First published in the Oct. 27 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
French philosopher Michel de Montaigne once quipped that “there is no conversation more boring than the one where everybody agrees.” If you look at almost all of the nominees for the school board, you will see a uniform voice, endorsed by uniform politicians and echoing uniform policies. It’s fine for an individual to have a singular perspective, but the lack of opposing commentary across the entire school board is troubling.
The websites of every candidate will say something similar about the “importance of schools.” After all, I would wager that a large majority of the people (including the candidates) moved to this fair city because of its education reputation. However, there is decidedly little advocacy for the parents whose children are attending these schools. Schools need to be funded, facilities need to be maintained, and programs need to be shepherded, but transparency into the curriculum, a forum for concerns to be shared, and a school board member who actually cares what their constituents say is equally as important.
Debra Barsom embodies all of these traits. She is the only candidate with elementary schoolchildren. She’s the only candidate who balances age and developmentally appropriate learning. And she’s the only candidate who seeks to make a long-term difference in our schools — not just using the school board as a convenient steppingstone for more lofty aspirations.
If you were to cast just one vote this November, I urge you to make it for Debra.
David Marino
La Cañada Flintridge
A few years ago, Octavia Thuss reached out to me about a neighborhood event, and I felt like I was speaking with a local celebrity.
If there is any school fundraiser, community gathering, or volunteering activity, her name is always attached to it.
Octavia Thuss genuinely cares about all of LCF. Her knowledge and passion for all community and school-related topics have no bounds. She is a wealth of information and is someone I seek out regularly with questions.
As a working mom with my own business, I found it hard to go to PTA meetings and other school events and definitely didn’t have my finger on the pulse of what was happening in the schools or the community.
During the pandemic, we pulled our daughter out of LCUSD for many reasons. Had I gotten to know Octavia better back then, I feel that she would have been a positive ally and would have helped us navigate through the system, and perhaps my daughter would still be there. Octavia is a doer and an advocate, always doing whatever she can to help.
Although my child is no longer a student in the district, we still care about what’s happening in the schools. A lot of families move here because of them and that affects our real estate investments, our community, as well as our quality of life. Octavia has her entire hand on the pulse of this community, and she will put her entire heart into making our schools the best possible.
Joy Asbury
La Cañada Flintridge
I’m supporting Debra Barsom for the La Cañada Unified School District Board.
As a fellow parent of children in LCUSD, I know Debra will: (1) passionately support all students and families, (2) strengthen the bonds between teachers and parents and (3) help manage the budgets for district projects to direct financial support to LCUSD programs in need of funding, including special education and our beloved libraries.
This past year, I served with Debra on the executive board of Circle of Friends, an organization of approximately 75 women with the sole mission of raising funds for Kidspace Children’s Museum.
Under Debra’s leadership as the board president, Circle of Friends brought in net proceeds of $220,000 for Kidspace and received a Commendation from Los Angeles County for dedicated service and civic pride. Debra unified our ideologically diverse organization through the ongoing challenges of COVID, meanwhile maintaining tireless grace and patience. She continually recognized that leadership means intently listening to those who surround you with an openness and willingness to receive feedback and to grow and change with the times.
A mother, a parent of LCUSD children, an attorney and a dedicated community volunteer, Debra Barsom can act as another important bridge of communication, compassion, and understanding in our community.
Debra has my wholehearted endorsement. Please vote for Debra Barsom!
Emily Maleki
La Cañada Flintridge
Why do I know Octavia is the right person for LCUSD School Board?
First and foremost, she understands that for this district to function, all stakeholders need to be thought about, and at times, balanced appropriately. Octavia will always place the children first but will also champion and support the parents and the teachers/administrators.
Without understanding how these three legs of the stool interact and impact one another, LCUSD will never have balance. This brings me to my next point. How does one know how these three groups interact and impact one another?
Simply put there is only one way: having been there, doing the work in so many different capacities throughout the community. Octavia has that institutional knowledge. In this unique district of ours, having that knowledge is priceless!
The last piece of the puzzle is having the conviction to use one’s voice. One could understand the three legs of the stool, one could have institutional knowledge, but if one does not have the capabilities or convictions to use their voice and be heard, it is all for not. Octavia does not fall short here.
Whether you always agree or disagree with her narrative, what is important here is that with Octavia we will have a well-informed board member, sharing her voice, adding debate to hard conversations, coming to concrete decisions that will always place our children and overall community first!
