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Parent criticizes classroom assignment as "propaganda"; public commenters press district on curriculum and staff support
Summary
During public comment a parent alleged a humanities assignment "is spreading Israeli propaganda" and urged changes to classroom pledges; another commenter, a district employee, urged leaders to better support staff and prevent retaliation. Trustees did not immediately act and asked for staff follow-up.
A public comment period at the Sept. 16 El Rancho Unified board meeting included vocal criticism of classroom materials and urgent pleas for staff support.
Fernando Islas told the board he had brought a copy of a humanities assignment and told trustees it "is spreading Israeli propaganda," saying the worksheet instructed students "to color all of Israel yellow and in parenthesis it said to include Gaza and the West Bank." He asked why students are being asked to pledge allegiance to a country he said is harming Palestinians and urged the district to stop what he called "indoctrinating our kids." He also urged the district to boycott certain businesses and to reconsider invitations to elected officials at school events.
In a separate comment, Patty Contrarus, who said she is both a parent and a district employee, described a culture in which employees feel unsupported or afraid to speak, saying, "A district should never be known for silencing voices through fear or inaction." Contrarus urged the superintendent and cabinet to follow through on commitments, support employees and reduce workplace stress.
Nut graf: both comments were delivered during the yellow (general) public-comment portion and raised policy and culture issues — the first challenges classroom content and symbols used in schools; the second asks the board to address internal staff morale, support and fear of retaliation.
Board members acknowledged the comments but did not take immediate action on either matter during the meeting. The transcript records no direct operational response from school leadership to Islas's specific allegation about the curriculum item; trustees and staff later emphasized continuing communication with families and staff and noted future agenda items and committee work on curriculum and training.
What comes next: these claims require follow-up from district staff to identify the specific instructional material referenced, review its alignment with curriculum standards, and, if warranted, take corrective steps. The board also heard requests for clearer channels for staff to report concerns without fear of retaliation.
Ending: The meeting record shows the public comments were heard and recorded; the district did not announce corrective action during the session. Staff follow-up and any proposed changes would be handled outside the meeting record and could appear on a future agenda.
