Welcome. The time is now 10:03 a.m. on March 11th, 2026. Welcome to this regular meeting of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, including close session matters. I'm going to take role. Then I'll read through the uh purpose and authority for what they're going to discuss in close session. And then we
will take public comment directed at those items and then finally general public comment before the board um goes into close session. So uh roll call. Uh Miss Newell >> present. >> Dr. Rivas, Mr. Melvin >> here, >> Miss Grigo, Miss Gomez, Miss Ortiz
Franklin >> present. >> Board President Schmelson >> present. >> That is four. We have a quorum. Okay. Under tab one, student discipline matters pursuant to education code section 48918 CF. Tab two, personnel under government code section 54957.
Uh the board will hear public employee discipline dismissal and release. Uh the acting superintendent evaluation and under public employment are acting general superintendent and inspector general. Under tab three, conference with legal counsel. There are three pending litigation cases pursuant to
government code section 54956.9D1. Uh the cases are Jane LMA do va USD 1776 project Foundation v. Alberto M. Carvalo at all and Gabriella Charter Schools vapart California Department of Education and LUSD at all. These case
numbers are listed on our website. If you'd like to go then in turn look them up on uh various courts websites under tab 4 conference with labor negotiators pursuant to government code section 54957.6. The negotiator is Dr. Murphy and the
employee organizations are Associated Administrators of Los Angeles Teamsters 2010, California School Employees Association, Los Angeles County Building and Construction Trade Council, Los Angeles School Police Association, Los Angeles School Police Management Association, Service Employees
International, SEIU Local 99, Teamsters, United Teachers Los Angeles, and District Represented Employees and Contract Management Personnel. Um, Miss Nea Reed is a negotiator for un regarding under unrepresented employees and under that is acting general
superintendent and inspector general. Okay, let's go directly to the public comment. We have a speaker to tab two that is David Tokovski. Let me see if Mr. Tokovski is with us online. He speak he signed up to speak remotely to tab two.
I do not see Mr. Tokovski online with us. Are you in the room, Mr. Tokovski? Not at this time. All right. Under tab four, conference with labor negotiators, we have one person signed up, Mr. Juan Mandi, I see you're here. Mr. Mandi is going to speak
in Spanish. So, if you'd like to hear what he's saying in English, please put your hands up and we'll get you these translation headsets so you can experience simultaneous translation. Okay. >> Good morning. >> It's sad to come do uh you know church
to the choir, preaching to the choir. It's a theatrical production, but yesterday I noticed that we're under the threat of the uh
the unions, right? You don't care about the internal problems. They want a salary for all the employees. They can still have to take away the rent or I guess finance their activities to
have activists and organizers that are who are going to elect all of you and take based on our money because they or anyone who has this income does
not care about parent preoccupation. What you care about is this theatrical production and this merrygoround. This is the worst that could happen. Also, someone behind this whole thing is
what's his name? Bontree or the the superintendent uh cretins who loved apartheid who hated parents for being poor. mothers who wanted to take photos with
him >> because to him he's saying today that he's fighting for transparency when he was one of the worst superintendants in recent memory and he's the one who's accusing the other one here. Butner was
the worst. So, if you're going to have me to pick between Satan and the devil, I'd pick Carvalo because of all this, I think today things can be done better
than what you're doing. So, I hope this works because you are committing a horrible mistake and if Butner is here, we're going to have to fight against all of you. >> All right, we'll go to general public comment. There are 20 folks signed up. We'll call on the people who listed
themselves as speaking in person first and then we'll go to the folks who are speaking remotely. Uh, right. The first speaker is Maria Louisa Palma. I see you're here. Uh, come on down Miss Palma. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. And after Maria Louisa Palma is Dylan Martyr and then Monica
Razola. Welcome to the big leagues, Mr. Chait, we noticed that yesterday's second interim budget discussion. Uh questions that were posed were for Mr. Bravo Karimi and for Mr. Pedro Salceo, but not for you, Mr. Chait. Uh when Rosillio and
Carla were badgering Mr. Bravo Karimi to include financial revenues that he considered were not appropriate due to procedures and professional standards. Mr. Bravo Karimi the chief financial officer concluded no that he cannot include those revenues. Then Miss Rosio
