California county superintendent warns school board may face legal trouble over 'antisemitic tropes'
A California county superintendent suggested that Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) school board members should bring legal representation to meetings, take ethics classes and engage in conflict resolution training after video emerged of members engaging in "antisemitic tropes" at a recent contentious meeting.
"In recent months, my office has received a number of questions and concerns regarding conduct and rhetoric at PVUSD Board meetings. My own observations have confirmed the validity of several of these concerns," Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Farris Sabbah wrote in an April 23 letter addressed to PVUSD Board President Olivia Flores and other members.
"In particular, I was deeply concerned by comments made by trustees at the April 16, 2025, Board meeting that appeared to invoke antisemitic tropes," he said in the letter obtained by the North American Values Institute and shared with Fox News Digital.
The PVUSD School Board held the meeting in question to discuss renewing a contract for the ethnic studies curriculum with Culturally Responsive Education (CRE). Jewish community members have expressed concern about the CRE curriculum due to the organization's founder, Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales, having authored a draft ethnic studies curriculum that was rejected by the California school board due to concerns over antisemitism.
Despite the state rejecting Tintiangco-Cubales' preferred curriculum for ethnic studies, the PVUSD Board still intends to contract with CRE to draft their ethnic studies' curriculum.
After Jewish community members raised their objections to the CRE curriculum, multiple board members engaged in rhetoric that employed what Sabbah's letter described as "antisemitic tropes."
During the April 16 meeting, board member Joy Flynn used her time to discuss Jewish "economic power."
"It has been something that I've discovered, or that I've been a little taken aback by is the lack of acknowledgment of economic power historically held by the Jewish community, that Black and Brown people don't have," Flynn said.
Board member Gabriel Medina seemed to address the Jewish community when he said, "I don't see you people at protests for immigration. I don't see you at protest where people are being taken away right now. I don't see you advocating to bring back Abrego Garcia or Mahmoud Khalil. You only show up to meetings when it's beneficial for you so you can tell Brown people who they are, but guess what, we're telling our own stories now."
Sabbah's letter suggested that the board may be in violation of the California transparency law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, by "taking, or attempting to take, action on matters not properly listed" and recommended the board have legal counsel present at future meetings. He also recommended the board take classes in "governance, ethics and education law" as well as conflict resolution following the combative meeting.
"Antisemitic rhetoric has no place in PVUSD, least of all from trustees charged with upholding students' rights, ensuring nondiscrimination, and fostering safe, inclusive education environments," Sabbah wrote.
When asked for comment, Medina referred Fox News Digital to a Substack post in which he replied to Sabbah's letter.
"Framing board member comments as invoking 'anti-Semitic tropes' without directly naming or analyzing those comments reduces a complex and painful debate to vague accusations. This tactic chills speech, especially when used against trustees of color challenging systems of power. As Professor Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor writes, 'The problem with liberalism is that it often demands civility from the oppressed while allowing power to remain unchallenged.' We must ask: whose discomfort is being centered when our board addresses racial inequity?" Medina wrote in the April 23 post. He wrote that the comments at the school board meeting were directed at a "group of individuals – many of whom have aligned with far-right groups."
PVUSD superintendent Dr. Heather Contreras told Fox News Digital that legal representation will be present at the next school board meeting, and a decision will be made about whether legal counsel will be present at future meetings. She said her district stands firmly against antisemitism.
"PVUSD stands firmly against all forms of racism, antisemitism, and hate. We are aware of concerns raised regarding recent remarks attributed to some members of the Board of Trustees, and we want to be clear about the values that guide our district. PVUSD is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all students, families, educators, and community members—regardless of background, race, religion, or identity. We remain focused on upholding the principles of equity, dignity, and mutual respect in everything we do. PVUSD will continue to work with our diverse communities to ensure our schools reflect the values we expect from our leaders and instill in our students," Contreras told Fox News Digital.
Board president Flores and trustee Flynn referred Fox News Digital to Dr. Contreras' statement when asked for comment.
"Our focus is on supporting the Board and District directly as we work together to serve students and families of all identities. We have no additional comments at this time," Sabbah told Fox News Digital.
CRE's Tintiangco-Cubales did not return a request for comment.
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