard to stay engaged. YouTube too good at distraction. Hard to do my homework when I could be watching Will Ferrell. Google will amplify what we do in schools across product, marketing, and sales to create a pipeline of future
015users. Imagine a world where school administrators shift budgets from textbooks to YouTube subscriptions. YouTube is also a welldocumented source of anti-immigrant radicalization and runs multi-million dollar DHS ad campaigns. The current situation in Minneapolis arguably even originated with a popular anti-immigration YouTuber. Big tech is the big tobacco of our time and educational institutions that promote its use will join the same historical ranks as doctors doing cigarette ads in the 50s. Public confidence in big tech has sunk to a pitiful 24% and politicians from both sides are rushing to capitalize on this winning bipartisan issue. It's time for you to do the same. It's time for LA USD to block YouTube. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. >> The next speaker is Christina Brown. Christina Brown, Maria Louisa Palma, come on up. You'll have two
016minutes to speak once you begin. And then after Miss Palma is Monica Razola and then Kate Brody district enrollment in freef fall. And now the question, are LA Unified Schools segregated? And if so, how did they get that way? It's too bad Miss Gonz isn't here today because I wanted to ask her where her kids might be going to school. I wonder if it's at Haden Elementary, really close to her district office, where 41% of students in English language arts are at level one. Uh 38% in math are at level one or more likely maybe at Wonderland Elementary where 90% exceed or meet the standards and 70% are at level four. And some of you uh executives here and in other fancy offices in this building attend have your kids who attend schools like Cleveland
017Magnet Science Academy, Beckford Elementary. But you know what? I'm right there with you cuz I bought my house so my daughter could attend Granada Hills Charter. My son went to Science Academy, North Hollywood HGM. So I'm right there with you. I didn't just pick those schools. I would not have sent my kids to this district to public school if not for those schools. So, what does that mean? Am I racist? Are some of you racist? So, this Fabo controversy, the 1776 lawsuit, are you, when you're acting in your personal capacities like I am, are we to blame for the segregation, or are we just doing the best we can for our own kids, picking schools based on student performance? I don't care what the race is of the students in the school. I want the
018best school for my children. So, as enrollment continues to decrease and we have just pennies being devoted to gifted programs and why why do we even have to have kids called gifted. So, let's stop this hypocrisy. This isn't equity. What's going on right now? All the the dollars, the focus, the narrative is always with the to the lowest performing students. So, you're pushing out the families that have resources that have information about the best schools. So if you want to preserve enrollment, think about this. Who families who can send their kids elsewhere? They don't accept the garbage schools that and neither do you. Some of you, you know who you are. >> Thank you for your time. Monica Rosola. Mr. Rosa is going to speak in Spanish. So if you'd like to hear what she's
019saying in English as she's speaking in Spanish, please put your head hands up and we'll get you a translation headset. She's not here. >> Okay, thank you. Looks like she's not here. Uh Kate Brody, are you here? Come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. And after Miss Brody is Da Guen and then Maria Deort Ortiz. [clears throat] In Annie Dillard's non-fiction classic, The Writing Life, she tackles the thorniest and most benal of all administrative tasks, scheduling. She writes that a schedule is a net for catching days. I've always loved that image. What educator can't relate? And so often when we question our kids excessive tech use, we're given reasons that amount to scheduling. Our kids need to complete x digital tasks on x platform, x number of times over x
020period in order to prepare for an assessment, which will happen on this date. We're catching days. But also in the same scheduling section is Dillard's most famous piece of wisdom, the gentle reminder that how we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives. This is something we too often forget. What we do with this hour and that one is what we are doing. The scheduling choices we make each day prioritizing the urgent over the important or perhaps the fil over the difficult accumulate to shape our entire lives. A correlary to this might be how our children spend their days is of course how our children spend their childhoods. Days spent reading and playing with friends amount to a childhood spent reading and playing with friends. How we spend our days is how
021we spend our lives. We are given so many reasons that our children need to be on their devices right now. And of course, any one day spent on a screen might be perfectly fine, but what of a whole childhood? Dillard writes, "There are no shortage of good days. It is good lives that are hard to come by. Who would call a day spent reading a good day? But a life spent reading, that is a good life." Is a childhood spent in the edtech data mines a good childhood? Do you feel any soul level reaction to that prospect? How you spend their days is how they spend their lives. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time, Danna Guen. and then Maria de Ortiz and then uh Sandra Martinez Row. This is going to speak in
