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Malibu residents urge district separation and call for local control at SMMUSD meeting
Summary
Several Malibu residents urged the board to pursue unification — creating a Malibu‑only district — and criticized what they described as disproportionate board leadership from one ZIP code; speakers said Malibu contributes disproportionately to district funding and wants local decision-making for wildfire and emergency planning.
Multiple Malibu residents used the general public comment period to press the board for a Malibu‑only district or greater local control. Barbara Adler and Joe Drummond emphasized Malibu’s wildfire risks and argued local governance would produce more tailored emergency planning and curricular opportunities such as marine science and surf PE.
Wade Major raised historical representation statistics and recommended a bylaw to rotate officers so leadership opportunities are shared across the district; he said current officer rotation practices have favored board members living in ZIP code 90402. Several speakers noted Malibu’s small student population (about 1,300 students cited) and asserted Malibu contributes a disproportionate share of district tax support.
Commenters also urged better coordination on Malibu priorities—fast‑tracking rebuilding permits for fire‑impacted schools, ensuring equitable access to programs and seeking an apology from district public relations for an earlier statement that commenters described as inaccurate. Board members acknowledged the sentiment and noted joint communications and next steps from the unification subcommittee will be shared with the community.
