Paramount Unified board censures member after Brown Act dispute; parents press district on special‑education safety

Paramount Unified School District’s Board of Education voted to censure one of its members and moved forward on a series of routine district actions at its May 14 meeting, while parents and community members used public comment to press the district for stronger special‑education supports and student safety measures.

The board approved Resolution 23‑63, a censure of Board Member Jena Quenta, by a 4–0 recorded vote after a contentious discussion about whether the item had been properly posted on the agenda. District counsel, Mr. Romo, told the board the prior meeting had included a vote directing counsel to draft the resolution and that Quenta’s decision to leave the meeting before the item came up “essentially waived her right to respond” before the board acted. The board then voted to treat her departure as a waiver and proceeded; board members Delon, Martinez, Vice President Anderson and President Eddie Cruz voted in favor of the censure.

The measure was the most heated agenda item of the night. Board members who supported the censure said it was a governance step intended to enforce board policy and help maintain public trust; members stressed the action was not intended to be punitive beyond the public rebuke. “We are bringing this forward in the spirit of helping and protecting and guiding,” a board member said during debate.

Community members devoted much of the early meeting to public comment on safety and special‑education services. Telephonic caller Eduardo Rivera, a former assistant counselor at Collins Elementary, told the board he was “asking for accountability” and described what he called a years‑long pattern of intimidation and inadequate responses to staff complaints at the school. A grandparent who called in urged the district to provide one‑to‑one assistance and better training for staff, saying her second‑grade grandson with special needs had been the target of repeated harassment and had been suspended several times.

Several speakers asked the board to clarify who is responsible for monitoring services and whether more resources or different staffing models—such as dedicated behavior analysts or additional adult assistants—are needed. Board member and special‑education teachers on the dais encouraged parents to “advocate, advocate” for functional behavior assessments and individualized plans that can reduce suspensions and better protect students.

On policy and planning, the board approved a recommended mission and vision and a set of strategic priorities intended to align with the district’s Local Control Accountability Plan. District staff described five strategic priorities—deeper learning and college/career readiness; comprehensive professional learning; nurturing emotionally safe environments; enhanced family and community engagement; and building an inclusive, equitable district—and outlined a three‑year alignment and monitoring cadence. Board members pressed for clear metrics and local monitoring beyond state test data.

The meeting also included a lengthy student recognition program that honored Gates Millennium and Dell scholarship winners and a series of superintendent resolutions and routine actions that the board approved by unanimous or recorded voice votes. Among those votes, the board:

- Adopted several superintendent resolutions recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month, School Lunch Heroes, Jewish American Heritage Month, LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and National Immigrant Heritage Month.
- Approved the appointment of Dr. William Nelson as assistant superintendent of Educational Services (contract effective July 1, 2024–June 30, 2028).
- Voted to change regular Board of Education meetings from the second Tuesday to the second Wednesday for the remainder of 2024.

What happened next: The board concluded open session business, announced a special meeting on May 28 to interview student board member candidates and said it would return to closed session to complete personnel and litigation items. The censure resolution will be reflected in the official minutes and posted with meeting materials.

Quotes that capture the meeting:

“I’m here to ask for accountability,” Eduardo Rivera said during public comment about conditions at Collins Elementary, urging the board to consider “the facts and not the swaying of a small group of teachers.”

“We had done the procedure correctly,” District counsel Mr. Romo said in describing the prior authorization to draft the resolution and the board’s record on the item.

“Advocate, advocate,” board member Jena Quenta said while urging parents to pursue functional behavior assessments and supports for students with behavioral needs (public comment and member remarks).

Next steps and context: Parents and some board members requested follow‑up on special‑education monitoring, including clarification on federal funding levels for special education and how rising legal costs are being funded. District staff said additional reports and the LCAP alignment will provide metrics to monitor progress; the board scheduled additional meetings and will continue the closed‑session discussions required for personnel and litigation matters.