Chaos broke out at the Santa Barbara school board meeting on Tuesday over the Good News Club, an evangelical fellowship club for elementary students.

The public comment period led to verbal arguments between speakers and board president Wendy Sims-Moten.

The conflict began when local resident Caroline Abate spoke during public comment in favor of continuing the club. 

“Why is it important to continue the Good News Clubs to help students study the Bible? Because as adults we know how challenging life can be,” Abate said. “With times of sorrow and stress or when we feel discouraged or are faced with a difficult decision — the gospel message of Christ is helpful during these moments in our lives.”

Abate recited a passage from Psalms 23 but was quickly interrupted by Sims-Moten, who, as president, presides over public comment periods. 

Sims-Moten told Abate that she needed to keep her comments related to the Good News Club and not bring Scripture into her comment — that by reciting Scripture, her comment wasn’t specifically focused on the Good News Club. Abate argued that the Scripture was her evidence for why the schools should allow the club. 

The two went back and forth as Sims-Moten told Abate she had to finish her comments without reciting Scripture. Many people in the audience began reciting the Scripture themselves and demanded that the board let Abate finish her comments. 

“I would only simply ask the board to please read our Constitution and understand the freedom of speech. I’ve said nothing inappropriate, nothing wrong, nothing that isn’t true,” Abate said. “The Good News Club studies the Bible.”

Sims-Moten repeatedly told Abate that her comments needed to focus on the club and remain within the jurisdiction of the school board.

Public comment continued for more than 40 minutes with parents asking for the Good News Club to be allowed as an after-school club. Parents spoke about how the club has positively impacted their children and how it teaches students to respect one another.

Superintendent Hilda Maldonado made it clear that the district wasn’t canceling the club or not allowing the club, but that there is a process to get the clubs approved. 

“There are no actions planned nor have there ever been actions planned to rid of the Good News Club,” Maldonado said. “It exists in a couple of our elementary schools. There is a process for someone to apply to have one in our schools. It has been made clear to the organizers that have asked us. We will keep that process in place, and as long as people follow that process and follow our district rules on how you use our space, that is allowed.”

The club was previously allowed at Roosevelt and Washington elementary schools.

Sharon Jegottka, ministry coordinator for the Good News Club, told the board that she has faced numerous roadblocks to try to get the club approved again in the past few years and that all her emails to Maldonado and the board have been ignored in the past three years.

Additionally, Jegottka told Noozhawk that she has had several meetings scheduled with Maldonado and school principals who did not show up.  

“We have been denied in eight schools within the Santa Barbara Unified district — this is the truth. Roosevelt and Washington schools’ principals have pulled the civic use permits,” Jegottka said. “We have been denied access to the school facilities, only allowed after school at 6 p.m. and only on the weekends. That’s not fair. We want equal treatment.”

District spokesman Ed Zuchelli told Noozhawk that the Good News Club recently requested to be part of a district-managed, after-school enrichment program.

Per board policy, “school-sponsored programs shall not be, nor have the effect of being, religiously oriented or a religious celebration,” Zuchelli said.

However, like any other outside organization, the club can apply to use Santa Barbara Unified School District campuses by submitting a civic use permit; it just wouldn’t be part of the specific after-school enrichment program. 

Jegottka told the board that the environment toward the club has been hostile and that they’ve received hateful comments from parents and administrators. 

After public comment, Maldonado asked the club to use the Facilitron service to apply for approval at school sites and that the decision is up to school principals who manage after-school scheduling. 

Jegottka stood up and said she has tried to use the Facilitron but still has been repeatedly denied access to start the club at the schools. 

That is when things got heated between Jegottka and Sims-Moten as the two went back and forth, yelling and interrupting each other.

“There is a process of order in this room, and I am not going to go back and forth with you,” Sims-Moten said. “There is a process in this room, and what I hear is that we want to be respectful.”

Sims-Moten, in a highly unusual move, then called for a 10-minute break and went outside the board hearing room with Jegottka and Maldonado to further discuss the issue.

Jegottka told Noozhawk that before the COVID-19 pandemic, they had the club at Roosevelt, Washington and Adams schools and never had any issues, but things have changed.  

The organization has clubs at Brandon, Foothill and Hollister elementary schools in the Goleta Union School District, as well as some schools in Carpinteria and Solvang.

Jegottka said the principals at Roosevelt and Washington schools pulled their civic use permits, denying campus access except for on weekends. They were told there was no room for the club, which meets weekly for 90 minutes, she said.  

“The Good News Club appreciates their relationship with the community,” Jegottka said. “We provide an important enrichment program for the children and community of Santa Barbara. Our goal is to continue what we have been doing for the last 20 years. The Good News Club has not done anything differently. My board and I are very optimistic that we can continue to work with the administration and continue our relationship.”

Going forward, Jegottka will be meeting with school principals to try to resolve the issue.

Zuchelli also said that the district’s assistant superintendent of educational services, Lynne Sheffield, will follow up with Jegottka.