Ms. Reyes Uranga indicated she would have would have voted to support pass/fail but not without knowing parents were involved in the decision and how LBUSD staff came to its conclusion. Her full statement follows:

Ms. Reyes Uranga: Many school districts, in conjunction with teachers, parents and students have crafted particularly good creative options that allow for student choice and modified grading scales during the pandemic with some including a pass/fail option. Were LBUSD parents and students included in the decision to provide only a pass/fail -credit/no credit option? The LBUSD Board voted at their last meeting to reaffirm the staff's policy of pass/fail, citing their support for educational equity.

Educational equity is more than a pass/fail policy. It includes adhering to a legal and moral obligation to ensure that all students have the same access to educational resources. During this pandemic, the school district cannot control the lack of resources at home such as internet, broadband access, a quiet, nonviolent learning place, access to research material, and that basic needs are being met such as a home, food and healthy parents and guardians.

But this was also true when students were in the classroom.

LBUSD's commitment to educational equity is to be applauded yet many community members are left wondering why is it that we have such an exceptionally large achievement gap for African Americans, English Language learners and Pacific Islanders to begin with? How is it that half of Latino students who leave middle school are not prepared for high school and half who do graduate are not prepared to enter a CSU? And why are Special Education students struggling to get what they need to succeed, and many are not receiving any services during this COVID 19 pandemic?

The pandemic has spotlighted these "inequities."

These groups of families are my constituents. These underserved groups are no longer a minority in LBUSD, but the majority. These inequities existed long before COVID 19 and, unfortunately, will be there long after we are free of this Pandemic. Especially if we do not consider educational equity in every decision we make.

LBUSD is a large institution and the largest employer in Long Beach. Large institutions move slowly and often lack transparency. Decisions are made in-house and sometimes parental input in the decision-making process gets sidelined.

Advocates of the pass/fail or credit/no credit policy say it is an equitable answer, but it is not that simple. The District was caught off guard and took too long to provide parents and teachers with guidance, in passing out iPads' weeks after other districts and in distributing distance learning guidelines in April, among other responses.

I believe this policy provides parents and students with some relief. Students are stressed out and while this policy provides some relief, we should take care not to tout this policy as a pillar of educational equity, given the academic situation most students were in before the pandemic occurred.

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LBREPORT.com regrets that candidate Miller didn't respnd to our invitation to share his position on this matter with our readers..

In March, 2020, voters in SE LB chose LBCC Trustee/LB lawyer Doug Otto (who received over 50% of votes cast, avoiding a runoff) to represent their area which includes Wilson High.) (Incubent Jon Meyer is retiring.)

In 2022, LB's three other School Board seats will come to voters in their respective districts.

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