All rights reserved. The distraction of an expulsion proceeding? Now, if we just move to expel kids left and right to appease some rich privileged people in the suburbs who dont have to deal with the realities of gun violence, we have created a situation where guns will still come to school, but kids will just be smarter about hiding it. My question to her was, How has the court changed over your quarter century tenure? She replied, We are now overwhelmed with cases. Omg, people! Hopefully the school and the superintendent agreed with this sentiment and acted immediately. Time to read: about 6 minutes. This would not be uncommon, candidates lie and obscure all the time. They are not saying those things for fun. The board did not give any specific reasons for Williams departure.Board Trustee Carrie Du Bois, who until last week was the board president, addressed members of the audience at the beginning of the meeting by reading a news release that said Williams had resigned her position at the district after leading the high school district through the pandemic recovery. Per the settlement agreement, at Williams request, the district would issue a mutually agreed upon press release that would require both the district and Williams to agree on the language of the release. The issue here in not a lawsuit because the student was expelled, the issue is a lawsuit because the school and the District had a clear warning. Done. Just because a person cannot see how something can be related to race, does not mean that an event has no connections to race. Nobody wants to see guns in schools and that is not something to argue about. That reporting process occurs outside of any "system supporting equity". The young man received little to no consequence, other than being assigned a personal aid that followed him everywhere on campus. This is not something new that is just starting to happen. The way they handled this is very irresponsible. Guns are dangerous and have no place at a school. A&E If there was an agenda, it should be discernable, and those who clearly see it should be able to articulate the nature of that agenda. Dr. Williams had a target on her back from day one, and I would beg you to take a moment and consider the fact that as. Hopefully the school and the superintendent agreed with this sentiment and acted immediately. For everyone's safety, we also cannot ignore that expulsion is not preventative for most situations. The situation is more troubling than it looks, and our kids need better solutions. This is bigger than those two students. So, the statute that you site didn't apply yet. That same day, county officials announced that . I cant imagine that SDTA would continue to support the trustees that we supported. New district leadershipWith the retirement of former trustees Alan Sarver and Thomsen earlier this month, the board welcomed two new faces, including the districts youngest-ever trustee, and approved a new president and vice president.Sathvik Nori, 19, and Amy Koo joined the board in a rushed swearing-in before the Dec. 9 closed session meeting, after which trustees announced that they had hired new counsel, Eugene Whitlock, for an amount not to exceed $30,000. Give me a break. "The Superintendent failed in her primary function, which is to preserve school safety. Could the expelled student come back and create harm anyway? The illusion continues. Listen to the teachers and students. Expelling them without considering their reality or experience is a foolish thing to do and only adds to their trauma. by Leah Worthington and Angela Swartz / Almanac, Uploaded: Wed, Dec 14, 2022, 6:44 pm Sequoia Union High School District 480 James Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94062; 650.369.1411; ABOUT US. When I added, You have a Title 9 issue on your hands with all the students left behind, and I will not be part of that, she changed her tune. Please click here for Project Closing Status. It is uncalled for, it is inappropriate, and you feel like you just bear no consequence. Former high school superintendent lands new job at Pacifica School District Measure W | Voter's Edge California Voter Guide It concerns me that more people aren't aware of this issue. No further discussion. Superintendent's Cabinet . Sequoia High School - Everett, WA - AreaVibes The removal of the superintendent was timed after those board members left. MenloVoter, when you wrote ReginaR, you are correct, this has nothing to do with race and everything to do with school safety. One participated in recovering the firearm. Sign up for our. Courtesy Sequoia Union High School District. Speakers described the feeling of loss of trust in the district leadership and a traumatic upheaval, particularly for the districts students of color. She noted that in 2020, the board paired the news of Streshlys resignation with an announcement of who would temporarily take her place. Examine this statement and its extreme bias: " expel kids left and right to appease some rich privileged people". We aren't safer if we expel kids without understanding the reasons for them bringing a gun to school. 3516 Rucker Ave, Everett WA, 98201 | Everett School District | 425-385-5100 grades 9-12 students 182 type High PROFICIENCY 26% 51% lower than state average School Rankings Ranked #25 of 55 in Everett Ranked #138 of 2968 in Washington Proficiency Averages 54% Everett 54% Washington I ask that you are detailed and specific about what you disagree with, point by point. Circulation & Delivery This makes everyone less safe. While the fear of the threat of a lawsuit is definitely real, in this case it doesn't make much sense. I feel that people have brought up race in a reasonable manner in relation to the board's questionable and secretive actions. One speaker called the boards actions unethical and illegal, while another described the decision as a rolling back in history.Samantha Rodriguez-Velasquez, a student trustee, described feeling heartbroken.