Santa Barbara Unified School District returns to in-person board meetings
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.- Virtual school board meetings served a purpose during the pandemic, but now in-person meetings are making a comeback at the Santa Barbara Unified School District.
School board members met in-person and welcomed members of the community to join them.
Board members heard their 38th COVID019 update pertaining to classroom instruction.
Chief Operating Officer Steve Venz said they non longer require people to electronically say how they feel befor coming to school. He also said children can use drinking fountains again and field trips and after school programs are back.
And now that masks are no longer required students are getting to see their teacher's faces in-person.
"Many of them hadn't been able to see their teachers full face, yeah it was a very exciting moment, so, and everyone is being cautious," said Venz.
But public comments included criticism over continued random testing and concern over suicides among teenage girls.
A Racial Incidents Report followed.
There have been a dozen incidents, all but one happened at elementary schools.
Most involved racial slurs.
They took place on 9 campuses between mid March and April 7.
Public comments included criticism of money spent on Just Communities training.
Board members said they no longer have a contract with the group.
School Board Member Wendy Sims-Moten said, "It starts early so we really have to back up and look in those early years how can we inform and educate and also listen to what out students are saying."
Superintendent Hilda Maldonado said they are working on bias training and organizing a group that will meet regularly to advice on training.
Board members also heard a progress report on Student-Centered Learning Goals and they heard music played by Seku Fujino-Harmachis.
The Santa Barbara High School senior has been accepted at UCLA and Berklee College of Music.
After his performance he said he remains undecided about where to further his music education.