I hope you will join me in voting for Octavia Thuss for LCUSD School Board on Nov. 8.
Matt Weber
La Cañada Flintridge
In this new age where DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) must be the central focus of everything from corporations to public schools, the clear choice for school board is Debra Barsom.
While DEI focuses on gender, race, etc., it should also include diversity of thought. Currently, every member of the School Board thinks (and votes) alike on all major issues concerning our children’s education.
A vote for Debra Barsom will ensure there is diversity and inclusion of thought on the School Board, which will lead to a well-rounded representation of the people that reside in this great town.
Jeff Abraham
La Cañada Flintridge
It was awesome to read profiles of all the School Board candidates. They each appear so dedicated and ready to serve.
For me, however, the upcoming School Board election is bittersweet. We live on the west end of town, the so-called “Sagebrush” area. Our residents are barred from running for or voting for the LCUSD School Board — in spite of more than 260 of our students enrolled in LCUSD schools on district permits. The disparity dates back to an ancient district boundary line drawn in the 1880s.
Only a permanent territory transfer will give our residents the fair representation, local control and equity we all deserve.
Nalini Lasiewicz
La Cañada Flintridge
In a letter to the editor dated Oct. 20, 2022, Ginger Caldwell asked those writing in to include where they stand on issues.
As a parent who relocated from out-of-state on the eve of the pandemic (and was thus unfamiliar with the district), the issues that quickly became most important to me are transparency and communication. This remains so after coming through a prolonged period of physical separation of parents from teachers and the campus.
That’s why I was struck by one of Deb Barsom’s responses during the candidate forum hosted by the Women’s League of Voters.
Deb is the only candidate who mentioned the idea that it should be parents who choose whether their elementary school child(ren) should have access to the new Wellness Center — that parents should have to consent in, rather than waiting for a parent to petition to opt out.
This idea seemed sensible, easy to implement, and one that would put the district on good footing with the community as they try this new initiative. Most importantly, it demonstrated that she valued the role parents play — as the party ultimately responsible for their children’s upbringing.
I feel comfortable, as a mother of one current and two rising elementary school children, that Deb Barsom will advocate with parents, particularly those of young children, in mind.
Michelle Jones
La Cañada Flintridge
This School Board election should he about representation of the interests of our parents and children.
I am very concerned about the extreme activist ideals of teaching in our country, and how they’re creeping into our local schools, and how our School Board handles these issues with the Teachers’ Union.
Octavia Thuss teaches in our district and is endorsed by the all-powerful Teachers’ Union, locally and out of state. I see candidate Octavia as a conflict of interest to be a teacher on the School Board when the School Board should be about nonpartisan representation and advocating for parents and children, not the Teachers’ Union.
I won’t vote for a candidate who uses partisan name-calling about candidates in the way that Octavia does when someone may not agree with her he/she/they agenda. Octavia labels those as “Fundamental Christian Right,” or “Extreme Religious Right,” as if those terms are dirty terms, meaning misguided, intolerable, narrow-minded, racist and she says that “those people don’t represent mainstream culture.” I don’t believe the CRT and DEI curriculum represents mainstream culture.
Because “Octavia says so,” doesn’t make it true! I believe certain issues should be discussed at the appropriate age and without undermining reality.
I don’t believe children in elementary grades need to be inundated with sensitive issues. They shouldn’t be made to look at their classmates and classify them by skin color, race or ethnicity. Isn’t that contrary to “everyone is equal”? Children shouldn’t be taught that male and female aren’t the only genders, and that it doesn’t matter what’s on their birth certificate, then encouraged to explore and pick a different gender. It’s important to embrace different, but sensitive issues should be discussed in the privacy of home, not in elementary classrooms!
Innocent children become collateral when extreme activists become blinded by their partisan zeal and combine education with agenda politics. Octavia’s supporters? Activist Democrats: 99.5%. Republican: .5%. Our GSB election is supposed to be for a nonpartisan seat.
On Facebook, Octavia professes Stacy Abrams is her “hero.” Extreme partisan activist Octavia participated in BLM protests, demonstrations and marched in support of defunding the La Cañada police.
Does a camouflaged, extreme partisan, activist belong on the LCF School Board?
Deborah Johannes
La Cañada Flintridge
