A day in the life of a new school board member:

Institutionalized Racism Rears Its Ugly Head at The WCCUSD School Board Retreat.

Institutionalized Racism is the process of purposely discriminating against certain groups of people through the use of biased laws or practices. Often, institutionalized racism is subtle and manifests itself in seemingly innocuous ways, but its effects are anything but subtle.

CONSUELO LARA IS A NEWLY ELECTED MEMBER OF THE WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION.

At the January 9th school board meeting, I requested to have something put on the agenda, in plenty of time for it to be placed.  I want the board to pass a resolution in support of the NAACP resolution, "CALLING FOR MORATORIUM ON CHARTER SCHOOL EXPANSION AND STRENGTHENING OF OVERSIGHT IN GOVERNANCE AND PRACTICE". http://www.naacp.org/wp-content/uploa... 2014 - Page 33.  There is also a 40 page Task Force report they put out on this issue.  I believe in this resolution and support it.  We are presently in great danger from the charter school corporations that want to dismantle public education and privatize our schools.  Oakland USD, and LAUSD are examples of what will happen here if we do not take direct action.  At a minimum, we can stand up and say we need a cap on the charter school expansion, and to recognize that this is a Civil Rights issue.  To this end I requested this be put on the agenda for discussion and debate. The end of the agenda says: “Comments and Agenda Items” and I was told that is the place to make the request.  The board president, who sets the agenda, with the clerk, was dismissive.  I persisted, and he said we will talk about it at the retreat. 

At the retreat on January 19, 2019, we talked briefly about institutional racism, and how it works.  Then when we got to talk about how to get something on the agenda, I was handed a form created by the board president that basically created a barrier to getting things on the agenda.  I am a woman of color, and I want to discuss the inequities that exist for the children of color in our schools.  As a result, a barrier was created.  If this barrier is allowed, then in the future people in the institution will come and go, but the inequities will stay.  Here is part of this proposed barrier, this how they maintain power, and exclude others from access to equity, this is how unscrupulous corporations accomplish that: 

Up to this point items have been placed on the agenda when requested, but not this time.  When I am sitting on that dais, I am not alone, I am representing people who voted for me, and who share my beliefs.  I need to hear your voice loud and clear to let me know what you think. Board members and the superintendent also need to hear from you on this issue:

Thank you,

Consuelo Lara

For more discussions see our YouTube forum called “Between Two Teachers”: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7WNef8ri3k&t=272s