Parents and students press Chino Valley board over podium access, pay and classroom incidents

Multiple parents, students and community members used the public-comment period to press the Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education on several recurring issues: the district’s removal of a permanent podium and how accommodations are provided, concerns about board compensation and legal spending, and several reports of troubling classroom incidents.

A ninth-grade student who identified herself as Hazel said a teacher played a song in class that contained the N-word and told the board she felt ‘‘othered’’ and unsupported; she asked how students like her are meant to feel safe and heard when staff and teachers do not take such incidents seriously. ‘‘That moment made me feel really upset and uncomfortable,’’ Hazel said.

Several speakers criticized recent and proposed board compensation adjustments. Lisa G told the board they had previously approved a ‘‘107% increase’’ in monthly pay and called a new proposed raise ‘‘more for this board, less for everyone else.’’ Members of community groups urged the board to restore a podium at public meetings, saying the absence created barriers for people with disabilities and made public participation harder; some speakers said the district’s accommodation process felt intrusive because it required medical documentation.

Others raised school safety incidents at Lyle S. Briggs Fundamental School—reports of a weapon and alleged patterns of bullying and racist language—and urged clearer documentation and consistent use of disciplinary protocols.

Board President Shaw and district staff acknowledged the comments and committed to follow up. Shaw said staff would pursue reported site-level concerns and urged parents to escalate unresolved site issues through principals and cabinet so the district can respond. ‘‘My heart goes out to you and I’ll ensure that staff has all the support needed to make sure those things are addressed and they stop,’’ Shaw said.

Speakers included parents, union-affiliated and independent commenters, and advocacy groups. The breadth and intensity of public comment prompted the board to underscore channels for follow-up: principal-level reporting, cabinet escalation, and written submissions so staff can investigate and document incidents.