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Schools

School Board Members Pledge Financial Gift to Education Foundation, Discuss Free Speech Policy

The first meeting of the school year features a big promise to the Culver City Education Foundation and the resurfacing of a contentious July board meeting incident.

The first Board of Education meeting of the school year kicked off Tuesday night with two members pledging their salaries to a fundraising drive to help Culver City Unified campuses and the board deciding to modify a policy to give audience members greater latitude when speaking during the public comment period.

“I will give you my $2,700—next year’s salary from school work,” board President Scott Zeidman told a representative of Culver City Education Foundations' fundraising campaign. Zeidman later confirmed that the figure represents 12 months' worth of salary. 

Professor Patricia Siever, another board member, also promised to donate the part-time salary she receives of approximately $220 per month. “The Culver City Education Foundation does so much for our students, that’s the least I can do,” Siever told Patch.

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“If we can set an example of giving, then that might give other people ideas of giving also,” Siever added.

Spearheaded by the Culver City Education Foundation, All for 1 has a target goal of raising $1 million over the next school year. According to Dan O’Brien—who serves as the executive vice president of the foundation and is an El Marino parent—the funds raised will go toward classroom technology updates, academic program support as well as music and art programs that have been hit by districtwide budget cuts. 

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Since the campaign began in August, the foundation has been suggesting supporters give $1 per day for 10 months or perhaps $100. Those who do receive a “We Support Culver City Schools” lawn sign. 

The public’s right to free speech also took center stage at Tuesday night's meeting. Amanda Copeland, a resident and mom of one child, came to a board meeting July 26 to speak during the public comment period. During that meeting, Copeland addressed the School Board, saying: “I’m here to bring public awareness to the unlawful and corrupt conduct of this School Board and CCUSD Supt. Patricia Jaffe.”

At that point Zeidman read to Copeland the Board’s policy on speaking negatively against an employee of the district during the public comment period. Copeland did not stop speaking, and Zeidman thereby directed district staff to cut off her microphone.

Copeland alleged in interviews with Patch that the school district terminated her child’s special needs services last October with no notice.  According to the legal case file, Copeland filed a due process complaint against the district in February of this year, which led to a settlement agreement in April.

Said Asst. Director of Special Education Jo-Anne Cooper and the case file, the district’s position as of August is that Copeland did not make her daughter available for the necessary assessments after the settlement in order to establish her child’s educational needs.

“That is what we disagree on—is whether the mother made her daughter available.”  Cooper would not comment on any other specific details on the case as litigation is still pending.

A mere month after the contentious board meeting, a group called Californians Aware: The Center for Public Forum Rights enlisted an attorney who sent the Board a letter threatening legal action, unless it changes its policies on free speech.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Zeidman said, “It is now clear that she was rightfully addressing the Board of Education.  “It is also now clear that no one should be cut off when he or she is addressing the Board," he added.

Zeidman said in a phone interview with Patch that he has asked that administration pull “every single board policy that deals with the Brown Act and modify them regarding legality and compliance with the law.”

“We have to make sure that all policies comply with the law. That will be coming up for us in the next two to four weeks. In the meantime, we are going to allow people to talk about whatever they want during their meeting as long as it’s three minutes.”

Board members agreed to hold a workshop next week to re-educate members on the Brown Act and to ensure that the public’s free speech rights are not violated.

Former Culver City Councilman Gary Silbiger, who was not present at the contentious July meeting, but did attend Tuesday night, told the board he was "encouraged" by its decision to include the Brown Act on the night's agenda.

Later in an interview with Patch, Silbiger said the July incident was "an obvious free speech violation."

Amanda Copeland also welcomed the news that the Board would soon review its free speech policies.  However she told Zeidman and the other board members they "did not come to this realization about the Brown Act and their illegal policy without a very stringent demand letter being written to them by Californians Aware.”

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