Trustees Press for Board Action on Racism After Kensington Elementary Slur
Board of Education • West Contra Costa Unified School DistrictOctober 23, 2026
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A racial slur written at Kensington Elementary dominated the West Contra Costa Unified School District Board of Education's Oct. 23, 2026, meeting. Trustees told the superintendent that the response so far falls short of what students need. They pressed her to bring the issue back for a board-level discussion and possible action, but no date was set. The board also heard a mixed report on academic performance, a hiring update and a pitch for the Measure V parcel tax renewal, which goes to voters Nov. 3.
- Trustees demand a return item on anti-racism with board action after a slur at Kensington Elementary. No date was set.
- Graduation reached 88.4%, but ELA sits 54 points and math 73 points below standard, and chronic absenteeism rose.
- Special education vacancies persist even as HR reports fewer certificated openings and 171 classified hires.
- Measure V, worth about $10.2M a year, heads to the Nov. 3 ballot. The current authorization sunsets June 2027.
- AAC Awareness Month resolution passes 5-0. The district reports 401 students use communication devices.
Kensington Slur Sparks Push for Board Action
Why it matters: Trustees described racism across the district as a crisis tied to enrollment and attendance. At least one trustee wants a formal board action item, not just another discussion.
Where things stand: Superintendent Cotton reported that a racial slur was written at Kensington Elementary. She described a response that involved the Kensington Police Department, the district's Office of Positive School Climate and a student art project. She also described a partnership with the PTA and an anti-racism parent group.
"What happened at Kensington is disgusting. There's no other way to say it," said Trustee Leslie Reckler.
Student Trustee Ashton DeMong said that, beyond passing an anti-racism and anti-slur policy, the district has not done enough. DeMong pointed to recommendations from a student summit and from consultants that have not been acted on.
Trustee Jamela Smith-Folds questioned the superintendent directly and asked what partnership the board should provide.
"I think from the board I need partnership," Cotton said.
Smith-Folds asked for a firm date for a return presentation that would include both discussion and action. "It needs to come back immediately to the board," she said. With two trustees absent, Cotton noted that the full board could not yet take up action. "I will sit down and work with our board president and our clerk to determine that date," she said.
The other side: The pressure was building before the superintendent's report began. During general public comment, Trianetta Hancock, a Washington Elementary parent, asked when the board will protect Black children from racism. She alleged retaliation at her school despite state Education Code 56046 and Board Policy 1312.3.
In closing comments, Smith-Folds called anti-Blackness an emergency. She urged the board to adopt policy that protects and empowers Black students and staff. "Silence is complicity," she said.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The board took no vote. Black students, families and staff are the most directly affected. Trustees, including the student trustee, signaled that they want the board to move from reacting to incidents to setting policy. Pressure now shifts to board leadership and the superintendent to put the item on a future agenda.
What's next: The superintendent will work with board leadership to schedule a broader anti-racism presentation. No date has been announced.
Dashboard: Graduation Up, Absenteeism Climbs
Why it matters: The California School Dashboard is the state's public scorecard for districts. This year's results show real gains alongside deep academic gaps.
Where things stand: Dr. Gaines, Associate Superintendent of Educational Services, reported:
- A graduation rate of 88.4%
- Suspensions near 3.6%
- English language arts results 54 points below standard
- Math results 73 points below standard
Gaines credited the district's college and career team and its positive climate team. She flagged long-term English learners as scoring especially far from standard and outlined four areas for action.
Chronic absenteeism rose, and Gaines tied part of the increase to last year's strike. "We did have labor action last year that did feed and make this number a little more inflated," she said.
The other side: Reckler was blunt about reading instruction. "You have to get a new ELA curriculum," she said. She also asked staff to separate strike-related absences from other causes. Smith-Folds asked for disaggregated data, broken out by student group.
What's next: Staff are preparing curriculum options. "Our hope is to be able to have a pilot up and running, or a series of pilots up and running around February," Gaines said.
