Visalia Unified board wants to talk, here's your chance
One would think Visalia school board members had heard enough.
One would be wrong.
Antagonism, agitation and animation have been highlights of school board meetings across the country the past few years, to the extent it has become a national punchline.
Things have been little different in Visalia, where community members have unloaded heated broadsides against school board members on everything from mask mandates to appropriate books and curriculum.
School board members would like the opportunity to answer some of those concerns in a series called "Conversation with a Board Member" over the next few weeks.
The conversations will be from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at different schools across the district beginning Oct. 25. A different school board member will be host at each conversation. The full schedule is below.
“Conversation with a Board Member” will allow the board to engage in direct conversation with the community, to exchange thoughts and ideas, listen and learn from students, staff, parents, families, and the community around school or district level topics, according to a district news release. Staff members will be available to address specific areas.
School board member Todd Oto said this is an opportunity to engage the public in ways that aren't available at school board meetings.
"This is a chance for the community to engage board members in conversation in a different venue," Oto said.
VUSD Superintendent Kirk Schrum noted that, while the public is always welcome to comment during school board meetings, it is not usually possible for board members to engage people in a conversation.
"A board meeting is for conducting the public's business in public, and not a place for engaging in a dialogue," Shrum said. "We always welcome comments from the public at board meetings, but this will be an opportunity for the public to engage in that dialogue."
In a release, the district noted board members usually can't respond to the public's comments and queries. This will be a chance for board members to provide answers.
"School board meetings are a business meeting held in public and are not conducive for meaningful two-way discussions," said the district release. "While there is a section on the board meeting agenda for public comment, board members do not and cannot respond to comments with a meaningful response."
The individual "Conversations" have been scheduled with one or two board members at a time so as not to run afoul of the state's open meetings law.
As for the questions, the public can ask them online and in person.
An online survey will capture questions anonymously and only questions up to 48 hours before each event will be captured. Visalia Unified can also plan to have staff available to provide additional information should more in-depth knowledge be needed. The survey can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/vusd-cwb.
On the day of the event, participants will be able to submit questions by filling out a card and submitting it to staff.
“Our goal is to provide a venue for us, the Board, to listen, learn, and have genuine conversations with our community,” board President Walta Gamoian said. “This is an opportunity for us to be thought partners with those who live in our Visalia and surrounding communities.”
Oto said that the district might have another set of "Conversations with a Board Member" in the spring, depending on whether this set in the fall is successful.
"We hope this is an opportunity to hear from more and different voices that will lead to better understanding and possibly action," Oto said.
How to attend:
What: "Conversation with a VUSD Board Member" schedule:
Wednesday, Oct. 25: La Joya Middle School, Jacqueline A. Gaebe, clerk.
Thursday, Oct. 26: Ivanhoe Elementary, Paul Belt, board member.
Oct. 30: Goshen Elementary, Todd Oto, Ed.D. and Randy Villegas, Ph.D., board members
Nov. 2: Green Acres Middle School, Walta Gamoian, president
Nov. 6: Ridgeview Middle School, Todd Oto, Ed.D. and Randy Villegas, Ph.D., board members
Nov. 9: Valley Oak Middle School, Joy Naylor, Todd Oto, Ed.D., and Paul Belt, board members
Nov. 13: Divisadero Middle School, Megan Casebeer-Soleno, Esq., and Joy Naylor, board members
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Visalia Unified board wants to talk, here's your chance
