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Board tables La Paz Middle School mural after teachers and parents allege contractor disparaged staff, misused Prop 28 funds
Summary
Several teachers and a La Paz parent told the board the mural’s out‑of‑area contractor disparaged staff and students and that design work began during winter break; the board tabled the mural proposal and pulled the contractor from the consent calendar pending further review.
Speakers from La Paz Middle School told trustees on Jan. 27 that a proposed mural project has generated serious concerns about process and conduct.
"Not only must this board vote against this proposal, but you also must immediately open an investigation as to how this project was allowed to commence before board approval," Jason Shriber, La Paz band and choir director and SVFT site representative, told the board. He also alleged possible misappropriation of Prop 28 funds and said an outside contractor had disparaged teachers and students.
Multiple staff and teachers described similar experiences. Robin Mendenhal, a middle‑school teacher, said design input meetings occurred during winter break (Jan. 5–7), preventing true student and teacher collaboration. Several teachers said they were told by students that the contractor had made demeaning comments, and that those remarks had discouraged student participation.
After public comment and trustee questions about bidding, vendor selection, funding sources and the district’s review process, trustees voted to table agenda item K (the La Paz mural proposal) to allow for extra review and to pull the related independent‑contractor agreement for the same artist (listed in consent) so staff can provide more information. The board directed staff to return with more documentation and a clearer process for contractor vetting and community input before any work continues.
Trustees voiced concern about transparency and site‑level approvals. One trustee asked whether the mural contract had gone out to bid and wanted confirmation about which funds (including Prop 28) were used and whether the project matched the board’s stated collaborative goals.
The board took no determination on the allegations of misappropriation during the meeting and did not order an immediate investigation beyond requesting additional review materials; the status of those claims remains unresolved pending staff follow‑up and any possible formal inquiry.