Rias and Miss Carla Grigo we're trying to tell him how to do his job and we notice Mr. Chay you did not chime in at that point. Mr. Bravo reports to you through Mr. Salceo, I believe. And it was shocking for us out here in the
public to witness that you in this top leadership position, you did not have his back. And I recall when Mr. Carvalo sat in that seat, he did have the back of the staff that sit sat up here when board members were questioning them. So us out here in the public, we wonder how
well-versed you may be in budget matters. And we are concerned. We wonder how well equipped you may be to step into the big belly of the big evil beast, the bargaining table. And we fear that you might commit this district
to spend education funds that we don't have. So on behalf of taxpayers and the parents, Marisa Palma, I stand here today and Oada after hearing these two ladies pressuring the CFO to inflate revenues so that there is more revenues,
more funds that cannot yet be recorded. and they want them to be recorded. We are concerned that that puts this district and our education funds, taxpayer funds, at a disadvantage at the bargaining table and we are very concerned, Mr. Chait, and all of you
board members to see this happen here publicly. You are the trustees of public funds. You are elected. You are not supposed to be here to pass out favors to your campaign supporters. So, what are you all playing at? >> Thank you for your time.
All right, next person is Dylan Martyr. Come on up. After Mr. Martyr is Monica Razola and then Claire Martyr, you have two minutes to speak once you begin. Thank you. Hello, my name is Dylan Martyr. I was
born and raised in LA and I went to LA USD schools. I'm here today to thank the board members for supporting efforts to bring greater screen regulation and transparency to our schools. At this moment, a serious investigation into how
LUSD is spending our tax dollars on harmful and likely ineffective educational technology is absolutely necessary. Seems that nearly every day there is another troubling headline or shocking story from parents and educators. We've seen a superintendent
in a corruption scandal with an AI company. But even separate from any controversy, we've seen research from experts across all scientific fields warning about the detrimental effects of excessive screen time. And we've seen poorly regulated edtech on children's
learning and well-being. And we've heard deeply concerning reports of students being exposed to pornography and violent content on schoolisssued devices. These issues demand oversight, transparency, and accountability. Uh I'm heartened by the board members
who have shown the courage to challenge the status quo and ask these meaningful questions about how educational technology is being implemented in our classrooms. It's not too late to reassess these decisions and correct the course. I urge
the rest of the board to follow this example. Thank you. Thank you for your time. Um, Monica Razola, come on up. Razola is going to speak in Spanish. So again, if you'd like to hear what she's saying in English, uh, please put your
hands up and we'll get you translation headsets if you do not already have one. >> Okay, gracias. >> Good morning. My name is Monica Rasola, mom of two students in the district. I am here as a mom that is concerned for
the safety of what is going on. You're taking away safe passages and you're integrating other people in our schools that we haven't been informed about. It's people that are supposedly to avoid like gang relationships. But I'm not in
agreement with this. I think you need to send the watchd dogs that are the school police, not other people that are going to go, you know, sniff out drugs. No, you need to be sending someone who are
going to scare away the people that are going to sell them to drugs. We don't need I've been a witness and I've said it to Carla Grego that this safe passage is we're selling drugs. I have no reason to lie. And I'm also aware of another
school that are giving and selling drugs to these kids. You may not know what is going on in the schools. This is so intense, the drug situation. Please send the dogs to figure out which
employees are a part of this because you will be amazed at the amount of schools that are in the schools currently. This is important and I ask you to please have Mr. Alberto Calvalo come back because with him we already had some
some traction with what we were trying to get done. We want the superintendent Alberto back. He knows the situation and you were voting so that he could already stay another four years. So the majority of you are bought by the teachers union and
you're going to do what the union wants. if they're going to strike, I guess we don't care because three years ago, they left our kids with no school. And we had to figure out what to do. And they were minors, so if they want to
go on a strike, I don't care. And I will let the parents know so that we don't send our kids. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Uh Claire Martyr and then Mike Pearl. And following Mr. Pearl is Katie Pace. Come on up. You have two minutes to speak. Why don't you begin? Good morning. My name is Claire Martyr