(Dr. Williams) absence today and for the rest of this year will continually break my heart, she said. A lot of gun possession by kids in this area is related to trauma some kids go through where they feel unsafe going to and from school. Do you disagree with those former board members who have more information than you or I, who would not have voted to fire Dr. Williams and also praised her in their last board meeting with her? CA If anything, it drives folks further apart, and denigrates efforts by those who seek harmony and real solutions. Your contribution matters. If there were concerns (about Williams), they were not shared publicly. Sequoia Union High School District - Breaking News If the super was afraid of a lawsuit for expelling a problem child who was potentially violent, did she fail to think about the lawsuit that would result from not expelling him and then he comes to campus with a gun and uses it to kill and or injure other students? Sequoia Union High School District - apps2.dgs.ca.gov This is such a simple case. Trustees? Happy holidays! Taxpayers beware. I know we have members calling for recalls, she said. It is a statement made by the Concerned Parent, and it is also part of the Education Code: the principal or the superintendent of schools shall recommend the expulsion of a pupil for any of the following acts committed at school or at a school activity off school grounds, unless the principal or superintendent determines that expulsion should not be recommended under the circumstances or that an alternative means of correction would address the conduct. As a matter of fact, I hold a degree in Sociology and spent 5 years living in South Central Los Angeles while attending USC. All of these comments make it sound like the student in question had the gun PRIOR TO the principal's request for expulsion. "Posted by Concerned Parent Recently retired board members, community members speak outFormer trustee Alan Sarver called into question the unprecedented multiple special meetings and accused Du Bois of orchestrating recent events, including the possible firing of Williams.Sarvers colleague Chris Thomsen, who also retired from the board last week, told the board he was deeply saddened for the district by your handling of the first meetings of this board and the distrust you are sowing in the community at this point. He said he could "only reasonably conclude as so many others have concluded that it was the aim of the president (Du Bois) and the vice president (Rich Ginn) to remove the district superintendent.Thomsen called the boards handling of the situation reckless, damaging to the district and possibly illegal. He specifically called out the board for the hiring of Whitlock, a former San Mateo Community College District employee known as the whistleblower in the corruption case against former Chancellor Ron Galatolo. Sequoia offers a comprehensive K-12 education that is tailored to each student's needs and interests. The school semester ends Thursday, with the spring term beginning Jan. 8.The board voted unanimously to offer Leach the position of district interim superintendent, dependent upon successful negotiations of an interim superintendent employment agreement and approval by the board in open session at the next regular board meeting, Board President Rich Ginn said during the meeting.Leach told The Almanac's sister publication, the Redwood City Pulse, she was honored to again be of service to our students, community, and staff.During this transition, the continuation of the districts equity work and a focus on student achievement will be a priority, she added.Leach previously served as interim superintendent after former superintendent Mary Streshly left amid calls for her resignation in fall 2020.The decision to select an interim superintendent while searching for a full-time replacement was one of several options the board considered, including appointing a new superintendent directly or taking no action until the new year, according to Ginn.The board will begin an official search in the new year, according to Ginn, who said he hoped to fill the superintendents seat by the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, if not sooner. "Even though the principal wanted the young man expelled, she was overridden by the superintendent. And I'm very sure it wasn't. All rights reserved. I also understand that it did nothing to stop the larger issue. Life is full of trauma. Even though I worked with them for a long time, I dont know if they truly know me.. Sequoia Union High School District Overview Applications Information Today! Sequoia Union High School District - CONTACT US We will also discourage kids from sharing information we need to address the issue. Tuesday, June 20, 2023. In response to her former colleagues' comments indicating they were appalled with the new boards actions, Du Bois, who has served on the board since 2011, said she would never say anything bad about them (Sarver and Thomsen) publicly., We have had our differences of perspective, she said. What about the more common situations where expulsion does not prevent