On Friday, December 22nd, board member Sara Jonas distributed a statement via social media channels regarding the ‘Culture of Kindness’ resolution that was rescinded only the day before.The statement (referenced below) was released independently of the district’s official response. Member Jonas’ statement contradicts the legal analysis of Federal District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Judge Barrett’s ruling states that despite the claimed intent, legal language consistent with policy was utilized in the resolution and therefore could not be considered a vision statement.
Member Jonas’ statement itself is full of demonstrable falsehoods, these have already been addressed in multiple news articles as well as the Advocate FHSD blog.
Further statements by board members outside official district communication provide additional risk to the board and district and could be used as evidence should future lawsuits based on similar actions be filed.
Advocate FHSD will be taking a break through the holidays, and we hope that everyone will enjoy some much needed rest. We look forward to continuing our coverage on FHSD and issues the district faces after the new year.
STATEMENT FROM SARA JONAS PER THE FHSD SPECIAL MEETING ON DECEMBER 21, 2023:
At the FHSD regular board meeting on April 20, 2022 the school board discussed the annual one day program held at Turpin High School “Racial Diversity Awareness Day”. Later, the board determined the program was to be held after school without taxpayer funds, as the program was deemed controversial according to policy no. 2240. The program permission slip, which required a parent’s sign-off, stated “The entire day is devoted to increasing understanding and awareness of the rich ethnic make-up of our nation.” The program director was quoted as saying the day is devoted to “racial reconciliation”. During discussions, superintendent Scot Prebles stated that clear direction from this board is needed from what you want from this type of activity. The superintendent asked the school board for strategic direction, thus, the resolution.
The resolution was passed in the FHSD regular board meeting on June 22, 2022, and the Plantiff’s filed a federal lawsuit no less than a week later. Things quickly got out of control. The legal team instructed the school board not to discuss the resolution of the pending lawsuit. Legal counsel advised my silence. It is a shame that all board members did not follow the legal advice, creating unneeded chaos for the school district. My silence was out of respect for this district. It was not because I didn’t stand behind or believe in the resolution. The truth of the resolution and what is being communicated by a few community citizens are very different.
The resolution’s intent was to support the civil rights of ALL students; that was the spirit of the resolution. The misinformation by a few citizens has made the resolution a distraction. The resolution did not ban any academic instruction. The resolution did not influence AP classes. The resolution was a vision statement and not a policy change. The school district has policies in place to deal with controversial issues. I encourage people to read the resolution for themselves (see attached) and not take the opinion of others.
The president of the local Democratic party spliced a video of me speaking at the school board meeting on June 22, 2022 and created a viral TikTok video garnishing some 6 million views. These few citizens have created nothing short of chaos within the school district through political harassment, bullying, and intimidation. My family and I have received death threats because of the misrepresented TikTok video. It is very unfortunate when those who cry out for mental health services are the biggest bullies themselves.
The recent decision by the judge per the resolution was based on the assumption that the Plaintiff’s allegations are truthful and factual. We never got to the fact-finding stage of the lawsuit. The Board firmly believes that the Plaintiff’s allegations are frivolous and not supported by facts or law. I shared the resolution with legal counsel to make sure it was legal. The resolution aligns with the Civil Rights Act and the Constitution. Existing policies and administrative guidelines will be sufficient to ensure the district meets that obligation to the students, parents and community.
Advocate FHSD 