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Heads up! We have scanned the upcoming agenda for South Whittier Elementary. We found 9 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 9) |
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District Renews $19,194 ‘Second Step’ Social Engineering Curriculum
The district is spending $19,194 to renew the ‘Second Step’ program from the vendor Committee for Children, listed under Purchase Order List #4. This is a well-known Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum that often replaces core academic instruction with lessons on feelings, mindsets, and group dynamics, using the classroom for social engineering.
Recommended Action Plan
PACK THE ROOM: This is hidden in the Consent Agenda, Item 8.3. Email Superintendent Dr. Greg Gero and Board President Dr. Natalia Barajas (contact info on district website): ‘Pull the Purchase Order for Committee for Children (PO1-65037-0000009-270000000302-1-New) from the Consent Agenda. We demand a public discussion on why taxpayer money is funding SEL instead of academic recovery.’
💰 Impact: $19,194
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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District Renews $14,490 AI Software for Teachers
The district is renewing a $14,490 subscription for ‘Magic School’, an AI software for teachers. This introduces artificial intelligence into lesson planning and classroom management, raising serious questions about data privacy, instructional quality, and the replacement of experienced teacher judgment with AI-generated content.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: This is in the Consent Agenda, Item 8.3 (PO1-65037-0000009-270000000423-1-New). Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘What is the district’s policy on using AI in the classroom? Who owns the data fed into Magic School, and has the district published evidence that AI-assisted lesson planning improves student outcomes?’
💰 Impact: $14,490
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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District Spending $10,886 on iPads for Students
The district is spending $10,886 on iPads for the ‘Expanded Learning Program.’ This purchase increases student screen time without providing evidence of academic benefit. Parents need to know if this technology is a tool for real learning or just a digital babysitter.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND EVIDENCE: This is in the Consent Agenda, Item 8.3 (PO1-65037-0000015-270000000297-1-New). Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Before approving the iPad purchase, please provide the evidence that increased screen time in the Expanded Learning Program leads to better academic outcomes. What direct instruction or hands-on activities will these devices replace?’
💰 Impact: $10,886.46
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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District Approving ‘Seesaw’ Digital Platform for Students
The district is approving a $2,067 contract for the Seesaw digital learning platform for Loma Vista school. This platform increases student screen time and shifts learning to a digital format. The district has not provided evidence that this software produces academic gains superior to traditional instruction or what it will replace in the classroom.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND EVIDENCE: This is in the Consent Agenda, Item 8.4 (Contract 26-27-116). Email Superintendent Dr. Greg Gero (contact info on district website): ‘Before approving the Seesaw contract, please publish the independent, non-vendor-funded evidence showing this product’s academic effectiveness and a report on the total daily screen time it will add for students.’
💰 Impact: $2,067
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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District Spending Over $13,000 on PBIS Conference Travel
The district plans to spend $13,204.94 ($6,650 for registration, $6,554.94 for flights) to send 14 attendees to a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) conference. PBIS is often a vehicle for implementing controversial ‘Restorative Practices’ and other SEL-based discipline systems that can undermine classroom order and safety.
Recommended Action Plan
ASK THE BOARD: This is in the Consent Agenda, Item 8.3. Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the PBIS conference expenses, what specific, measurable academic or safety improvements has the district documented from past PBIS training? Parents deserve to know the return on this investment before another $13,000 is spent.’
💰 Impact: $13,204.94
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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District to Spend $5,518 on ‘Social Emotional Learning Materials’
A purchase order for $5,518 is slated for Lakeshore Learning Materials, explicitly for ‘Social Emotional Learning Materials’. This purchase directly funds the infusion of non-academic, therapeutic, and psychological concepts into the classroom.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: This is in the Consent Agenda, Item 8.3. Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding PO1-65037-0000015-270000000422-1-New, please present the specific ‘Social Emotional Learning Materials’ being purchased for public review before this vote. Parents have a right to see what is being brought into our children’s classrooms.’
💰 Impact: $5,518
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
The board is holding a second reading and possible vote on BP 5142, a policy simply titled ‘Safety’. This vague title could conceal a wide range of policies, from mental health screenings to gender identity protocols, that impact parental rights. The policy text was not included in the agenda packet.
Recommended Action Plan
INVESTIGATE: Open the file ‘BP 5142 Safety (SECOND READING)’ attached to Item 12.1 in the Official Agenda (linked above) to confirm whether it contains sensitive policy changes related to student health, gender, or discipline.
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Policy
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| MONITOR (LEVEL 5) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
The board is holding a first reading of BP 1312.1, a policy on ‘Complaints Concerning District Employees’. The text of this policy was not included in the agenda packet, making it impossible to know if it protects or penalizes parents and students who bring forward legitimate concerns.
Recommended Action Plan
INVESTIGATE: Open the file ‘BP 1312.1 Complaints Concerning District Employees (FIRST READING)’ attached to Item 11.1 in the Official Agenda (linked above) to confirm whether it contains sensitive policy changes that could chill parent speech.
💰 Impact: Your Right to Speak Out
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| ALERT (LEVEL 3) |
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District Contracting for School-Based Vision Screenings
The district is approving a $6,000 contract for school-based vision screenings. While screenings can be beneficial, they represent a medical service performed on school grounds without a parent present, which requires clear, proactive parental notification and an easy opt-out process.
Recommended Action Plan
CONFIRM PARENTAL NOTICE: This is in the Consent Agenda, Item 8.4 (Contract 26-27-124). Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the vision screening contract, please confirm the exact procedure and timeline for notifying parents and providing them with the opt-out form before any screenings occur.’
💰 Impact: Your Child’s Health Privacy
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