California school boards faced a two-week ban from high school campuses after officials endorsed a stay-at-home letter recently.
The agenda prepared by the superintendent’s office focuses on the dispute involving Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee Gabe Medina and Pajaro Valley High School Principal Todd Wilson. This conflict stems from student walkouts against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on January 30th.
Following a confrontation, Wilson was put under close watch, and an expulsion letter was drafted, barring him from school property for two weeks.
At the February 11 school board meeting, Medina’s peers voted 4-1 to support the curfew letter. The decision also mandated that Medina and Wilson engage in mediation.
Board president Carol Turley mentioned that a colleague had an aggressive clash with a district employee. The employee alleged that the confrontation was intense, with physical proximity that raised concerns about safety within the staff.
Medina shared an Instagram video where he claimed Wilson threatened to tow a student’s car for taking part in the protest.
Support and criticism poured in for Medina’s stance. One public comment noted, “Medina is the only board member who has consistently met with students. He sees them as more than numbers.”
However, two sophomores, Karina Aguilar and Aliyah Mendoza, read a statement denouncing Medina’s behavior.
Aguilar expressed frustration towards Medina, questioning his trustworthiness and highlighting immaturity during the protest incident.
In response, Medina argued that students weren’t adequately informed about their rights concerning protests and expressed disappointment at the board’s vote. He referenced California law SB 955, which permits students to leave campus for such activities as long as they notify the school beforehand.
Medina stated that the decision to approve the 14-day stay-at-home order was unnecessary and noted the lack of a thorough investigation or mediation efforts before the escalation.
The initial plan for the January 30 protest was to assemble on campus for a rally featuring a group called Your Allied Rapid Response. However, this shifted to an off-campus event, with students encouraged to participate in a larger rally at Watsonville’s Civic Plaza.
The board defended its actions against allegations of “student oppression,” asserting that they cannot push students to leave campus.
In a letter, the district expressed a desire for trustees who could effectively represent their interests in public.
As of now, the board, Wilson, and Medina have not commented further on the situation.