and I'm here as a member of Schools Beyond Screens. I'm here to express my support and gratitude to the courageous board members who have taken a stand against harmful screen time and tech use for our children. I am so impressed by your willingness to push back against corporate interest of big tech whose
priorities do not align and never have with the best interest of our students. I taught elementary school for 15 years. During that time, I watched the steady rise of daily screen use and gamified learning platforms in classrooms. What I witnessed was no surprise. It was no
deeper learning, just shorter attention spans, more frustration, distraction, and emotional dysregulation. Now, as a parent, I am faced with a terrible decision. whether or not to allow my own children to attend our local LAUSD school where we would love to invest our
time, money, and energy into our local community, but where screens are unchecked, YouTube is played throughout the day, and learning apps are introduced without sufficient re sufficient research or regulation. When I imagine being the parent of a school-aged child, I thought I'd be
worrying about them making friends or, god forbid, their grades. but instead I'm having an existential crisis and questioning my child's very mental and me mental and emotional safety in the face of constant exposure to technologies that are known to be
damaging to them. Thank you to board members Melvinne Ortiz Franklin and Grigo for your bravery and hearing the concerns of parents and educators. And I call on the rest of the board to be just as brave and join them. Act with reason and common sense here. support this
resolution that puts the needs of children before corporate technology companies. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Mike Pearl, come on up. And then after Mr. Pearls, Katie Pace and then Danna Guen, come on up. You'll have two minutes to
speak once you begin. >> Uh, hi. Um, I also would like to just express my gratitude for what you're considering. um in particular the opt out from especially mandatory screen use for the
for the very low grades. Um I'd like to frame it to you as a kind of equalizing uh a a you're creating possibilities that equalize things for a lot of parents. Um my family doesn't have any
money. We're broke. Um, LA USD is our only educational option for our kids. Um, a lot of people are putting their kids in private schools for this reason. A lot of people I know are doing that. I I can't do that. Um,
the the my kids aren't in school yet. My my older one is five. and the coming of a time when we have to put them in in a in a school that is full of these, you know, tablets, YouTube, that kind of thing is like a it's like a conveyor
belt to a dark place. Um, we're considering homeschool as a possibility. Uh, but that's the only other option we have and we don't want to do that. We can't afford even that financially. So that's how I would like you to think of it as something that creates a level
playing field for all parents who have these concerns. It would be such a gift to give us the ability to to have that confidence that our kids are getting an education in a good place. And and
Franklin, the school that my son may be going to soon is a place that we are very excited that he could have the opportunity to go to. Um, we we just want to put him in there with confidence and you and it sounds like you are considering giving him that opportunity
and I'm grateful. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Katie Pace, come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. And after Miss Pace is Danna Guen and then Christina Brown. >> My name is Katie Pace and I'm a parent
of three LA USD students. In an effort to not only prevent screen addictions, but to raise creative, interesting, and engaged humans, I have done everything the tech experts advise. Parental controls, no screens in the bedroom, and my eighth grader still doesn't have a cell phone. But middle school changed
everything for us. At a school recognized for academic excellence, rigor, and innovation within a district that promises safety as it as its utmost priority, my kid came home with a schoolisssued device, a quick addiction to YouTube and access to practically anything on the worldwide web. She was
given the keys to the castle at school. With parental controls run by a school administrator, I'm at the mercy of the school to monitor her usage. But according to her current Chromebook history, she's averaging 12 hours a week spent on YouTube during the school day, talking to strangers on public forums,
and content is rarely being blocked by GoG Guardian. She also does math homework on a computer instead of paper and spend less time on a screen during pandemic distance learning than she does right now. Our teens are distracted and they are at a higher risk for mental health disorders, emotional emotional
dysregulation, and addictive behaviors than younger students. The parents of Schools Beyond Screens are incredibly thrilled and grateful to you for listening to the experts, the stats, and to us, and drafting the resolution for using technology with intention. We believe this resolution could make LA USD a national leader in intentional
