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Parents, employees and unions urge support for classified staff, raise concerns about school-site issues and PTA member treatment
Summary
Parents, classified staff and union representatives urged the Chula Vista board to prioritize classified positions, restore intervention supports and consider the reputational impact of public accusations against a PTA leader.
Multiple parents, classified staff and union representatives used the public-comment period to press the board on staffing, equity and school-site issues and to express support for newly appointed board members.
Ángela Reed, representing classified employees, congratulated newly seated trustees and asked the board to prioritize classified staffing, professional development and compensation. Reed described classified employees’ daily roles—cafeteria service, arrival and dismissal supervision, transportation coordination and small-group supports—and warned that substitutes for classified positions are often inadequate when budgets are tight.
Rosi Martínez, speaking for Educators of Chula Vista, welcomed the new trustees and urged the board to keep its focus on equity, student safety and support for multilingual and special-needs students. Teresa Corona, speaking for the Administrators association, also welcomed the new board members and said administrators look forward to collaborative work on policies that affect students and staff.
Several parents and community members spoke in defense of Noel Cravens, a PTA leader criticized at a prior meeting. Multiple speakers described Cravens as a committed volunteer and asked the board to consider the reputational harm caused by public accusations; one speaker said the allegations “broke my heart” and asked the board to reflect on facts before repeating accusations.
Other parents raised safety and instructional concerns at specific campuses, including combined kindergarten classes, students returning with injuries and worries about student supervision. A teacher, Tracy Talamantes, urged the board to review the budget to restore funds for intervention teachers and small-group supports, saying those services helped raise test scores and are now underfunded.
Board members acknowledged the comments, thanked speakers for advocacy and said staff would continue to monitor classroom supports and safety issues.
What’s next: Several speakers handed written statements to the board and the trustees said staff will follow up on site-level concerns where appropriate.
