'While Board Vice President Jesse Ladomirak supported the resolutions, she expressed significant reservations about having the school district wade into international events and geopolitics. She noted that the school district almost never weighs in on global conflicts and pointed to recent calls from Ukrainian families to condemn the Russia invasion, which the board opted not to do.

"With these resolutions we are opening ourselves up, I believe, to legitimate criticism in the future that we pick and choose which people to care about and whose lives to value," Ladomirak said.'

I could not have put it better myself. I voted for school board members to attend to local school business, not to pass resolutions related to global conflicts. There is no doubt that some students are being discriminated against - but the district already has policies and procedures to deal with that. The resolution should have been narrowed to re-iterating those policies. There are wars and injustices going on all over the world - it is not our local school board's job to 'pick and choose' among all those issues and pass resolutions that address global issues.
I am disappointed in both the school board and the city council for feeling obligated to make statements/pass resolutions on global issues that do nothing more than placate those that need to feel like they need to 'do something'.

@Gordon. While I understand your point that it is not the school board's role to get involved in global conflicts, these two resolutions primarily address what is going on in the PAUSD community. I can't keep up with all the hateful statements and actions that I have witnessed or heard about just within the PAUSD footprint.

I suggest everyone to please read the resolutions to see what exactly they say.

Web Link

Web Link

It’s impossible to please everyone - “all sides.” I write as someone sympathetic to all sides but who certainly condemns the clear terrorist act perpetrated by Hamas in Israel.
However, some accounts of slights, etc. may be from those who don’t know what’s going on or from those who have a certain hardened point of view (POV).
For example, if my Israeli relative tells me one thing, that may be accurate - or exaggerated/biased or uninformed; if my Palestinian relative tells me something else, THAT may be exaggerated! (# of injured or dead, etc.)
- It is IMPOSSIBLE for people HERE, much less PAUSD Board of Education to verify each claim, whether here or there, without clarity: evidence and/or witnesses.
Therefore, a general statement opposing ANY hate acts or comments plus a condemnation of the (clearly acknowledged) terrorist attack makes sense, BUT taking sides or discussing other perceived or actual slights in the wide world, including here, can be….endless.
I get this partly has to do with claims of local offenses or comments.
Free speech is important but a school setting can be distinguished as being for education for all, so students should be polite and considerate.
I am unsure about the student who wished to hold a pro-Israel rally at school. In front of city hall, yes.
I think the American mixing pot of ethnicities is beneficial, but it can lead to differences of opinion one wouldn’t see in a mono ethnic country like South Korea, for example.
Students are entitled to their family heritage and their opinions but should be guided to be mindful of the feelings of others as well as to the fact there are often multiple points of views.
I am of an ethnicity not very common here, though termed “white,” as if all “whites” are alike (I have been lectured they are!) and I well recall having been scowled at by another prominent ethnic group when I moved here, (by some students and certainly their parents).

The PAUSD does not have to insert itself in global affairs, but it does have the obligation to address what is taking place on school campuses. Hate speech and actions are well within the districts responsibility to act on.

Deep gratitude to our school board (especially the President and Vice President) for an impossible job well done during an impossibly intense and painful time for everyone. Their big hearts, wisdom, courage and incredible efforts were on full display at this mornings meeting.

In President Obama's words (from part of his statement) from 3 days ago:
"In dealing with what is an extraordinarily complex situation where so many people are in pain and passions are understandably running high, all of us need to do our best to put our best values, rather than our worst fears, on display. That means actively opposing anti-semitism in all its forms, everywhere. It means rejecting anti-Muslim, anti-Arab or anti-Palestinian sentiment. It means acknowledging that it is possible for people of good will to champion Palestinian rights and oppose certain Israeli government policies without being anti-Semitic."

I heard and appreciate VP Jesse's call for grace. Let's all please trust that everyone is doing their very best and limit assumptions. It took incredible courage for every one of the speakers who shared at the mic today and I was particularly impressed with the calm, gentle voices in our community sharing their appreciation for a unity resolution. And for the Paly student board rep who showed up and spoke in support of ALL of our students who are hurting and afraid right now.

John Lennon once wrote these lyrics:

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us, only sky
Imagine all the people
Livin' for today
Ah
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Livin' life in peace

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

War is hell, and planet earth is bursting at the seams, brimming over with hatred. If the school district wants to take a stand, they should condemn war -- period.