022Spanish. So if you'd like to hear what she's saying in English, please put your heads up for a translation headset if you do not already have one. >> Okay, gracias. >> Good afternoon. My name is Diana Gillen. represent the parent network for school safety. I would like to give you a little bit of information. In 1975, there was a lay created IDA. It was a special education law to assist students with special needs so that the district could provide services to students with special needs and they could have a free appropriate with necessary services uh education. And this is a disgrace how 15 employees how have been at the region west along with the represent the representation of Rosio Ribbas and they did nothing when we came to them. They went I think during one
023of these uh uh meetings to intimidate the parents. They did not have a solution to the situation. They wanted to take away the history teacher so that they didn't have a teacher. That was a solution. and to have 20 students with disabilities and have one sole teacher and three help three three helpers. So the law says there needs to be three to eight students for every teacher. So what I would like to say is all these people arrived to do nothing. So how is that going to solve anything? These people came to intimidate and at and even were making fun of the parents because they said oh the par the the class is going to have four adults. four adults. Well, who are the adults? Then we start to ask questions and they told us,
024"Oh, the contract for teachers says they have to have 10 students and one uh one assistant." And then we want to ask, okay, well, where does it say that? Where's the policy in the district where it says 15 employees could not give us the policy because so I had to look for it on the internet as per their instruction. How can they treat the community like this? It's discrimination because they know we can't do that. Imagine I have to go read the contract of the teachers that is more than 600 pages. This is an embarrassment. You seriously have to change these policies and show us the policies that favor us parents or the ones that are discriminating because you have that responsibility. Thank [clears throat] you. >> Maria Daisy Ortiz, come on up. I think
025>> I'll also note that um board member Gonz has been here for quite a while. So I apologize for not calling on you for ro. Are you here, Miss Gomez? >> I am here. >> And you're attending remotely and there's nobody over 18 in the room with you. >> I'm attending at my listed location. >> Okay, great. >> In Puima. >> Okay, perfect. Under the traditional Brown Act rules. Thank you so much. >> Oh, gracias. >> Uh good morning everybody. My name is Maria Desi Ortiz and every time it's sad when we're here talking before you and like the superintendent said, the favorite place for us is not our favorite place. It's where you are public representatives and need to provide results. Like Mr. Bundy said, oh, oh, the parents leave. I'll tell you why
026the parents leave from the school district of LA. Because maybe you may not know. They leave because of a lack of results. They leave because of a lack of safety. Because there's too many fights, drugs within and out of the school, because parents aren't listened to. Because parents are only used. They're not respected. There is no committee other than to just comply but they're not working and all their regularities the teachers are not properly qualified. There's someone sick and then we have a substitute and the loss is after two weeks there should not be a substitute teacher in the classes but there is plenty. And here you're giving you speeches one onto the other. And this is why the parents leave from the district because they're sick of exhausted from falling on deaf ears because
027it's too you you have two point increase and you think you're the best district. That is a mediocrity and our kids need excellence for their education. But then come the charters. Then Highland Park was closed because of a mismanagement of funds. The other ones that have arrived to Highland have closed due to bad investments of funds. So you are the reason why parents are thinking they're going there for things to work out but no. So you are responsible to give results programs excellent ones teachers highly qualified implementation involvement of parents. Thank you. Have a great day. >> Thank you for your time. Uh Sandra Martinez row right here. >> Come on up. You have two minutes to speak. Why don't you begin? Hola, my Sandra Martinez. >> Hi, my name is Sandra Martinez with Schools
028Beyond Screen representing families that can't be here to com to give a public comment in regards to technology in our schools, tech in the classroom. But why, Sandra? We have invested so much in it. Our salespeople at I Ready, Google, and YouTube assured us that the data we collect will help us make informative decisions and that the test scores would soar. The people at Google even mentioned screens were not addictive even though top CEOs don't let their own kids use screens. What about equity? Should all kids fall behind together? Too much screen time is linked to emotional dysregulation and that it ne negatively impacts literacy and mathematics in schoolaged children. Just ask the educators. As a mother, I'm outraged at the lack of your outrage. The data is clear, the issues are obvious, and the
029worldwide web is not a safe place for kids. So why is it in our schools? It's frankly not even safe for adults at this point. Look at what's happening. Children need to learn from other human beings, not screens. They need a connection, not an algorithm. Educators need to feel inspired, supported, and excited to teach. And having big tech dictate what that looks like just doesn't add up. Coming from a family of educators, I hear the frustrations. The kids can't focus. They can't retain information. They get distracted. Some can't use scissors. The writing is atrocious. The spelling is sad. My kids once said, "Oh, I don't have to read. The computer will read it for me." What the what? Asked for equity. As a first generation American, when I hear equity when it comes to tech,
