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Dozens of parents and community members urge board not to censure Trustee Padilla
Summary
During public comment at the Oct. 8 meeting, many parents, alumni and community leaders spoke in support of Trustee Ricardo Padilla, praising his mentorship and local programs and asking the board to reject the censure.
Public comment at the special meeting featured numerous speakers who traveled to the board to voice support for Trustee Ricardo Padilla. Parents, alumni, teachers and community volunteers described Padilla as a mentor who runs leadership programs and supports students.
Maria Calderon told trustees, "I am here to support mister Padilla," and several other speakers echoed that stance, citing long histories of community work and mentoring. Lydia Carswell, an educational consultant who said she had worked with Padilla for more than 30 years, described his work in dropout prevention and outreach and urged trustees to "work as a team" and treat one another with respect.
Some public speakers also raised process concerns — including requests that translation time be accommodated and that meetings be recorded in full. David Seegrest, a veteran, asked why a prior meeting’s recording had been cut off and said he had been advised by the Pacific Legal Foundation about possible First Amendment issues. A number of speakers warned that a censure could damage community trust and relationships between parents and school leaders.