tech policy. However, I want you to do more than just consider some of these policies. We need there to be more quantifiable language and clear parameters around digital usage for our secondary schools, such as no more than two hours a day spent on a screen, including homework. We need you to
effectively ban and block YouTube at all LUSD schools. And we need you to produce a technology opt- out plan that's conducive for all grade levels. Teens and their parents should still have the choice and privilege of a quality public education that does not revolve around screens. Thank you again for drafting
this revolutionary resolution and for your response to our please. We hope that together we can grow successful adults that are present and engaged with the world around them. >> Thank you for your time. Dian Guen. Miss Gen's gonna speak in Spanish. So, if you like to hear what she's saying in
English, please put on the translation headsets. If you do not have a translation headset and want one, put your hand up and we'll get one for you. >> Good morning, members of the board. My name is Diana Gillen and I represent the parent leaders because of for school
safety. I'm a little agitated because I mean everything that's happening at the district worries us very much. Uh now the teachers contract will be will be renovated or excuse me
well everything that has happened with the superintendent is very convenient isn't it? because the super superintendent Carbalo is the only one that would stop the teachers contract. Uh five of you are at favor to give them privilege without asking them to better
the our children's education and UTLA wants to monopolize even the parents voice. Why? Because there are groups that are called parent support teachers but no their teachers support teachers. In reality the ones who guide this group
is a teacher. Now there's another group of schools beyond the screen. They set themselves in a in the prince with the prince conference that they are with the teachers and now it seems like I wants to be removed. That's it. Everything
that has to do with UTLA ag UTLA's agenda. Therefore, I do want to say that the only parents that are advocating are the parent leaders because of the school safety. We are parents who have nothing to do with any union or any teacher union. And as like Mr. Dmag Gandhi
mentioned, Mr. Bututner now wants to be the savior because Proposition 38 and the art and all this stuff. But when he was superintendent, he never expressed to parents or wanted to even have a meeting with parents. And Mr. Cavalo has given us that voice. He's
listened to us and we want to continue listening and working with him. As we said previously, he has not any accusations, but you hadn't re rectified this either. People think that Mr. Carvalo has done something wrong. That's he did something wrong, and that's not the the issue. Mr. Ch, you have conflict
of interest. You hadn't You shouldn't have put him in because he has conflict of interest. >> All right. Next speaker is Christina Brown. Come on down. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. And then after Miss Brown, we'll start taking folks who have signed up remotely and are calling in. You'll have two
minutes to speak. Why don't you begin? Thank you. >> Hi. I just wanted to say thank you for the resolution. It's a it's a big deal. Um it's the first time I feel like some sense of safety with sending my kid to an LA USD school and I appreciate that.
I deep deeply appreciate it. Um a lot of these uh points are directed more at the younger kids. Um, my son goes to clay class at the Rexen down the street from school on
Wednesdays and we have uh a wonderful teacher named Aliana. She just graduated from Marshall last year. Um, and I was talking to her after Carvalo's FBI raid. Um, she was just telling me how much she hated to learn on screens. um she was
handed an iPad in seventh grade the first week and she said it took her about four months to understand why she wasn't learning anything and from then every grade she had she did spend you know two of those years on for co with
co but she had to work with every single teacher and ask every single teacher to accommodate her learning in a different way which is on paper pens it just seemed really stressful for her she said it was extremely distracting. Um, so I
guess, you know, thank you for thinking about the younger kids. That's my kid. But also, please don't forget that the learners that are older right now are having a really hard time to um processing, understanding what they're reading on the screen. Um, you guys have seen the science. You're all smart
people. We're all smart people. I wanted to say also, Schools Beyond Screens um does not support Carvalo coming back. um we think that he has done enough damage. Um so anyways, thank you for your time. I appreciate it. Um I also want to say
one last thing. I think it should go further for elementary school. Just no testing in California on screens. Just LUSD could be the leader in taking it back to paper and pens for testing for elementary school. Thank you.
