Teachers, union and community speakers press Adelanto trustees to fund health benefits and address safety

Several members of the public used the board’s public-comment period to press trustees on labor negotiations, benefits and student safety.

Jennifer Raider, speaking for ADTA, said the district’s end-of-year report showed a $17.5 million surplus and urged trustees to direct those funds toward fully funding the lowest-cost HMO and improving health and welfare packages for certificated and classified staff. “The money exists,” Raider said, and later added that teachers had been assigned extra non‑contract risk-management training that exceeded contract terms and contributed to staff exhaustion.

Angelique Jolley and other teachers echoed that sentiment. “We are not asking for luxury. We are just asking for dignity,” Jolley told trustees, calling for salary adjustments that reflect the state‑funded cost‑of‑living increase and a fully paid low-cost HMO.

Michelle Walden raised an immediate safety concern about crossing-guard coverage after trustees declined to approve a contract the prior week. She said administrators were asked to fill crossing duties without vests, stop signs or training and said that gap posed a liability and safety risk for students.

In a separate public‑testimony segment, Michael Krause — speaking as a private citizen and former district leader — described being placed on paid leave after raising financial concerns, said the district settled with him 'for no cause' and alleged the district’s outside counsel pressured him to withdraw from a board race or face losing settlement payments; he characterized that last action as 'blackmail.' His remarks drew a strong verbal response from Tyrone Turner, who defended his wife (a district employee) and accused Krause of fabricating allegations.

Former board member Christine Turner urged trustees not to approve what she called duplicative consulting work, saying another vendor, the Learning Center Collaborative, already engaged staff, students and parents in a comprehensive process. She asked whether an RFP had been conducted and how many bids were received. The board and superintendent said county resources had recommended a fiscal consultant in the CBO transition and that some vendors had been engaged to assist with year‑end closeout work.

Trustees did not take immediate, binding fiscal action in response to the public comments beyond proceeding with scheduled votes on personnel and consulting items; speakers asked the board to prioritize timely, transparent responses and to elevate staff safety and benefits in forthcoming decisions.