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Parents press San Juan Unified to protect Ride Free transit and investigate safety at Thomas Kelly; board approves consent items and reports one expulsion
Summary
Community organizers urged the board to preserve the regional Ride Free student-transit program; several parents from Thomas Kelly Elementary described ongoing safety problems and slow administrative responses. The board approved consent calendar items and reported it accepted one stipulated expulsion from closed session.
Community members used the public-comment period to press the board on transportation and school-safety concerns.
Lucero So to, identified as a community organizer with Sacramento ACT, said the organization is prioritizing preservation of the regional Ride Free transportation program and asked the board to continue supporting the program because many families rely on it for school, medical appointments and basic needs. "We wanna make sure that this program stays for the upcoming years," she said.
Parent leaders including Norma Martinez reiterated that Ride Free provides essential access for families without vehicles and urged continued district collaboration with the city and county to sustain funding and operations.
Several parents from Thomas Kelly Elementary raised specific safety complaints about the school. Tiffany Hart said she has raised concerns through the FACE department for two years and described slow follow-up and what she called retaliation, naming a principal and referencing perceived nepotism at the district level. "I have a lot of concerns…there's nepotism in this school district when I think of this school versus Pam Costa," she said, and asked the board to investigate and help keep children safe.
Melanie Swain described having a first grader relocated via administrative placement because of safety concerns and said she has not had promised follow-up meetings with staff. Madison James said multiple incidents occurred without timely parent notification and said a principal delayed meeting with her; Emily Tolzzi described bullying and use of racial slurs at the school and said her younger son begged to leave.
After public comment the board approved consent calendar items G-1 through G-8 on a recorded vote reported as 5–0. The board also reported a closed-session action: the board "voted 4 to 0 to accept as written 1 stipulated expulsion in case number S‑17," which the clerk read into the record.
What happens next: Commenters asked staff and the superintendent to follow up with families and investigate Thomas Kelly concerns; board members asked staff to do that work and to report back to the board. The superintendent and staff also noted they can refer matters to appropriate operational teams for follow-up.
