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Heads up! We have scanned the upcoming agenda for Paso Robles Joint Unified. We found 12 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 10) |
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District Spends $80,000 on SEL “Student Empowerment” Program
The district plans to spend $80,000 in federal Title I & III funds on an SEL program from Dr. Victor Rios called “Scholar System.” The program targets “historically marginalized and at-promise youth” for “social-emotional growth” and “equity,” replacing academic focus with sessions on “leadership identity” and “coregulation.”
Recommended Action Plan
PACK THE ROOM: This is a major ideological push disguised as empowerment. We need parents at the meeting to oppose Action Item J.11. Email the Board via info@pasoschools.org: ‘Vote NO on the $80,000 Scholar System contract. Our federal dollars should fund tutoring in reading and math, not social-emotional engineering.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $80,000 (Federal Strings Attached)
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| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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“Equity” Consultant Hired for High School Leadership
The district is paying Collaborative Learning Solutions $30,744 for “leadership development” focused on “improving student outcomes, with particular attention to low-income students, English learners, foster youth, and other underperforming student groups.” This is an equity-focused initiative that uses student data to target specific groups for “timely interventions,” shifting focus from universal academic excellence to group-based outcomes.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email Assistant Superintendent Erin Haley (contact info on district website) and the Board via info@pasoschools.org: ‘I demand Consent Item H.7 be pulled from the Consent Agenda for a separate discussion and vote. Parents deserve to know why we are spending $30,744 on an equity consultant instead of on core academics.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $30,744 (Grant Funded)
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| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
The board is doing a “First Read” of a batch of policy updates from the California School Boards Association (CSBA) under item K.6. These updates often contain significant changes related to parental rights, gender identity, and curriculum, but the actual text of the policies has not been provided in the agenda packet.
Recommended Action Plan
INVESTIGATE: Open the file attached in the Official Agenda (linked above) to confirm whether it contains sensitive policy changes. These policy bundles are often used to pass controversial items without scrutiny before they are moved to the consent agenda for final approval.
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Undisclosed Policy Changes
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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Public Comments Silenced at Board Meetings
The district’s policy, stated in item G.1, prevents written public comments from being read aloud during the meeting. This means concerns raised by parents who cannot attend in person are not heard by the public or entered into the video record, effectively silencing their voices.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TO BE HEARD: Email the Board of Trustees via info@pasoschools.org: ‘Regarding Item G.1, silencing public comment by not reading submitted statements aloud is unacceptable. We demand all public comments be read into the public record during the meeting to ensure transparency and accountability.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Reduced Public Accountability
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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HR Review Conducted by DEI-Focused Consultant
The district is paying School Services of California $22,700 for an HR department review. The proposal highlights consultant Dr. Sarah Niemann, whose experience includes revamping recruitment to “increase the focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).” This suggests the HR review may be used to embed DEI metrics into district hiring and personnel policies.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY: Email Superintendent Jennifer Loftus (contact info on district website) and the Board via info@pasoschools.org: ‘Regarding Consent Item H.8, will the final report from this HR review include recommendations to implement DEI-based hiring practices? We want hiring based on merit, not ideology.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $22,700+ (General Fund)
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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District Spends $52k on SEL-Based Afterschool Sports
Buried in the Purchase Order list (Item H.4, PO# 270752) is a $52,941.60 contract with Elevo for afterschool sports. Elevo’s programs are explicitly designed to integrate Social Emotional Learning (SEL) into physical activities, using sports as a vehicle for SEL instruction.
Recommended Action Plan
PULL FOR DISCUSSION: Email the Board via info@pasoschools.org: ‘I demand Consent Item H.4 be pulled for discussion, specifically regarding PO #270752 with Elevo. Afterschool sports should be about sports, not a backdoor for Social Emotional Learning curriculum.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $52,941.60
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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District Proposes Lowering High School Science Requirements
Staff is proposing to reduce the required high school science pathway from three years to two, allowing students to self-select their third course. The district justifies this reduction in academic standards by claiming it will improve discipline and attendance, prioritizing social outcomes over core knowledge.
Recommended Action Plan
PREPARE FOR BATTLE: This is only an information item (K.5) now, but it will come back for a vote. Email Director of Curriculum Maggie Tatman (contact on district website) and the Board: ‘Do not lower science standards for our students. We expect the district to maintain a rigorous three-year required science curriculum to prepare students for college and careers.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Lowered Academic Standards
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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District Accepts Donation for Activist MECHA Club
Under Action Item J.2, the board is formally accepting a $100 donation for the MECHA club at the high school. MECHA is a political organization with a history of radical activism, and its presence in the school raises questions about the district’s policy on student clubs with political agendas.
Recommended Action Plan
ASK FOR POLICY CLARIFICATION: Email the Board via info@pasoschools.org: ‘Regarding the donation to the MECHA club in Item J.2, what is the district’s policy on hosting student clubs that are chapters of external political and activist organizations? How does the district ensure balance and viewpoint neutrality?’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Political Activism in Schools
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| MONITOR (LEVEL 5) |
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District Pays for “Trauma-Informed” Professional Development
Hidden in the Purchase Order list (Item H.4, PO# 270731) is a $2,000 payment to Kristin Souers LLC for “professional development.” Souers is a leading advocate for “Trauma-Informed Care” in schools, an approach that can shift focus from academics and accountability to therapeutic practices.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email the Board via info@pasoschools.org: ‘Regarding PO #270731 in Consent Item H.4, please provide the materials for the Kristin Souers training. Parents have a right to know how teachers are being trained to interact with their children.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $2,000
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| MONITOR (LEVEL 5) |
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Opportunity to Review School Textbooks and Materials
The district is holding a required public hearing on the “sufficiency of instructional materials.” This is a critical opportunity for parents to publicly question and confirm that every student has access to high-quality, non-ideological textbooks for core subjects.
Recommended Action Plan
SHOW UP & SPEAK UP: Attend the Public Hearing for Item I.1 on September 22. This is your chance to get on the record and ask Assistant Superintendent Erin Haley: ‘Can you confirm that all core curriculum materials are free from political and ideological agendas like CRT and SEL, and are focused solely on academic excellence?’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Parental Oversight
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| ALERT (LEVEL 4) |
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School-Based Mental Health Billing Services
The district is renewing a $35,000 contract with Paradigm for Medi-Cal billing services, specifically mentioning the “Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI).” While this is for billing, it signals deeper involvement in school-based mental health services which can operate without direct parental involvement.
Recommended Action Plan
ASK QUESTIONS: Contact the District Office (see the Official Agenda link) for the email of Ashley Aiello, Coordinator of Health Services, and ask: ‘Regarding Consent Item H.6, what specific services are being billed through the CYBHI program, and what are the parental notification and consent policies for these services before they are rendered to a student?’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $35,000
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✅ Wins to Defend
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
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| Major Win (LEVEL 8) |
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District to Install Private Shower Stalls in Middle School Locker Rooms
The board is approving a $129,388 project to replace antiquated open shower poles with individual privacy stalls in the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms at two schools. This is a significant victory for student privacy, dignity, and safety.
How to Lock It In
AMPLIFY THIS WIN: Show up to thank the Board for approving Item J.5. Publicly praise their commitment to student privacy. This sets a powerful precedent for other districts to follow.
✅ Why It Matters: $129,388.57
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