|
Heads up! We have scanned the upcoming agenda for Bakersfield City. We found 10 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 9) |
|
District Buys Student Behavior Tracking Software
Under Consent Item K.8, the district is spending over $15,000 on “Navigate360 PBIS Rewards” software, a digital system to track and manage student behavior under the MTSS framework. This software creates a data-driven surveillance system, tracking everything from hall passes to minor infractions, allowing administrators to execute “interventions” based on a child’s digital behavior profile.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email the Board of Education (see the Official Agenda link): ‘I demand Consent Item K.8 be pulled for a separate discussion and vote. Who owns the student behavior data collected by Navigate360, and what is the specific opt-out process for parents who do not consent to this digital surveillance of their children?’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $15,499.26
|
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 9) |
|
$896K Contract Includes “Character Strong” SEL
The district plans to approve a massive $896,000 contract with Gameday Sports Academy for an intersession program (Item K.17). While it includes sports, the program explicitly uses the “Character Strong” curriculum for “social-emotional learning and character development,” embedding a specific SEL ideology into the camp.
Recommended Action Plan
PACK THE ROOM: This is a nearly $1 million contract to push SEL on our kids during school breaks. Email the Board of Education (see the Official Agenda link): ‘Vote NO on Consent Item K.17. We will not approve a $896,000 contract that uses the ‘Character Strong’ SEL curriculum. Intersession programs should focus on academics and recreation, not social-emotional engineering.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $896,000
|
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
|
Paying Teachers Extra for SEL Training
The new teacher contract, Item I.4, includes a provision to pay teachers up to $1,650 each to complete “Social Emotional Learning (SEL)” training modules. This creates a direct financial incentive for teachers to adopt SEL ideology, which often serves as a vehicle for controversial concepts about race, gender, and identity in the classroom.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND A ‘NO’ VOTE: This is a direct pipeline for SEL ideology into our schools. Email the Board of Education (see the Official Agenda link): ‘Vote NO on the BETA agreement, Item I.4. Taxpayer money should not be used to pay teachers extra to get trained in non-academic, ideological frameworks like SEL.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $1,650 per teacher
|
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
|
$80K Contract for “Leader in Me” SEL Program
The district is spending $80,160 on a contract with Franklin Covey for its after-school programs (Item K.16). Franklin Covey is the company behind the “Leader in Me” program, a well-known Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum that embeds therapeutic and behavioral concepts into school culture.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email the Board of Education (see the Official Agenda link): ‘Pull Consent Item K.16 for a full discussion. Parents deserve to know why $80,160 is being spent on the ‘Leader in Me’ SEL program instead of academic enrichment for our after-school programs.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $80,160
|
| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
|
$109K for Digital Content Platforms
The district is spending over $109,000 to renew subscriptions for myON and Flocabulary, digital learning platforms used within the MTSS framework (Item K.28). While framed as literacy tools, these platforms can contain supplemental materials and videos with biased or activist content that bypasses traditional curriculum review.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND REVIEW: Email the Board of Education (see the Official Agenda link): ‘Regarding Consent Item K.28, what is the process for parental review of the content within the Flocabulary and myON platforms? We must ensure the $109,436 spent on these tools provides academic, not ideological, material.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $109,436.31
|
| MONITOR (LEVEL 5) |
|
Contract with Controversial Publisher
The district is purchasing a “Teacher Toolbox” from Curriculum Associates, the same company that produces the controversial i-Ready program (Item K.29). While this purchase is for math, parents should be wary of any materials from a vendor known for data-mining and embedding SEL content into academic subjects.
Recommended Action Plan
ASK QUESTIONS: Email the Board of Education (see the Official Agenda link): ‘Regarding Consent Item K.29, does the Teacher Toolbox from Curriculum Associates collect any student data? Please confirm this product does not contain the same SEL and data-mining components as the vendor’s i-Ready program.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $4,140.00
|
| ALERT (LEVEL 4) |
|
Expanding School-Based “Wellness Centers”
The district is expanding its partnership to provide vision care services at on-campus “Wellness Centers” (Item K.21). While vision care is important, this continues the trend of turning schools into health clinics, which can reduce parental oversight and involvement in their children’s medical care.
Recommended Action Plan
ASK QUESTIONS: Email the Board of Education (see the Official Agenda link): ‘Regarding Consent Item K.21, what are the specific parental consent and notification procedures for students receiving services at the on-campus Wellness Centers? Will parents be present for these examinations?’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Parental Oversight
|
| ALERT (LEVEL 3) |
|
District Hires “Language Justice” Consultant
The district is paying $14,341 for a vendor named “Bridging Voices-Uniendo Voces” to train IEP interpreters (Item K.22). The vendor’s self-described mission includes “language justice” and “empowerment,” which are often associated with political activism, raising concerns about the content of the training.
Recommended Action Plan
Monitor: Email the Board of Education (see the Official Agenda link): ‘Regarding Item K.22, please provide the training materials from Bridging Voices-Uniendo Voces. We need to ensure that interpreter training focuses on accurate translation for IEPs, not on ‘language justice’ activism.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $14,341.38
|
| ALERT (LEVEL 2) |
|
District Recognizes Staff for “Equity”
The district’s employee recognition program is honoring staff specifically for “Equity.” While presented as a positive, this signals that “Equity” is a core value the district promotes among staff, which is often a precursor to more divisive DEI policies in the classroom.
Recommended Action Plan
Monitor: Track Item C.4 to see how the district defines “Equity” in practice. No immediate action required, but this is a signal of the administration’s priorities.
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Ideological Focus
|
|
✅ Wins to Defend
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
|
| Major Win (LEVEL 8) |
|
New Policy Fights Bias in Curriculum
The Board is adopting revisions to the instructional materials policy (400.03) that require materials to be factually accurate and free from “advocacy, personal opinion, bias, or partisanship.” The new policy also strengthens parental access to materials and creates a formal process for complaints and opt-outs.
How to Lock It In
Show up to thank the Board for Item J.2 and get this on the record. Email the Board of Education (see the Official Agenda link): ‘Thank you for strengthening parental rights and ensuring classroom materials are free from bias by adopting the revisions to Policy 400.03. Please ensure this policy is rigorously enforced.’
✅ Why It Matters: Strengthened Parental Rights
|
|