OpEd: ABCUSD reaches new low with denying media access to public meeting

ABC Unified School District’s free fall from its lofty perch continues unabated. On Tuesday night, district security went outside and denied the cameraman for KCBS2/KCAL9 television news station access to a public school board meeting being held inside a public building. This clearly violated the public’s right to attend public school board meetings. What is the ABCUSD school board hiding?

Furthermore, district security denied reentry to the building of a Cerritos-Artesia Patch reporter. In a brazen move, district security locked the front door, denying entry to all citizens. 

A concerned citizen witnessed this and even confronted district security about these violations. The security officer reported that his superior told him to do it.

Why? What brought us to this point where Superintendent Mary Sieu is above following the law? Isn’t respecting and obeying rules and laws one of most important tenets children are taught in school? Why not practice these tenets as adults, too?

The ABC Unified School District administrators believe they are accountable to NO ONE. This didn’t happen overnight and it will not be undone until the community rises up and demands change at the top.

Denying media access to a public school board meeting Tuesday night is the District’s feeble attempt to duck and cover. It is now too late to run and hide from the truth. 

ABCUSD demoted Principal Blagden over two years ago, because Blagden reported suicide/death threats to the sheriff, after she was directed to do nothing, tell no one, especially the victims.  Blagden refused to follow this clearly illegal directive, as she took proper action to protect students and staff.  These facts are no longer being repressed by fear, intimidation, and retaliation orchestrated by district officials against school employees, as this lawsuit, is now public record. 

An Outraged Parent