They said what?? Takeaways from the GUSD School Board Forum
Robin Merkley and Elizabeth Reuter at the airplane simulator at the GUSD Aviation lab they helped usher in. Both were Glendora School Board members before the volunteer role became politicized by the far right.
A new Aviation program at Glendora High. Check.
A dual language program. Check.
A balanced budget with staff raises. Check.
Student mental health services. Check.
Career Technical Experience expertise. Check.
Glendora Education Foundation service. Check.
PTA service. Check.
7 children and 1 grandchild who are GUSD graduates. Check.
15 years of combined experience as Glendora School Board Members. Check.
LET'S BE VERY CLEAR
Reuter and Merkley have unmatched experience, dedication, and a deep understanding of Glendora's public schools.
There's NOT ONE THING Cayem and Muñoz will bring to the Board that Reuter and Merkley don't have.
Well, that may not be completely true: They will bring the far right agenda of Save Glendora Schools.
Image credit, Save Glendora Schools.
““We have an administrator on the board, we have a business person, we have someone who is an advocate for students...and how great would it be to round that out with someone who is an attorney and someone who is a mental health professional” - ”
Our answer is...not so great, Dan.
GUSD has trained counselors and mental health specialists who are dedicated and committed to our children and their wellness.
GUSD contracts with several attorneys who are specialized in education to provide this expertise.
Bottom Line:
It won't be great for our kids to have a SGS majority Board.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Career Technical Pathways
Elizabeth Reuter's fierce passion and knowledge about Career Technical Pathways is crucial in our students success, and both she and Merkley's historical knowledge and commitment to this effort far surpasses anything "new" that Cayem or Muñoz can bring to the table.
Parental Notification Policy
Both Reuter and Merkley are against this policy that advocates for the outing of children and has been deemed illegal by CA. Cayem sidestepped the question implying there wasn't enough time to "solve" this issue during his allotted 2 minutes, and Muñoz cited Katy Perry's song of "I Kissed a Girl" as confusing to children while refusing to validate the LGBTQ+ community by continuing to say he 'doesn't like labels' when referring to the LGBTQ+ population.
Technology in the Classroom:
Please pay special attention to Michael Muñoz's response, as he mentions Zoom and smartphones as a form of technological innovation, showing how out of touch he is with tech in the classroom. Merkley and Reuter responses demonstrate a CLEAR understanding of technical innovation and forward thinking tools such as AI.
Teachers and Education:
Pay particular attention to Cayem claiming that other districts like Claremont attract the best teachers, and suggesting Glendora should model an AP Capstone like West Covina High School (spoiler alert: Glendora High School DOES have an AP Capstone project). Reuter corrects him on the teacher claim at 1:18:35 saying "I want to make it really clear...Glendora has some of the best teachers in the San Gabriel Valley."
There's so much more....watch for yourself!
