Trustees vote 5-1 to implement plan aimed at fostering inclusive learning
PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District approved its Inclusive Excellence plan, which is meant to create an inclusive learning environment throughout the district. The plan consists of tier one lessons for all students and staff, a progressive approach to address pejorative terms, opportunities for input, and measurable outcomes for elementary and secondary schools.
After the plans presentation in October, staff received feedback and added additional information to include a metric for elementary student connectedness and to outline the various ways in which students can discuss and share feelings about these topics on campus.
The plan presented at the Tuesday, Nov. 12, meeting can be viewed in its entirety at simbli.eboardsolutions.com/meetings/TempFolder/Meetings/Inclusive%20Excellence%20Board%20Presentation%2010.22.24_946231wpnjqbyebcqnpmyunebvwu5k.pdf
Following the presentation, Trustee Laurene McCoy responded saying, “Having high expectations and implementing them and giving students the proper tools and to be able to cultivate an atmosphere for those expectations are things we need to focus on, and I feel like we’ve received those tools to be able to do that. We just have to implement them.”
She continued saying that parents also need to become involved to make a lasting change. “We need to have parents participating and creating boundaries and understanding where we are as a community; where their students are,” she said. “We definitely need to have these trainings with parents.”
Trustee Kenney Enney originally voted against the consultant agreement with Cal Poly educator Dr. Denise Isom to conduct academic inclusion and excellence training and plan during the Tuesday, Oct. 8, school board meeting. Enney said he would not be supporting the contract because he believes it will not solve the problem. Instead, he proposed a Saturday meeting with parents and the community is needed, and agreed with McCoy that the students need to be taught how to respect people, and these traits are learned at home.
You can learn more about that meeting at pasoroblespress.com/news/education/prjusd-school-board/paso-robles-school-district-approves-consultant-for-inclusion-training-amid-racism-concerns/
During the Nov. 12 meeting, Enney stood by what he said before, believing that this plan won’t solve the issues students and staff are facing.
“I am going to continue to warn the community about this. I’ve seen this before, and I don’t think these things ever work. It doesn’t mean that I don’t think there’s a problem in this community or in this school district. There is. I justdon’t think this is the solution,” Enney explained his stance adding that he feels this will be more divisive.
Superintendent Jennifer Loftus added that the Inclusive Excellence plan is also meant to create a learning environment that sets high standards for students no matter their background and to remove unintentional barriers.
“It’s not just about addressing racial slurs,” said Loftus. “While that is work that we are doing because that is right in front of us right now, it is also about removing unintentional barriers. Barriers that we may not realize are even there.”
The Inclusive Excellence plan was approved by the PRJUSD trustees with a 5-1 with a dissenting vote from Trustee Dorian Baker.
The next Paso Robles Joint Unified School District meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 17.
