After 12 years, Kate Parker stepped down from the Santa Barbara Unified School District board of trustees at Tuesday’s meeting.
Parker chose not run for a fourth term on the school board, and instead ran and won a seat on the Santa Barbara City College board of trustees.
“I have been successful only because the rest of the board has been successful,” Parker said Tuesday night.
She thanked former school board member Nancy Harter, who encouraged her to run. She called her a mentor.
“I am looking forward to my next journey, but my heart will always be at Santa Barbara Unified,” Parker said.
Parker served as the PTA president for two years at Adams Elementary School before she was elected to the school board in 2006.
She had been an advocate for equitable student access, and developing culturally proficient and integrated schools and classrooms.
During her time on the school board, the district nearly doubled the number of Latino students in Advanced Placement and honors courses, and more than doubled the number of English-learner students who are reclassified as fluent English proficient each year, said Lauren Bianchi Klemann, the district’s spokesperson.
Ethnic Studies Requirement Approved
Also on Tuesday, the school board voted unanimously to require ethnic studies to be a graduation requirement for district high schools. The proposal was brought forward by student group Ethnic Studies Now.
“I believe an ethnic studies requirement is long overdue,” said Dos Pueblos High School student Nicholas Silver.
Fabiola Gonzalez, one of the people who launched the effort in support of ethnic studies, said it was time to teach everyone’s history.
“If there is one thing that ethnic studies teaches us, is that we are makers of history,” Gonzalez said. “And tonight, we are makers of history.”
Dozens of people filled the school board meeting room in support of ethnic studies. Chumash individuals performed a song in support of ethnic studies after the approval.
Denice Spangler Adams spoke in opposition of the proposal.
“I am strongly in support of the opportunity to take ethnic studies, but I am against any mandate.”
School board member Laura Capps noted that even though other school districts in the county don’t require ethnic studies, Santa Barbara should take the lead.
“We should be in front of this,” Capps said. “This is Santa Barbara.”
School board member Ismael Paredes Ulloa said his dream is for ethnic studies to be incorporated throughout all classes that are taught, so there’s no need for a specific ethnic studies class.
“I have been deeply disappointed by the type of history that we don’t get taught,” said Ulloa, who grew up in Santa Barbara.
In recognition of Veterans Day, he said, “There were so many veterans who were queer, who were straight, who were brown, who were white,” and that it is time to tell their stories.
Matsuoka’s Contract Exended
The school board voted to extend Superintendent Cary Matsuoka’s employment contract until June 30, 2021. The board also extended his vacation days from 8 to 12.
The district also will contibute $12,000 to Matsuoka’s 403(b) retirement program. Matsuoka’s base salary is $294,000, according to Klemann.
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
