Anonymous
Source: Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD)
Facing allegations of unfair contracting practices by Fair Education Santa Barbara (FESB) stemming from a lawsuit filed in 2018, a three-justice panel unanimously upheld the position of both the Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) and Just Communities Central Coast (JCCC) following a hearing in appellate court last week.
The lawsuit challenged the voluntary implicit bias training for teachers and students provided by JCCC, claiming it was a “radical” attempt to “indoctrinate” staff and students. In rejecting that assertion, the Superior Court wrote:
“SBUSD’s express purpose in deciding to provide anti-bias training was as a means of eradicating the persistent educational achievement gap among minority students. This is clearly a lawful purpose which is reasonably characterized as incidental to a valid educational purpose.”
FESB also alleged that the district’s selection of JCCC to provide the training needed to be based on lowest bid, rather than based upon quality and reputation. The 21-page decision of the appellate panel roundly rejected that claim and upheld the earlier Superior Court decision in favor of the district and JCCC.
For the full court decision, please click here to download the PDF (or click the link below).
For the school district, it’s a victory to celebrate, but also comes with more work to do, according to SBUSD Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldonado.
“Our school district teachers and leaders will continue the work on closing achievement gaps, improving academics and addressing the social and emotional needs of all students, especially the most vulnerable,” said Maldonado. “I am proud of this decision which recognizes the expertise of our educators’ decisions who know what’s best for students.”
SBUSD legal counsel Craig Price stated that with the litigation having come to an end, he hopes FESB supporters will now work in collaboration with the district in the effort to maximize educational outcomes for all students.
For JCCC, it can’t wait to get back to work on issues such as equity and inclusivity in school.
“Just Communities is incredibly thankful over the Court of Appeal’s decision. This decision, and the previous others that were ruled in our favor, continue to affirm that our work to envision and create an equitable and inclusive Central Coast is worth fighting for,” said Melissa G. Patrino, executive director of Just Communities. “We are thankful for the countless number of people in our community who supported and continue to support us to this day.”
Rose Muñoz, the newly elected SBUSD board president, echoed Patrino’s sentiments, saying that the lawsuit “interrupted crucial equity work.”
“This case was not really about a group that had an issue with the contracting process, but instead an attempt to sidetrack and interrupt the crucial equity work that is needed in order to transform the education system,” Muñoz said. “This case was worth fighting for because to us it was always about the people in the system, not the contract process, and our people are always worth fighting for.”
SBUSD hired gun Craig Price laughs all the way to the bank …… again.
So the sbusd should have gone with someone incompetent? Man BZ you got some strange ideas
They shouldn’t have gone with anyone… should have hired a couple more teachers to reduce class size and help actually teach kids.
Enough already with the racist rhetoric. I am referring to those who (far left) persist in labeling everyone who disagrees with the Progressive agenda as “racist.” Such folks expose themselves as bullies, too lazy to debate serious issues through reason and fact. That these same folks hide behind monikers and not their given names, that makes them cowards as well as bullies. If you believe in your principles, be good enough to put your name to it. I know some of those Fair Education folks. They are our neighbors, employees, and I am honored to say, friends to me. And if anyone here is inclined to label me — go to it. I don’t give a hoot what a stranger with an agenda calls me. It’s name-calling at its most debased, and merits no more than a shrug. Furthermore, look into the mirror, why don’t you? Back about 30 years ago, we enrolled our boy in Lompoc Middle School, just two blocks from our home. Several among my liberal friends, including UCSB colleagues of my husband, cautioned me, urging me to enroll him across the valley at Vandenberg and then onto Cabrillo High. Some sent their kids to exclusive private schools rather public — an American institution to which I remain passionately committed. That was a red flag for me: that smart and engaged parents were opting out of the downtown Lompoc schools, then with a nearly 50% free/reduced lunch population. I met with the school vice-superintendent to discuss this matter of white flight. He wasn’t much concerned. I was. (Several years following my son’s high school graduation, Lompoc High lost its accreditation, no doubt in large part to the flight of middle class families.) I still am troubled by such allowances. Taking race out of it, consider what happens when middle and upper class families flee such schools. Most poor parents don’t have the luxury of time to involve themselves in their children’s education, at campus through volunteering, financial support through PTA and other groups, and attending games or other activities. They are too busy trying to pay rent and put food on the table. Involved parents with time and resources lift up ALL students at their school. I discovered that the parents I worked with there, and sat with during the basketball games, and sold popcorn together at the concession stands, and drove our kids to games and dances — we never talked politics. We never judged. We simply celebrated our kids, their teachers and principal, and the school. Every child benefited, especially those most in need. My son did all six years at the Lompoc downtown schools. He did well. His friends were of all colors and backgrounds, remaining friends to this day. I know for a fact that my friends at Fair Education, they’re cut from the same mold. Last thing: it’s Christmas. Let’s all chill out. Sit back, enjoy a brandied eggnog and an old Mantovani (or John Denver and the Muppets) Xmas LP, and count yourself blessed.
Fair Education is about stopping the waste of taxpayer money on idiotic implicit bias training. Talk about a waste of money! It is all about grades, period. Our schools suck here in SB and it is because money is wasted on things other than education such as implicit bias training for teachers.
Was wondering when a not-so-“FairEd” person would hop on here. What you described is the manta these people use to get conservatives to donate, but what they’re really fighting for are white rights. They’ve stated it’s unfair that white, male, christian kids don’t get the same privileges as minorities. Um, hellllooooo? Those kids already get all the privileges. When their racist lawsuit wasn’t carrying water they pivoted to these trainings.
I’ve got GUSD kids… and would definitely say that at best just communities is a waste of money.
says the white guy
Fair Education Santa Barbara is a far right right group. How many of them were on a bus at the capitol Jan 6th? The far right poison has come out of the darkness and is trying to infect our education system.
Don’t want to be combative, but why would you assume my position on public healthcare? [As it is, you got me wrong, I strongly support a European-style overhaul.] I just feel that we have to fix the right problems in the right places. It is wrong to ask a 3rd grade math teacher to be a social worker. And the evidence is clear that it doesn’t work on either front. Well intended, full of love and care, but misguided and bound to fail. It’s similar to libraries not being drug rehabilitation facilities.
Now, I guess we are really debating whether a school (or library or whatever) should expand its mandate and be a Swiss Army knife. You’ll say (rightly) that a lot of that is happening already! I’m questioning the wisdom compared to working on health care or food insecurity at the level of our public health care or social service systems.
Imho, the worst misdirection is this. The 80% of our SB kids graduating below grade level in math are not victims of anything but our educational system, which is a partnership between a family, the schools, a child, and the broader community. That number is indeed something close to systemic child abuse. If you want to know a primary source of our staggering inequality, it’s that. And we unfortunately can’t fix it by cancelling the metrics.
I want to see our schools successful and cost-effective on their core mandate before I trust the mandate expansion. It reaks of bureaucratic sprawl. Most of all, please believe that despite our clear disagreement that I’m passionate about approaches that have a chance to work, and clearing out ones that don’t work or have already proven to have minimal (if any) impact.