Outrage after school district cancels contracts for Black student program leaders

By J.R. Stone

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    LARKSPUR, California (KGO) — A heated school board meeting in the North Bay has ended with the Tamalpais Union High School District voting against a plan to pay a quarter of a million dollars to fund the Black Student Success Support Team.

Board members say they’d like to keep the program and run it with current staff. Many community members of all races were outraged by the decision.

“You are there to represent us! You are not the expert, we are! These are our kids!”

“Shouting from the audience is not allowing to do our business. You had public comment!”

A heated back-and-forth between the Tamalpais Union High School Board and parents who are in support of funding the Black Student Success Support Team.

Dozens in support of the program at Tam High voiced their opinions before and during the meeting.

“Last year, we had a multitude of racist incidents in school and out of school by students,” said Milo DeBerry, a student involved in the program.

“The amount of change that we’ve seen in a year with our Black success program with the students, never seen it before, and I’m also the paraeducator in that room so I’m in that room all day long with the kids,” said Lorenzo Bynum.

“He’s definitely felt safer and has quite frankly, switched from not wanting to go to school, to enjoying his time at Tam High,” said Alicia Jackson as she spoke about her son.

“It’s time for us as Blacks to stand up and stop being minimized,” said school board member Ida Green.

The support group for Black students has only been around for a year, but data presented to the board shows that test scores and attendance have improved among students involved; 37 of the schools 1,500-plus students filled out surveys, all of which were favorable about the group. Organizers say it helps an estimated 150 people.

Some board members though, were closely eyeing the $250,000 it costs for what they describe as two part-time consultant positions.

“I know nobody likes to hear this, but it’s $250,000 and we have multiple schools and we have financial constraints,” said board member Jennifer Holden.

“I find it hard that an educator gets up and makes a recommendation that we need to pay $250,000 for half-time work for tier 1 and tier 2 services,” said board president Cynthia Roenisch.

In the end, board members voted 3-2 against contracts for the two individuals running the Black Student Success Support Team, angering those in attendance.

But the board does say they want to continue the program with school staff.

Board members are hopeful that it could be organized by both the new principal and new superintendent who will soon be on staff.

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