>> Thank you for your time. All right. Our first remote caller is Takur Singh. I see you're on the line. Please press star six to unmute yourself and you have two minutes to speak once you begin. Takur Singh. >> Good morning. >> Can you hear me? >> We sure can. Please go ahead.
>> Perfect. Good morning members of the board and Mr. Acting Superintendent Shade. I am Fakur Singh. I'm a senior from the leadership and public service virtual academy. I usually like to be in person, but I wasn't able to make it today, so I'm calling in. Some of you may recall my peers and I speaking at a recent committee meeting in order to
support our academy having an independent graduation. For the past several years, all six virtualmies have been clumped into one large commencement ceremony which last year lasted over 5 hours. Saludiatorans have never been able to speak and students are often seated with othermies. I was a guest at
last year's ceremony and it was obvious that it did not feel personal, intimate and meaningful like the graduation that we deserve. Board member Franklin, I've been in contact with Miss Alvarez who shared that your office has been exploring this. I appreciate your attention to this matter. However, we as students still hold several concerns.
Firstly, we've been told that the planned senior awards night is a compromise for graduation, but we realized how is it a compromise when virtual academy administration has already been planning this a long time ago. Clearly, it's not a compromise and also it's not a substitute due to obvious differences and an award site is
not a graduation. and students agree 80% would rather see an independent graduation instead of an award site when surveyed. We have also been informed of the bulletin establishing a deadline for graduation plans. However, this deadline is clearly flexible given that VA administration has already made changes to the plan in terms of the date. Also,
I and other students were raising this month in advance. We would have met the deadline had we not heard conflicting messaging that kept pointing us in different directions, which is what happened. We ask that you please follow the wishes of students and parents and permit us to have our own ceremony. You may hear from virtual academy administration that it's impossible, but
we haven't even been given the chance to try. Furthermore, we've already secured a location, have a fundraising mechanism, have student and parent support, and have teachers who will support a graduation committee. It is absolutely doable. This board of ed has the chance to give a meaningful end to the K12 experience for so many students
and families with an independent graduation for our school. Please, we ask for your support in this cause to make a difference. I will send you all an email today with additional information. Thank you so much. Thank you for your time. The next speaker is Jamila. I see you're online. Please press star six to unmute yourself
and you have two minutes to speak once you begin. Jamila, I see you're with us. There you are. >> Hello. Can you hear me? >> We sure can. Please go ahead. >> Okay. Members of the school board and acting attended, happy Wednesday. My name is Shimone Fulla. I am a student of
the leadership and public service academy and a resident of board member new district. You all may have received my email yesterday regarding this matter. I am here to speak publicly and vocal support of our school having our own graduation ceremony. We as students have called for independent graduation
since last year but have never received transparent communication sent back to us. Now virtual academy leadership tells us the reason we can't have our own graduation is because it's too late. However, it appears to us that the virtual academy administration never
never intended to provide us with our own ceremony. Previously, we were told that it was simply a matter of quote tradition that we can't that we can't conduct our own graduation. There are several students who witness this being stated. Graduation is a is a major milestone for students and their
families. That's actually being dismagled. Each step of the virtual academy leadership does not grant our school the right to our own graduation. the voices of students and parents will latter. In fact, there have been talks of walkouts at graduations in the if the current plan continues. We are appealing
to you the the board of education because we have nowhere else to go. Every time we are taught that it's impossible or that we have to agree to false compromise, but we know that this can be done. We have already we already have teachers who sign for a graduation community committee. We already have much of the details figured out
including the location. Students and parents are already waiting for us to have on graduation. We just need the green flag. We are more we are more than willing to to connect with you. We we have if you have any questions, we can provide you with all the information that shows that it's possible. You have
our email address addresses in your inbox. We hope that you we hope that we can obtain your support. Thank you and have a good day. >> Thank you for your time. The next speaker is Christopher. Christopher, please press star six to unmute yourself and you have two minutes to speak once you begin. Christopher.