030I cringe. The powers that be continue to systematically bait and switch us, continuing the wealth gap, the gender gap, and now the education gap. And this starts with all of you. As an optimist, I see this as an opportunity. While the board struggles to balance a budget, and parents, students, and educators struggle with the consequences of one, here's some food for thought. Change the policies. >> Thank you for your time. The next speaker is uh Nichollet Santos. Nichollet Santos. And then after Miss Santos is Isabelle Gonzalez. >> Hello. Sorry. Good morning. My name is Nichollet and I'm a proud parent of an L USD USD elementary school student. I'm here because I'm concerned about the growing role of technology in early classrooms. To be clear, I'm not anti-technology. I'm a pro-ch child development and pro-effective
031teaching. My first concern is technology overuse. Our children already live in a world saturated with screens. School should be a p a place where they practice being human, making eye contact, listening, collaborating, learning to express themselves with confidence. [applause] Critical thinking, connection, and discussion are survival skills, and they develop through human interaction, not screen dependence. Research shows devices can increase distraction while handwriting and live discussion support deeper learning. Technology should support learning, not replace these experiences. Second, I'm concerned about young children being exposed to AI too early. Students need to build their own reasoning and creativity before relying on tools that can do that thinking for them. Finally, we need to talk about priorities and trust. My child's school doesn't have a functioning library or librarian. Yet the district continues expanding on spending on classroom
032technology. When essential learning resources are missing but devices are prioritized, it feels like we are choosing technology over humanity. Please rebalance. Put humanity first. Screens can wait, childhood cannot. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Thank you for your time. Our next speaker is Isabelle Gonzalez. Come on up. You have two minutes to speak. Why don't you begin? >> Your priority public servants should be the safety of the students. Why do you cover delinquency? Why do you allow students deaths? Why do you allow violence in the schools? Why do you allow bullying? Why do you allow drug sell, fentanyl cell or why do you uh allow abuse to the students and alcohol, cigarettes? And why do you allow stabbings? Why do you allow firearms in the schools? We want school police, people that are
033capable, that are trained and qualified like school police. Since school police was removed from the schools, the the violence within the schools are very alarming and you pretend not to see that. You are accompllices to that. You only you're only interested in your agendas like bureaucracy, more parasites. You're parasites. You're good for nothing. We don't want more programs like safety passages that don't work. They don't work. Stop using us. Stop discriminating us. We need Stop BSP programs. Stop trying to put in programs like LGBTQ plus LGBTQ plus. We want more information within the schools. More detailed information. We want funds that are co come in by schools. We want a uniformed a detail information from the schools from all types per school. We want school police. We want our children in a safe place just
034like one of you are in a safe place. We want you right Miss Carla. We want you to stop allowing hate, fear, discrimination, division, accusing President Trump for his agendas. Stop blaming businessmen that manage education. Right, Miss Carla? Stop blaming others because they are are graduating with Fs and D's. >> All right, Elizabeth Newman, I believe you're here. Come on up. You have two minutes to speak once you begin. Elizabeth, >> yes, Elizabeth Newman, come on up. >> There. Thank you guys for the opportunity to speak today. Um, my name is Elizabeth Newman. I'm the mother of a TKER at Mitchell Terrana Elementary School. I was raised by two lifelong educators, one of which was a deputy secretary of education. Um, and I've over the last year become really concerned about some of the things
035our children are exposed to at schools. mainly I've been I've been concerned about the exposure of tech for our kids. I'm not the only person here who spoke about the concern about I already but we really have to come up with more concrete plans on how we um sorry I'm a little nervous uh on how we uh come together with the planning and implementation of the age restrictions. There's no reason a four-year-old and a 5-year-old should be learning fundamentals on a screen. It's passive learning. They do not comprehend it. They do not, it doesn't stay with them and it doesn't teach them the skills that they need to be learning. Um, sorry. My concern is shared with many other parents and and at our school and every time we go to either our principles or
036the board members, we get runarounds. We we are really concerned that this program is affecting our children's education. um [sighs and gasps] we all agree that our children need to be learning tech, but we do uh we need to implement it in a different way. When we've reached out to the principles and the board, we get the runaround and all we are asking for right now is an opt out option and to explore other options for our children instead of techbased learning to start with. Um thank you so much Thank you. Thank you for your time. The next speaker is Christina Brown. Are you Christina Brown? Please come on up. You have two minutes to speak once you begin. And for those folks who are online uh waiting patiently, I will come to you after
