Request for Emergency Meeting in 72 Hours

Email thread with Ben Avey and President Villescaz regarding a request for an emergency meeting to discuss recent changes in state public health guidance.

-------------- Ben Avey <>

Mar 24, 2021, 8:15 PM

to Kent Kern, Paula Villescaz

Good evening President Villescaz, Thank you for your response. I trust that you are trying to do the right thing and hope you will take my response as a parent who shares the same goal. Board Members had substantial questions that could not be answered in real time due to the nature of how the meeting was noticed. The answers, follow-up questions, and subsequent board conversations would have been very beneficial to parents as many of us had the same questions. For example, did the Superintendent propose four hybrid days or four full school days? Would parents be allowed to opt in to four day school if they previously selected Distance Learning (many have jobs that don't support current hybrid logistics)? The unanswered questions abound right now in parent circles. Whether the Superintendent had the answer or not, it would have benefited us all hearing the conversation. If COVID-19 was a standing item on the agenda, as parents have recommended for months, the timing of the state's decision would not have been a factor in this new challenge. Now, we are left to wait until the next meeting or after a decision has been made. In the meantime, employee groups are receiving regular briefings and are invited to negotiate on the terms of their return. I have seen multiple surveys sent to their members. As parents, our best source of information has been parents/teachers who share union information. And I must push back that we have been given a voice. A two minute public comment on a non-agendized item, after a union speech and two other staff reports, mixed in with a grab bag of other issues, is not an equal voice. There are a variety of ways the district could go about involving parents in these discussions. Regular workshops with updates and a forum for us to provide feedback is one. I've seen other districts couch it as Office Hours. Calling a meeting of the Superintendent's Parent Advisory Committee or a summit of Site Councils is another (I'm on both and would help organize). A survey, while the least interactive, is another option we have not seen since the fall. Of course, calling an Emergency Meeting as I have recommended to brief the board, hear public comment, and engage in a thoughtful discussion is the most expedient (72 hours from when you post the agenda). None of these need to slow down the process. They can happen in parallel with union negotiations. Please, just let us have a voice to tell you what we think is best for our kids, in the same way you allow Mr. Simmons to tell you what is best for his teachers. I know you and district staff are tired. We all are. We have borne the weight of a thousand crises over the last year and we are all sputtering on empty. I hear it in parents voices too. But like you, we can't give up. Let's keep pushing and get back to full-time in-person learning now. Thank you again. Sincerely, Ben

On Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 4:28 PM Paula Villescaz <> wrote: Hi Mr. Avey, Thanks for reaching out. I appreciate and share your interest to make sure that all voices have the opportunity to be heard. While open meeting requirements may have prevented the board members from engaging in a full discussion amongst ourselves and staff, as is the case at any board meeting, members of our community had the same opportunity to offer their input during public comment. Some took the opportunity to do so and many have also done so via email outside of our regular meeting. Additionally, board action is not a requisite for staff to begin working to implement the latest guidance. It will take some time. We will revisit it either at a regularly scheduled meeting or at a different time. Board direction has been clear that San Juan Unified should continue to follow the guidance of our state and local health officials as discussed last night. While the timeline of the state’s actions was less than ideal for our board meeting purposes, staff are moving ahead at full speed with the operational work necessary. Thanks, Paula From: Ben Avey <> Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2021 8:50 AM To: ~Board Members <>; Kent Kern <> Subject: [EXTERNAL] Request for Emergency Meeting in 72 hours Dear President Villescaz, I respectfully request the San Juan Unified Board of Education call an Emergency Meeting in 72 hours, as allowed by the Brown Act, to discuss the CDC and CDPH guidance and the district's plans to return to full time in-person learning. Last night, board members had a number of questions and comments regarding the Superintendent's presentation that could not be answered due to the nature of how the matter was noticed. Further, while district employees have been welcomed to negotiate terms of return, parents have not been offered the same opportunity to share our voice on behalf of our kids. Waiting three weeks for the next public discussion is simply unacceptable. An emergency meeting will allow a full and open discussion of our kid's future without slowing down the district process. Thank you in advance for consideration of this request. Sincerly, Ben Avey