>> Uh, hello. Can you hear me? >> Yeah, I can. Please go ahead. >> Okay. Hello. I hope that you are all having a blessed day. My name is Christopher Stella Torres. I am a student at the Leadership and Public Service Virtual Academy. Although I am a junior, I I am very much aware of the
concerns around graduation and know that my senior peers are strongly in support of this. For one, student speakers have always been more limited than what a traditional in-person ceremony would offer. The ceremony also lasts hours longer than what would be the case if it
were for just our school. It also feels incredibly uninviting to be surrounded by schools other than your own. Uh we taken the initiative on advocating for this despite the lack of transparency and clear communication from virtual academy leadership. Now, we're being
told that the only barrier preventing us from having our own ceremony is that it is quote too late. Clearly, it is not too late for the virtual academy leadership to change the date of the graduation for hundreds of parents and students when it is convenient for them.
Plus, this is something we raised to leadership month previously but never heard back about. How is it right for us to lose the right to an independent graduation just because we never received follow-up information? Also, importantly, how is it right that
students and parents were never included in these discussions in the first place had they been this entire situation could have or would have been avoided when we would have made it clear that we wanted our own ceremony. Now, the ball is in LA USD's court. We ask that you
the school board please support the request of us as students and our parents for an independent graduation. You will have made a major difference in the lives of so many students who would have know or know that it was that it is thanks to this school board of ed that
we could have our own graduation a first in LA USD in his history history. Thank you so much and goodbye. >> Thank you for your time. The next remote caller is listed as concerned parent. concerned parent, please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two
minutes to speak once you begin. >> Good morning board members. This comment is regarding the listening campaigns that have been going on around this district. I want to point out to you a couple of observations I made around my
own um the one I attended in board district 5. Um I don't understand the purpose of this. what may seem an expensive survey and I don't know what the results what results
you're wanting to see from this but I'm concerned that all of you are first of all this the questions that were asked were kind of leading so they were leading to um what programs specifically for example we have our um restorative
justice teachers so you can point out something like that while I appreciate that the district wants to know what parents feel and how they feel about the programs. I think it's more important for you to show us how these programs
are yielding positive outcomes because this is something that you fail to want to release. You don't want to release the data on how these programs are being effective and if funds should continue to be allocated to each of these
different programs. So, I urge you to release data so that parents can provide more informed opinions because we shouldn't be making decisions around what programs to fund based on feelings or opinions. We should be making them
based on data. So, I urge you to consider this because otherwise this will be a very useless and expensive survey. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. The next caller is Sebastian Hernandez. Sebastian Hernandez.
I think I don't think you're online. Are you in the room, Sebastian Hernandez? No. Danna Iikinstein. Dian Iikinstein, I see you're online. Please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Danna Iinstein.
>> Hi. Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can. Please go ahead. >> Hi, my name is Dr. Danna Iikinstein. I'm a child psychologist and a member of schools beyond screens. Today I'm speaking in support of two measures. Leveraging district purchasing power to
defend immigrant families and using technology with intention. I'm offering my sincerest gratitude and thanks to Dr. Rivas and ne and Nick Melvine for spearheading these measures. Furthermore, Schools Beyond Screens does not support the reinstatement of
Superintendent Carvalo and want his removal to be permanent due to his backdoor dealings with tech companies. On the topic of using technology with intention, this is a wonderful starting point and I urge all board members to vote for it. My only concern is that
this becomes symbolic action. We need to make sure this is an actual policy change with language that can be implemented. Since my youngest child is still in preschool, I've talked to countless parents and we heard from many today who are afraid, literally afraid
to enroll in LA USD because of the egregious tech use. They're literally moving to other districts, homeschooling, etc., etc. You can see how equity with tech has turned on its head. Now, when we speak about equity with regard to technology, it's actually
a privilege to have reduced access to technology. And the same goes for access to AI. According to data collected and analyzed by securely, roughly one in five student interactions with generative AI involve cheating, self
harm, or bullying content on schoolisssued devices. So when we talk about access to AI in the vein of equity, what you are really saying is you want equitable access to what? Equitable access to self harm content.