Special Ed Vacancies Persist Despite Hiring Push
Why it matters: Staffing shortages hit classrooms first, especially in special education. The district is trying to recruit during what trustees called a budget crisis.
Where things stand: Dr. Greenwood, the district's human resources lead, reported fewer certificated vacancies and 171 classified hires. Greenwood also said the district cannot yet measure its cost per hire. Recruiting runs through several channels:
- Job platforms EdJoin, Handshake and Indeed
- A July hiring expo
- A program offering seven stipends
- Teacher residency partnerships with Cal State East Bay and Dominican University
- Degree pathways through Rivet School
"We had 293 attendees, 131 applications, and 131 interviews," Greenwood said of the expo.
Special education positions remain hard to fill. Exit surveys cite pressure over pay.
The other side: Three public commenters weighed in:
- Sky Nelson said competing employers outspend the district on marketing and recruiters.
- Angela Silver Lima asked the district to tell recruits about its pathway programs. She also urged eliminating direct-hire fees in special education contracts.
- Nicholas Krasinski said requiring three recommendation letters burdens low-wage applicants. He urged in-person promotion of pathways for classified staff to become credentialed teachers.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No vote was taken. Trustees asked staff to set a baseline for measuring progress and to adopt a single definition of "vacancy." They also suggested revisiting hiring incentives. Classified workers seeking teaching credentials would benefit most from the changes commenters requested.
Measure V Renewal Heads to Voters Nov. 3
The basics: Measure V is a parcel tax, a flat tax on property based on size rather than value. Its rate has been 7.2 cents per square foot since 2004.
Where things stand: Cotton said the measure is not a new tax and averages about $96 per household per year. "It draws about $10.2 million annually for our students across West Contra Costa," she said. She added that the tax is audited every year with no findings. The district says Measure V funds libraries, athletics, counseling and core academics.
Cotton has presented on the measure to the San Pablo, El Cerrito and Pinole city councils, with Hercules planned next.
What's next: Voters decide Nov. 3, 2026. The current authorization expires in June 2027.
Students Speak With AAC Devices
Where things stand: The board adopted Resolution 2627-31, recognizing October as International AAC Awareness Month. AAC, or augmentative and alternative communication, refers to devices and methods that help students who have difficulty with speech communicate. Smith-Folds moved the resolution, and Student Trustee Brooke Miles seconded.
The vote was For: 5 (Miles, DeMong, Reckler, Smith-Folds and Trustee Guadalupe Enllana), Against: 0, Absent: 2 (Trustee Cinthia Hernandez and Trustee Demetrio Gonzalez Hoy). Both student trustees' votes were recorded as called.
Students used their devices to address the board. Dr. Rachel Chang and district AAC coaches reported that 401 students now use AAC, including 290 in ESN programs. That number rises every year, which is driving demand for training. Staff are adding open-access trainings and will hold a communication partner training Dec. 5. Speech-language pathologist Andrea Livinghouse urged adoption during public comment.
Minor Items
- Playground supervision (C18): Sites with fewer than 400 students are now guaranteed two supervisors for two hours each, despite a staffing formula of one hour per 100 students. For: 4, Against: 0, Absent: 3 (Miles, Hernandez, Gonzalez Hoy).
- Campus safety specialist (C16): The board approved a revised job description renegotiated with the unions. Reckler thanked HR and labor for the work. For: 4, Against: 0, Absent: 3.
- School Accountability Report Cards: In a first read, trustees leaned toward changing policy from "shall" approve to "may review." The board hasn't approved the reports in about six years.
- Bus and campus safety: Staff member Marie Anayam and preschool teacher Crystal Leftwick sought GPS and student ID on First Student buses. They also asked for a PA system at Cameron and a review of meal quality at Dover.
- Blacktop repair: Fifth-grade teacher Jeffrey Bean said his school's blacktop hasn't been resurfaced in over 10 years. He said the bumpy surface is a problem for a student who uses a wheelchair.
Looking Ahead
The board's next regular meeting is Nov. 4, 2026, the day after voters decide Measure V. Watch for whether the anti-racism presentation lands on an upcoming agenda.