a gun from being at school? Ginn declined to answer questions about the payment, saying, Anything relating to the superintendent and her job, I dont want to comment on.According to Williams contract, the board had the right to terminate her employment at any time without cause or a hearing, on the condition that the district would pay her a severance of one years salary and the amount which the Superintendent earns from any other employment-related source.It also precludes Williams from taking any legal action against the district and states explicitly that the resignation is a voluntary act, and that there was no coercion by the district. Per the contract, Williams employment ends on Dec. 31.Stevenson declined to speak to the Pulse. We will also discourage kids from sharing information we need to address the issue. It is also extremely offensive to accuse the person of color and M-A grad who represents the area around Menlo-Atherton on the School board of being a pawn of white supremacy, when the very theory you are advocating for is that some of M-A's students are not capable of taking rigorous classes. When searching for the best charter schools in Phoenix, Sequoia Charter School should be at the top of everyone's list. Former trustee Chris Thomsen said that Williams departure was absolutely news to him. The young man came from a very well to do Caucasian family and speculation was that the superintendent feared a potential lawsuit." Members of the public on Wednesday, Dec. 14, gave impassioned and tearful speeches in response to the announcement Superintendent Darnise Williams would be departing from the Sequoia Union High School District. It is a fact that guns are in our schools daily. That's not what happened. Dismissing concerns about race and gender correlate to the experiences staff of color have spoken about. This board should be recalled, she concluded, her voice shaking. Comparing the two situations is enough to bring up disparities in treatment. I am only pointing out the issue is not as simple as "expel the kids, no questions asked!" 80 They agree with consequences and are also saying that expulsion by itself is not enough to address this issue in our community. 3 I won't speculate on the reasons behind the closed door meetings, but certainly the gun incidents were frightening. Williams, who was appointed by the board in April 2021 for a three-year contract that started in July 2021, most recently had her evaluation in August, where trustees, except for Du Bois, gave Williams positive feedback. Start with the fact that it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to possess a firearm and it is illegal for anyone (except law enforcement) to bring a firearm onto a school campus, the safety risks are evident. A lot of people can see what is going on. Become a Member How "M-A was able to know these kids have guns" is unexplained, and therefore one cannot assume "systems supporting equity" had anything to do with M-A's ability to know. When I read this statement tonight I will be sad, and I will be still inside. Community members raise alarm bellsRumors about Williamss termination from the district began to swirl in the last week when community members noticed multiple special meetings pop up on the boards calendar.The board held two back-to-back closed session meetings on Friday and Monday, sparking confusion and frustration among members of the community. Courtesy Sequoia Union High School District. The board did not give any specific reasons for Williams departure.I don't think you understand the level of damage and pain that you have inflicted and the long lasting effects of that, said Pablo Aguilera, a teacher in the district. The board was criticized for taking this action behind closed doors, a move that Thomsen called reckless, damaging to the district and possibly illegal.The board also elected Ginn and Stevenson to serve one-year terms as president and vice president, respectively, in a unanimous vote Wednesday.Though their election followed the regular rotation of officers, not everyone agreed with the decision.Thomsen recommended that the board consider breaking from its scheduled rotation and opt not to install Ginn as president.I would suggest to you that this is not ordinary time for the district and that you may want to consider who best can restore trust in the district when you choose that president, he said. I strongly maintain my position that there was cause to fire this woman and it was not because of the color of her skin. The RWC Pulse will be your new source of vital news and information. Many people in this community are unable to see those realities from their privileged positions. The issue around guns in our community is complex and not always related to wanting to commit school shootings. The issue was safety. That reporting process falls under the category of : if you see something, say something. Student podcasters share the dark realities of middle school in America. News Sequoia Union High School District Please select the Project you want to review. Could this "other reason" or "misguided philosophy" that some are hinting at please be specified? Sequoia district names interim supe, pays $299K to former district head If there isn't enough information to say it's not about racism then it doesn't sound like there's enough information to say that there was racism. They have focused on expelling kids. A person who has gone through a history of unfair experiences centered around race is usually not going to be so definite in dismissing