equitable access to cheating, equitable access to pornographic images, to rapid cognitive decline. We need to use critical thinking here before AI robs all of us of that very thing. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Okay, the next
speaker is Briana. Brianna, I see you're on the line. Please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Briana, >> hi. Can you hear me? >> Yeah, I can. Please go ahead. >> Okay, great. Good morning board members and asking superintendent. I ran
Hernandez, a student of leadership and public service virtual academy. Since last year, students of the leadership academy have been advocating in support of it of an independent graduation that celebrates our school in an intimate, personal, and meaningful manner just for our students, parents, and teachers.
However, we never received a detailed follow-up. In fact, we were given conflicting messages that had us running in circles. Now we are told that having our own ceremony is impossible due to the relevant bulletin which mentions that graduation plans must be submitted 10 days prior to winter break. Had we
received a proper followup, we would have met the deadline easily. It is not right to follow to not follow the will of students simply because we were given conflicting messages which is not fault of ours. But even then this policy is clearly flexible. Virtual Academy leadership has already changed the date
and time with the ceremony once which proves the details of graduation can be changed. We the students of the leadership and public service virtual academy as the school board to please intervene on our behalf and permit us to have our own graduation that is personal for us, our families and our teachers.
The current model is broken and does not work for reasons my peers have mentioned. You may be told by virtual academy administrators that it that it isn't impossible, but that's not true. We've already secured a location and other logistical details. Students and parents are already in support. Our
teachers have signed onto a graduation committee for such an occasion. It is just a matter of getting the green flag from LUSD. I am sure that all of you board members have been told at one point of your life or another that something is impossible even when it isn't. We are in the same position now
because of a lack of communication from from VA leadership. We appeal to you and ask that you please show virtual academy students and parents that it is possible and that you stand with them. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. The next
speaker is Tatiana Singh. Tatiana Singh. Let's see. I do not have you online. Are you in the room? Tatiana Singh? No. Okay. Next speaker is Andrea. Right. Andrea, I don't have you online.
Are you in the room, Andrea? All right. Uh, Johanna Galddez. Johanna Galdez, I see you're online. Please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Johanna, >> hi. Can you hear me?
>> We sure can. Please go ahead. >> Okay. Hello. Good morning and happy Wednesday. I am Joanna Galdanz. I am a senior from the Leadership and Public Service Virtual Academy. Um, the vast majority of us seniors at the Leadership and Public Service Virtual Academy support an independent graduation for
our school. Despite this, our voices are currently being ignored. We've been told that that it is impossible to have our own graduation due to logistics and fundraising, but that's not true. The math agrees and we already have much of the details figured out. Furthermore, Virtual Academy leadership announced
plans for a senior dinner and awards night. Planning for that hasn't even started yet. How does it make sense that the awards night is all good to plan within two months, but we can't have our own graduation because it's quote too late? Especially when we found a school that will host us. We feel that this is
not a matter of listening to student voices, but simply a matter of convenience for virtual academy leadership. Also, it's important to question why students and parents weren't included in the graduation discussions previously. Virtual Academy leadership and the six principles never reached out for our input, yet have still made decisions and tactics. Part
of LUSD's mission is inclusivity and hearing student voices. Why then are we not granted our own graduation despite the overwhelming majority of us supporting such? Why then have saludiatorans never been permitted to speak at class graduations? Is that inclusive? I hope that you understand
the just injustice we are facing every day. More and more students and parents at our school are questioning this injustice as well. We hope that you stand with us as students and our parents. Thank you so much for your time. We hope we can get your support. >> Thank you for your time. The next
speaker is Nenina Leer. Nina L, you're signed up to speak remotely, but I don't have you online. Are you in the room? Nina L? No. And and then Maria Daisy Ortiz, I see you are on the line. Miss Ortiz, please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two minutes to speak
once you begin. Miss Ortiz is going to speak in Spanish, so if you'd like to hear what she's saying in English, Good morning everybody. My name is Maria Di Ortiz and in the United States there is that no one is guilty until it's no one guilty
under proven innocent. And so right now how that case with the superintendent Carvalo is I think that he has not been declared guilty. Just to let you know when Roy Romer was here he came and he made new schools so
that there would be less students but they never change the practice. There was so many new schools for with the same result that the district has but Roy Ror had friends that were from construction companies that was a
conflict of interest. The other thief with a tie was John Daisy who you were the ones that are approved all of that movement about technology. You were guilty because you did not you approved all that. Now with Mr. Carvalo, you are
the guilty ones because you approved it and you did not monitor because the lack of transparency and wanting to be liked because you have political agendas and now because there's a political game that's why you want to remove Mr.
