Submitted by Kenan Gultekin
Dear Reasonable Coronado Residents,
If you value common sense and care about children, please come to the next school board meeting on September 9. If you care about education and what’s best for the students, please show up for them. The anti-CRT and anti-mask group has taken over these meetings. They will stop at nothing to pursue their political agenda. If you want CUSD to keep your kids safe from COVID-19 and teach a balanced, robust, and stimulating curriculum, then you have to show up – and bring your friends. They use personal attacks and divisive rhetoric based on rumors. They screamed at the board, and heckled a 17-year old student who came to speak to the point of making her cry. It is outrageous.
At the August meeting, approximately five minutes was spent on returning to school, in person vs online, ventilation/ filtration, and general safety and accessibility for our students and teachers. Over four hours was spent ranting and raving about critical race theory (which is not now, nor has ever been taught in K-12), the board’s statement following the tortilla incident, and related conspiracy theories. These people claim to support free speech, but will literally drown out opposing viewpoints. So much for civil discourse. These are the same people who have tried to post the home addresses of our school board members and posted photos of innocent children online as targets. They will stop at nothing to decimate our board, our educators, and our public education system.
The hypocrisy and misinformation is astounding. No Place for Hate is political to them, and yet it is ok for a board member to endorse the recall of the governor during a meeting? Or another board member to suggest a “KKK Club” is the equivalent of NPfH? That’s completely inappropriate and vile.
I know reasonable, responsible people in this community are tired and uncertain and busy, but now is not the time to sit back and let things slide. Our children need you to show up and make yourselves seen and your voices heard. Write letters to the editor. Write to the Superintendent and Board. I refuse to believe that a group of 30 people represent the majority of this town just because they are the loudest. But they will keep pushing their political agenda on our community if we let them. Public education is under attack and we must unite to defend it. If you want Coronado’s children to be safe and well-educated world citizens, please make your voices heard.
Stand up, reasonable people.
Kenan Gultekin