racism as a factor in situations like this. You elevate whiteness in the same way your ancestors elevated whiteness. I've really put my neck out here, and I am done now. Palo Alto Online Maybe youre the one who belongs in 1975. If we really care about what we are discussing, or this community, we need to keep an open mind and free ourselves of instant defensiveness, dismissal of experiences, and cognitive bias. 26, of Bakersfield, an employee of the Kern High School District, charging him with . That defensiveness is telling. We all know she was pushed out.Trustee Shawneece Stevenson could be seen wiping away tears, while the other board members mostly remained stoic throughout the public comment.Im hurt, Im sad, Im grieving, Stevenson said at the end of the meeting, in a call for racial healing within the board. Why did two former board members say their actions are dishonest and not vote to fire or remove Dr. Williams earlier? Sequoia district selects Darnise R. Williams as superintendent finalist Nothing else matters. My former district keeps a massive reserve to settle suits even though roofs are leaking, and classrooms are decaying. Before my words are twisted, I didn't say all but it is enough to be an issue. I expanded the conversation to include the full picture, and I choose to not close my mind to information that needs to be considered in solutions for safety. It would help the community understand the truth. The points I am talking about move towards real solutions - not illusions or fake platitudes of something being done about guns to satisfy a privileged group who is disconnected from the true reality our kids of all backgrounds live through. Stevenson declined to speak to the Pulse. "You are stating that expulsion appeases "rich privileged people"?" This is also after the experience of a prior superintendent who they moved at a snail's pace to fire and happened to be white. Part of growing up is experiencing trauma and learning to deal with it." At least he had not been caught with it. That said, if the issue is complex and requires a deeper probe and understanding by many, then it does not help when people like Mr. Bloom go on a rant about violence and the destruction of black and brown bodies. The board also elected Ginn and Stevenson to serve one-year terms as president and vice president, respectively, in a unanimous vote Wednesday. Not one person at the board meetings said anything bad about Dr. Williams. Trustee Shawneece Stevenson could be seen wiping away tears, while the other board members mostly remained stoic throughout the public comment. Superintendent. Assuming the Superintendent chose the folding option, and Im not asserting that was the best option, the counter assumption seems to be that this was part of her larger agenda. All rights reserved. Too many are positioned to be defensive any time a mention of racial disparities are brought up. If she did, then there is a much bigger problem with the district than the former superintendent. I find it hard to believe that Ms. Williams willfully violated the Ed. "It is precisely because systems are in place promoted by the superintendent supporting equity and being less punitive that M-A was able to know these kids have guns and keep everyone safe." They are not preventative. Overview Student Body Test Scores Map Overview of Sequoia High School Sequoia High School is ranked 260th within California. This district is well-known for its struggles retaining staff of color, including Black staff who are women. Follow AlmanacNews.com and The Almanac on Twitter @almanacnews, Facebook and on Instagram @almanacnews for breaking news, local events, photos, videos and more. We are also not saying the superintendent was above consequences. I would point out that you can only believe that opinion if you invalidate countless teachers, parents, and students who spoke out about their lived experiences and the ramifications of the boards actions. @Regina Nothing racial or sexist about it, just poor employee performance. Du Bois would not comment on the nature of the payment. They are consequences that can be dealt to students after the fact, if we are lucky. You uphold white supremacy. (E) Assault or battery, as defined in Sections 240 and 242 of the Penal Code, upon any school employee. It is a move that creates an illusion and gives an excuse to get rid of her,but solves absolutely nothing and actually sets us back quite a lot. The prudence of expelling the student is as plain as day. Sequoia High School (established in 1895) is a high school in downtown Redwood City, California, United States. My political leanings are to the left. Guns were on the campus long before this superintendent was hired and will still be there after her firing. I'm disgusted.. 7,445 were here. A 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of bringing a gun onto school property on Nov . Wed be screaming for for their head. Williams, who normally attends regular board meetings, was not present at Wednesday nights meeting. To anyone who is reading this: Participating in a community means listening to people openly without being defensive or quick to dismiss or belittle their valid concerns, especially when they take the risk of voicing their experiences and perceptions related to race or gender. Why are you so dismissive of the boards shady actions that match with actions and patterns of behavior in the past that have served to push people out of our district who happen to be people of color?
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