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Retired teacher urges ABC Unified to stop facility use for Artisia bullfight
Summary
Retired teacher Matthew Duncan told the board the district’s Ross Middle School parking lot appeared to be used by bullfight organizers without a signed facilities agreement and urged the district not to allow ties to bullfighting events; he provided a timestamped photo and alleged an LA County Animal Care vehicle was present.
During the public-comment period, Matthew Duncan, a retired ABC Unified teacher, urged the board to reconsider allowing district facilities to be used in connection with local bullfighting events.
Duncan said he had emailed the district’s communications office and supplied a timestamped photograph showing Ross Middle School’s parking lot “full packed” on May 23. He told the board that one vehicle in the lot belonged to the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and said he has spoken to county officers about past incidents at the event. “Allowing ABCUSD facilities to be used by a private organization… when that private organization is hosting a bull fight, I maintain it creates a bad look for ABC Unified School District,” Duncan said.
Duncan also told the board he received a short video showing mistreatment of a young bull on a preceding “kids day,” which he described as disturbing and as part of his rationale for urging the district not to facilitate the event. He said he is not asking the board to ban bullfighting at the state level but to avoid district involvement through facilities use.
Board members did not take further action on the comment during the meeting; the president thanked Duncan and proceeded with the agenda.
