TUSD School Board meeting

A group of students from Tehachapi High School presented a petition to the school board at the March 10, 2015 board meeting. The petition containing 705 signatures requesting that Tehachapi High School remove a regulation which currently forbids students to stay in their cars before school. They must stand outside in the frigid morning air before the doors open. According to the spokespersons for the group, Jacob Balkar and Naithan Sischo, the school has taken away one of their freedoms.

In an eloquent presentation that clearly impressed the school board, Jacob and Naithan argued that the regulation is not in the handbook, and if the students refuse to comply it becomes a matter of disobedience, which does not solve the problem, but creates tension with security personnel. All students with a car have a bright green parking pass, so it is easy to see anyone not authorized to be there. Students are just trying to stay warm, study or visit with friends.

Joining the group for a photograph and adding his signature to the petition was World War II veteran, Winthrop Seville.

As this matter was brought up during the Public Comments section of the meeting, no action could be taken at that time. Board President Mary Graham told the students that the board would consider their request.

Mr. Seville was attending the meeting as a guest of Principal Paul Kaminsky of Jacobsen Middle School. Principal Kaminsky gave a PowerPoint presentation on the activities at JMS and introduced Mr. Seville as a guest speaker who had addressed the student body about Honor Flight Kern County.

Mr. Kaminsky gave each board member a Bulldog charm which was made by the Community Service Class under the direction of Rachel Stanley. These charms will be given to all the visiting fifth graders.

In a special presentation, the board gave an Award of Appreciation to Kim Armbrecht, who was on the TUSD's Board of Trustees from 2004-2008, as well as on the board of recently closed Abernathy School as TUSD's representative.