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SOTA parents press board to keep Friends of SOTA role; union raises concerns about new security contractor
Summary
Speakers representing Ruth Asawa School of the Arts urged the board to maintain the Friends of SOTA role managing the artists-in-residence program. Separately union organizers flagged problems after the district’s new security contract with ABC Security, alleging underbidding and health/wage threats to officers.
Multiple public speakers at the Oct. 8 meeting urged the board to preserve existing arrangements for the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts' artists‑in‑residence program and criticized a district decision to reduce the program’s funding and reconsider the nonprofit Friends of SOTA (FOSOTA) as fiscal agent.
Michael Paladino, president of the Friends of SOTA board, said the nonprofit administers artists‑in‑residence logistics, insurance and payments and noted the group must raise more than $200,000 annually to sustain the arts curriculum. Walter Van Riel and Julie Coughlin—representing parents, alumni and faculty—warned that midyear changes to funding or fiscal oversight have created anxiety for artists, families and students and asked the board to continue trusting the existing nonprofit partnership.
A SOTA student described a separate facilities problem: the drama studio was deemed unsafe by the fire marshal, canceling planned performances. Superintendent Carranza asked staff to connect the student with the district’s facilities team and said the district was committed to resolving the issue quickly.
Later in the public comment period, union-affiliated speakers raised labor and public‑safety concerns about the district’s new security services contract with ABC Security, which took effect Oct. 1. Organizers said ABC underbid competitors by roughly $35,000 and that officers transitioning from the prior contractor, Securitas, reported being told to accept cuts to either wages or health care. Carl Walter, an organizer with United Service Workers West, said some officers were not enrolled in benefits for the first 90 days and that one officer who experienced a medical emergency faced loss of health coverage on Oct. 1; union representatives said they were pursuing compliance and COBRA options to protect affected workers.
The board did not take action on either issue at the meeting; speakers requested ongoing oversight and speedy remediation for the SOTA venue and for ABC’s treatment of officers.