037we complete our in-person speakers. Please go ahead. Before >> my timer starts, I need to pass something out to you guys. >> Sure. Great. These go to Carvalo. These are for you. I only have seven. So, this one will go to whoever doesn't have it at the end because I'm reading from it. >> All right. Thanks. And before my timer starts, I'd like you to all have the copy. I'm Christina Brown from Mitchell Terrina. Mr. Carvalo, are you you're here? You're paying attention. You can hear. Okay. So, I just handed you a stack of 142 opt out letters from our school. 142 families want to opt their kids out of screenbased learning. We want your help to do that, but we're also we're not asking. We're just telling you that we are opting out. You've
038made it clear in two different memos that it's optional and we are taking that option. We have whole classes that are opted out. We are not interested in being on screens. [applause] We also made a scan of the stack that I just gave you because I don't trust LUSD to disappear that stack given the fact that you're like deleting your memos off of your website. Everybody, [applause] this is to school members. Organize, organize, organize, organize. This was work, but it wasn't hard work. Start talking to the other parents at your school and have them. We have all the materials ready to go. Mitchell Terrina has a whole pack of things. Our teachers don't like it. Nobody likes this. You guys are somehow somehow Carvalo is got to be profiting off of this. I don't have
039any other explanation for this, but [applause] word on the street is your form 700 is kind of light. And I just want to remind you that you are supposed to be reporting any gift of $50 or more from a single source. So, if you're on the board of two separate entities, you are supposed to be reporting every single dinner, every single meeting, every single coffee that cost $12 and adds up to more than $50. You are supposed to be doing that as an elected official. That's a form 700. Thank you for your time at what It's not that the board doesn't care what you're hear what you're saying, but they cannot respond substantively to requests made at the at the podium like that due to the Brown Act. If you want to talk about it
040later, um I can certainly explain it to you. Um, it's also available on online. Hate to say that, but um, the Brown Act prohibits the board uh, engaging in an iterative back and forth discussion during public comment period. And the reason for that is the public is not fully apprised of the discussion that is about to take place and therefore themselves cannot prepare to participate. So, while it sounds like you're receiving stayed aggressive silence, it is merely adherence to the law. >> Thank you so much. >> Yeah, we're gonna we have to move on actually to the the remote speakers now. Miss Ana Ana Mexen, I see you're on the line. >> Leave it on there. >> Please press star six to unmute yourself and you have two minutes to speak once you begin. >>
041Hello. Uh my name is Ana Mexen and I am on the leadership committee of schools beyond screens. In that role, I have publicly addressed this board seven times in the last six months regarding the urgent problem of unregulated edtech in our schools. And we have gotten no response from you. Today, I want to address you as a mother of two young children, a 5-year-old boy and a 15-month-old girl about whose future I am so deeply worried. Our world is full of devastating, unprecedented problems on a historic scale. problems that our children will have to face as they grow up. And there is only one tool that could allow our children to surmount these problems. One tool that could lead the next generation out of the chaos our society has fallen into. That one tool is
042education. Real rigorous education that cultivates critical thinking, problem solving, resilience, integrity, and compassion. That is what's at stake here. When we show up to these board meetings begging you to save our children's education from being colonized by immoral profit- hungry corporations, what we are really saying is we need you to help save our society and our future. We need you to preserve the ability of our children to think independently, to write eloquently, to read voraciously, to imagine possibilities that nobody before them has ever dreamed of. But how can they do that if they spend half their days staring at screens, becoming more and more addicted to mind-numbing technology that pacifies them into compliance and obedience, which is exactly the goal. How will they save the world if they can't motivate themselves to turn off the
043bottomless scroll of YouTube or pull themselves away from a video game? School should be a sanctuary from digital addiction, not another place where kids log on and zone out. Please, board members, the time for action on this issue is now. Which one of you will lead the way before it's too late? Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Thank you for your time. All right, Marcela Garcia, I see you're on the line. Marcela Garcia, please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Marcela Garcia. Marcela Garcia. Good morning. >> Good morning, members of the board. Once again, I am here for the safety in the schools. We need to have police patrolling the schools because they are qualified to act if there is an emergency. I'm
