By LILY TINOCO | Reporter
The Palisades Charter High School Board of Trustees met virtually on Tuesday, November 16, to discuss a number of items, including updates to the school’s grading policy and potential changes to the bell schedule.
The meeting began with public comments, many regarding the board’s recent decision to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible students, which was passed during a special meeting on Tuesday, October 26.
“I hope you know that your vote to implement a mandate at Pali High has really upended the lives of a lot of families, it’s tearing at our community,” the father of an 11th-grader at Pali High said. “My decision, my family’s decisions to vaccinate or not vaccinate our child, doesn’t affect anyone else … but your decision to mandate my family … my son, is a very dangerous thing.”
One board member clarified that the board could not discuss the vaccine mandate again unless it is back on the agenda—attendees are able to comment, but the board could not respond.
Pali High must receive evidence of being fully vaccinated by December 17 for students 16 and older to access campus for any reason after January 10, 2022. Students should have received the first shot by November 19 and second shot by December 17.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is FDA approved for individuals 16 and older. Pali High said as FDA approval expands to include younger students, the mandate will include these students.
Pali High is offering its virtual academy and independent studies for students who do not intend to attend in-person classes. As of this month, there were 55 prospective applicants, according to the agenda packet.
The board also discussed changes to the bell schedule for the 2022-23 academic school year in accordance with Senate Bill 328 that goes into effect July 1, 2022. The bill requires all California public school districts to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. for high school.
The Academic Accountability Committee was tasked by the board to discuss potential bell schedules and request proposals to review.
Pali High shared it will collaborate with UTLA to determine the most appropriate schedule for the upcoming school year. They cannot change the bell schedule without union negotiations until the law passes.
The board also discussed the ways the motion has been shut down in the past.
“It has come up … it gets voted down every time,” one board member said. “When you push school from 7:50 to 9, you’re pushing us getting out at 4. You’re pushing sports practice from 4 to 7, 4 to 8, and that hasn’t been the will. I’m telling you this has come up again and again and … the committee and stakeholders have said, ‘No, just leave it as it is.’”
Another board member said it has a negative impact on parents and guardians with inflexible jobs, which tend to be lower socio-economic groups. The board decided not to discuss the item again until the law is in effect.
There was also an update to the No Credit Policy, and it has been agreed that a grade of F will be eliminated from the grading scale for all Pali High students for classroom grading, as well as unofficial and official transcripts, effective immediately. The F grade will be replaced with an NC (No Credit) grade.
“Grades should not have punitive consequences,” according to the bill’s reasoning and implementation. “A grade of an F damages students’ grade point averages. The NC grade will not have numeral consequences on students’ [GPA]s. A grade of an F has been shown to have negative consequences and ramifications on students’ self-esteem, motivation and mental health.”
The bill was proposed by Brenda Clarke, Jewlz Fahn, Monica Batts-King and Chris Lee, and is in effect for the 2021-22 school year and beyond, indefinitely.
The board’s next meeting is currently scheduled for Tuesday, December 14.
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