Carvalo. So please stop it. If you had a a very good person with Mr. Ch, why did you go all the way to Florida to get Mr. Carvalo? And why at this time do you want to remove him when you approved four more years of a contract? It is
embarrassing what you're doing. You should also be investigated because you are the one that hide your political agendas for political favors. And in terms of safety, those uh safe passages, it's convenient for somebody and that's why you approved it. that these people
need to be they need to be drug tested and alcohol tested because many of them look that they don't have a good look that they should be around our schools. So please be more objective, be more responsible
with the education of future generations. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. All right. And then tab 2, David Tokovski is on the line. He's been waiting for us. David Tokoski, I see you're here now. Please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two
minutes to speak once you begin. David Tokosski, >> thank you very much for the time to talk board. You have very uh important matters and I appreciate your public service. Uh today you are in um
executive session on a few lawsuits particularly the one uh that the justice department has joined um from the 1776 foundation. Um I want to say that part of the evaluation of the superintendent
and acting superintendent should be the response to anti-semitism. Uh last night the students from Palisades Independent Charter alleged that uh swastikers were being painted on the walls of Palisades High.
And in addition, in the recent lawsuit by the Luis Brandeise uh Institute against the state, against the state, not the district, they named three schools in LA Unified as instances where extreme uh instances or students and families were complaining about
anti-semitism. this should be an evaluation um just if nothing else to avoid yet another justice department intervention on LA Unified uh itself. So as you do the evaluations, these are important things and I think that the two motions
that have been praised today uh need to be um connected to your independent inspector general that reports to you and as you look at candidates, all of you look at candidates today. Uh you should be looking at those who will keep
the district um with respect and independence and vigilance for the a number of things. Particularly, I want to highlight data. The data that has been given has not been publicly displayed. And particularly in the hundreds of millions of dollars that
have gone to tutoring companies, um if some of those tutoring companies are doing really well, parents and communities should know, others are not doing well, they should be eliminated. So there are ways in which to use your IAU, your independent analysis unit, and
your inspector general to help you as a board in these difficult times. Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak. >> Thank you for your time. This concludes public comment period. The board will now recess into close session and will come out to report any action if any.
Good afternoon. Welcome. The time is now 4:39 p.m. on March 11th, 2026. The board has finished deliberating in close session. All seven board members are present along with the acting um superintendent. I will take role right
now to establish quorum. Uh Miss Newil >> present. >> Board President Schmelson >> present. >> Miss Grigo >> present. >> And Mr. Melvin >> here. >> Okay. I have a few items to report out. Under tab 1, student discipline, the board of education approved the expulsion of student in case numbers 34,
35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44 with the recommended dispositions. The vote was seven eyes. The board of education approved the conditional enrollment of the students in case numbers 17A and 18A with the recommended
dispositions. The vote was seven eyes. Under tab two, personnel public employee discipline dismissal and release. The board of education authorized the dismissal of three classified employees and one certificated employee. The vote was seven eyes. Under tab 3, conference
with legal counsel uh under pending litigation, the board of education authorized a settlement in the case of Jane LMA do vla at all. Terms and conditions will be available upon the finalization of the agreement. The vote with seven eyes. This concludes the reporting out. The time is now 4:40
unless there's any objections. Would you like to adjourn? >> None here. >> Ajourned. Thank you so much everyone. >> Thank you.