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Common Ground task force recommends immigrant‑support protocol, AI guidelines and transparent curriculum opt‑out
Summary
The Common Ground Advisory Task Force presented recommendations including a district protocol for immigration-related incidents, bilingual staff hiring and communications, age-appropriate AI guidance, proactive inclusivity training, support for transgender student participation where legally possible, and a transparent curriculum opt‑out process.
The Common Ground Advisory Task Force presented a set of recommendations to San Luis Coastal Unified trustees on Tuesday aimed at improving district responses to controversial issues and enhancing inclusive practices.
Josh Whiteside, the task force facilitator, said the group — formed after several years of community controversy — wrestled with library collections, immigration enforcement concerns, AI in schools and curriculum opt‑out procedures. “We’re going to start with immigrant student rights,” Whiteside said, outlining a proposed district-wide standardized response protocol and a care triage kit for immigration-related incidents that would include referrals, support and compassionate communication tools.
The task force recommended strengthening trust with immigrant families by hiring bilingual staff and using multiple communication channels, including flexible virtual formats. On artificial intelligence, the task force urged age-appropriate guidelines that emphasize foundational skills and ethical use so AI “enhances rather than replaces critical thinking,” Whiteside said.
Under access and inclusion recommendations, the task force proposed proactive training and accountability around respectful dialogue and bullying prevention, as well as a recommendation to “support access to participation for transgender students in athletics, clubs and activities as much as legally possible.” For curriculum and books, the group asked the district to adopt a clear, consistently applied curriculum opt‑out process that requires a teacher or administrator to explain the material’s purpose before granting an opt‑out.
Board members asked about the task force structure, membership and operational independence; one trustee noted the group operates independently of the board to encourage candid community feedback. A public commenter raised the cost of task-force facilitation and counsel; district staff acknowledged consultant and legal costs but also described the recommendations as community‑rooted and designed to inform LCAP and annual priorities.
The board will receive the recommendations as they are folded into annual priorities and the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). Staff said task-force items will be operationalized with implementation metrics during summer planning and future learning-walk site visits.
