Keeping kids safe...from their parents?
Donation protected
Together we're raising funds to promote citizenship in our community in response to events in March 2023 in the Catalina Foothills School District covered in the national media. Read to the bottom to get full details but here's an update and what we're asking.
Comin' in Hot Pizza Party!
By now you've heard every local news outlet and some national ones ran headlines the past few days that the school board shut down last week's meeting due to threats of violence and intimidation. On Monday, the sheriff confirmed not only is the board safe to resume normal meetings, but that no indications of a threat ever existed in the first place. Not a single news outlet has reported on this or made a correction - except for Garret Lewis AM790 KNST starting at 41:00 (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/82-garret-lewis-28403290/episode/the-morning-ritual-with-garret-lewis--114219096/). The full account with police report and Facebook comment can be found here (https://reasonaz.com/latest-news/f/threat-update).
The board has hinted at resuming public comments at their next governing board meeting this Tuesday, May 9th but it remains unclear how that will work or if they will shut us out again. We can't control that but we can still gather to show support for the board to return to normal operations. We're doing that outside the north entrance to Valley View Early Learning Center 3435 E. Sunrise Drive this Tuesday starting at 5:30 and going as late as 7:30 where we're coming in hot with fresh steaming pizza! The only threat is heartburn and the toppings won't include any firearms. It's not an intimidating pizza and nor are we.
So come and see who these real parents of CFSD really are and what we're like. We won't be there to argue or cause a scene in any way. We're there to show support to the thousands of district families and tax-paying residents who simply want the board to speak on matters their stakeholders care about. There is serious distrust in the school district's practices that the board intentionally hides from public view. For the sake of ALL students and staff, all we are asking for is transparency so that the stakeholders know where the board stands on these controversial matters of great importance. That's one thing people of all sides can agree on. So let's gather together to show support for our schools, get to know each other a little better, and eat some pizza. Be there this Tuesday 5:30 - 7:30pm. It's comin' in hot!
The pizza is free to you but not to us so contributions are joyfully accepted at this Go Fund Me page. Funds raised here will go to continue efforts like this. The biggest thing you can do is personally invite people you know to come out on Tuesday and point them to ReasonAZ.com for more info. Thanks for being part of this movement!
What Happened?
On March 2, 2023, Fox News reported that OGMS "Principal Mark Rubin-Toles, who presides over Orange Grove Middle School, wrote an email the previous fall saying, "Teachers and staff, if you are like me you may have been challenged recently to keep some of our kids’ pronouns and preferred names straight - and to remember what can and can’t be shared to families. CFSD confirmed the email is authentic, but 'does not conform to our district's practice.' source link
This raises three questions:
1) What kind of student issues are not disclosed to parents?
2) Are students encouraged to use language against their beliefs without parent notification?
3) May students be exposed to genitalia of the opposite sex on campus without parent notification?
No Discussion will be Tolerated
A multitude of concerned citizens emailed the board president requesting that this controversial national news story be discussed at the next board meeting. They were all rejected.
CFSD board president Eileen Jackson responded this way: "I understand you disagree with our District's interpretation of the nondiscrimination policy in this matter. I respect your right to express that. By not requesting this item be added to a future agenda, I am expressing my full support of the policy and our administrators' implementation of this policy in our schools." source link
Another administrator, CFSD Director of Alumni and Community Relations Julie Farbarik told an inquiring news reporter that "the school district did not “plan to revise the policy.” She added, "Board members have indicated their full support of the current policy and our administrators’ implementation of this policy in our schools.” source link
What Policy?
There is no policy and they won't consider making one. But why not vote on a policy to settle the matter once and for all? And why not even put it up for discussion? Since local school boards alone decide the agenda, it won't be on the agenda. Unless you help us encourage them to take a stand for everyone in the district! A concerned group of CFSD students, teachers, parents, taxpayers and friends are demanding the board vote to make their position known on these three questions.
Currently, the answers to these questions are at the discretion of individual school administrators driven by their own personal viewpoints. All we ask is that the answers to these three questions are solidified into school policy to ensure clarity for everyone involved. The board has refused to discuss this topic. Will you let them refuse? We hope you'll help us rally the community to join one or more of the next three meetings 6:30 p.m. at Valley View Early Learning Center on April 4th, 11th, and 25th. If we can promote the meeting through strategically effective advertising, we think the board will feel encouraged to at least talk about these questions.
Was an online petition really cancelled by a big tech company?
Yes. Twice. First, a petition posted on Change dot org on March 21st was removed after hundreds signed it in the first few hours. The author of the petition removed some key words so that it could be reposted. Later that same morning, it was taken down yet again. No explanation was given for canceling the petition either time. That's why we need help with promoting the community to encourage the board to take a stand on this issue.
The CFSD President added this..."After listening to public comment on this topic, considering the variety of emails received from you and other constituents, and reviewing additional information that board members requested from Dr. Kamerzell, no Board member has requested this discussion be placed on an agenda." source link
Apparently, they haven't been listening enough.
Here's how your funds will be used:
$2: Each Google ad click shown on the screen of a CFSD community member's device screen
$10: For each Facebook ad targeting users in the local CFSD community
$20: 30 second ad spot on local radio program during rush hour
$48: 5 Lines to appear for 5 Days in the Arizona Daily Star plus 1 day, 8 lines in La Estrella and 5 Days of Digital on Tucson.com and Mobile.
See more news coverage at these links:
https://dailycaller.com/2023/03/17/district-refuses-review-policy-forcing-girls-locker-room-uncomfortable-trans-students/
https://www.breitbart.com/education/2023/03/07/arizona-principal-sends-teachers-list-student-pronouns-hide-parents/
https://knst.iheart.com/featured/garret-lewis/content/2023-03-17-catalina-foothills-school-board-ignores-parents-about-transgender-policy/
100% of the received funds will go towards promoting a school board vote on protecting all kids at our schools. The above figures are estimates based on current market rates available online. Proof of the use of funds is available upon request
Organizer
Dan Grossenbach
Organizer
Tucson, AZ