044also here to talk about the budget, the reduced budget from the schools. is affecting the education of our kids because the programs are not complete like the psychologist available every day or the school nurse. So I'm wondering if they're if you're having and they're having less funds, what if you reduce your salaries, would that assist things? Because if there's a reduction in schools and the kids are the ones who suffer that should you have maybe reductions, just please think in our schools and our communities that have very low incomes. Don't just think in yourselves when you are promoting votes for yourselves. You go everywhere. Once you're in that position, you're you barely show up. And if you do, it's once in a while. And it's not to to support the schools and ask in what
045ways they can help our principles and ourselves. You are not to be seen anymore. So, please think of our kids, their future, and the future of the country. I really appreciate you. And please think of school safety. Thank you. >> Uh Karina Lopez, I see you're signed up to speak remotely. Are you in the room, Miss Lopez? No. Uh Raquel Diaz, you're listed uh to speak online, but I don't have you on the screen in front of me. Are you in the room? She's not here. Dr. Danna Iinstein, I see you are on the line. Please press star six to unmute yourself. And you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Dr. Iikinstein. >> Hi. Can you hear me? >> We sure can. Just make sure to speak up a little bit and and
046please don't talk too fast. >> Sure. Sure. >> Okay. Is this okay? >> That's perfect. >> Okay. Hi, my name is Dr. Deanna Iikinstein. I'm a licensed child psychologist, parent at an LA USD school, and member of Schools Beyond Screens. I'm witnessing parents, educators, and experts come to meeting after meeting to tell you there is a problem with tech use at schools, only to be met with the response that tech at home is the problem. My kindergartenner comes home from school and says, "Mommy, why am I not allowed to watch YouTube at home when we watch YouTube videos every day at school?" When safeguarding our kids from inappropriate content is being undermined by our educational institutions, we have a big problem. We are doing our part as parents, minimizing screen time, delaying smartphones and social
047media. Now it's your turn. Neuroscientist Jared Horvath shared his data in Congress that Gen Z is less cognitively capable than any generation before it. When onetoone tech enters the classroom, performances decline. I have personally shared this data with administration at my school to no avail. The district needs to lead on this just like you did with banning phones. But please explain to me banning phones yet giving iPads to kindergarteners. We are asking you to take this seriously like other school districts are already doing. Baltimore County eliminated one-to-one tech in elementary and their middle schoolers no longer take-home devices. The San Marcos Unified School District just banned YouTube from all K through8 schools. The Chicago School District allows parents to opt out of AI tools altogether. I'm asking LA USD to follow this example and be
048the hero we need. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. And the final caller is Deianne Newkerk. I don't see you online in front of me. Are you in the room? Deianne Newkerk. Okay, that concludes uh general public comment and all comment for today. The board is now going to recess into close session. The time is 10:52 a.m. >> Good afternoon. Welcome back. The time is now 2:55 p.m. on January 28th, 2026. >> I'm going to take role. Uh Mr. Melvin >> here. >> Miss Ggo >> here. >> Mr. T. Franklin >> present. >> Board President Schmelson >> present. >> There are four members present. 1 2 3 4. We have quorum. All members were present in close session. I'm going to report out tab one student discipline matters. The board of education approved
049the expulsion of students in case numbers 27 28 and 30 with the recommended dispositions. The vote was seven eyes. The board of education approved the expulsion of students in case number 29 with a recommended disposition. The vote was six eyes and one no. Board President Schmurson. The board of education approved the conditional enrollment of the students in case numbers 13A and 14A with the recommended dispositions. The vote was seven eyes. Under tab 2, personnel public employee discipline dismissal and release. The board of education authorized the dismissal of one classified employee. The vote was seven eyes. public employment. The board of education appointed Donald R. Graham Jr. to the position of chief of police with the term beginning on February 11, 2026 and ending June 30th, 2028. Terms and conditions will be available upon the finalization
050of the agreement. The vote was five eyes and two nos. Miss Grigo and Dr. Rivas. The board of education appointed Baye 2 to the position of chief risk officer with a term beginning on February 11th, 2026 and ending June 30th, 2028. The board of education appointed way Gabbayao Gabaya I'm sorry to the position of director of budget services and financial planning with the term beginning on February 11, 2026 and ending June 30, 2028. And the board of education appointed Adrienne Pacheco to the position of deputy director of facilities ma maintenance and operations with a term beginning on February 11th, 2026 and ending June 30th, 2028. The vote in all those matters was seven eyes. Terms and conditions will be available upon the finalization of the agreement. I'll note that board member new bill is here.
051Tab three, conference with legal council. The board of education authorized a settlement in the case of Jane do one at all va USD at all. Terms and conditions will be available upon the finalization of the agreement and the vote was seven eyes. And unless there are any objections to adjournment, the meeting is adjourned. The time is 2:57 p.m. Thank you.