Students and teachers urge investigation into alleged racism at Bear Creek and request AVID staffing expansion
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Summary
During public comment, a student alleged racism at Bear Creek High and asked the board to investigate; a Bear Creek teacher asked the board to allocate dedicated FTE to expand AVID sections after more than 200 freshmen applied.
Multiple public commenters raised personnel and equity concerns during the Lodi Unified board’s public‑comment period on April 7.
A student, Jordan Dela Cruz, told the board "the school is full of racism" and asked the board to "look into the matters and be investigated more deeply," while not naming individuals. "I hope after hearing this, you will all decide to look into the matters," the student said.
The board did not provide an on‑the‑record response during the public‑comment segment; President Alexander thanked the speaker. There was no recorded follow‑up action or staff response in the transcript. The allegation is unresolved on the record and was raised as a public‑comment request for investigation.
Jennifer Pustard, a Bear Creek High math teacher who will serve as the AVID teacher for the Class of 2030, urged the board to allocate dedicated full‑time equivalent (FTE) staffing for AVID. Pustard said the school interviewed more than 200 incoming freshmen for AVID and that to accommodate demand the school needs three sections of AVID at certain grade levels, but the district told sites they lack dedicated FTE. "Please consider allocating dedicated FTE to all AVID sites, but especially to Bear Creek to allow the continued growth of our program," Pustard said.
Other public commenters praised music and band programs, invited board members to performances and fundraising events, and thanked administrators for responsive site maintenance. The meeting summary shows board members received these comments but did not take immediate public action during the session.
