Well over 100 attendees gathered at Santa Barbara’s Aijian Ranch on Friday to interact with local and statewide education candidates and discuss the perceived need for new directions in education county and California-wide. I was.

“We’re gathering school board members and candidates, so we’re here for an educational rally,” said event sponsor Christy Lozano, who is running for the Goleta Union District School Board Trustee Area Three in News. -Told the Press. “We just want to bring the entire state and the entire county together because building a very strong team and a very vibrant group of people can make a difference in education.”

Among the topics discussed by the event’s speakers and attendees were the teachers union’s efforts to overcome COVID-era restrictions in schools, increase levels of parental involvement in education, and focus more on students and learning outcomes. There was a need to control power.

Santa Barbara City College Trustee Area 1 candidate Devi Stoker was one of 14 Santa Barbara County education candidates in attendance, where she spoke to News about the need to fully reopen SBCC to in-person learning. I spoke to the press.

“Today, I hope to shed some light on everyone trying to change school boards and school district boards and call attention to what’s still going on at Santa Barbara City College,” said Mrs. Stoker. Told. “For SBCC to keep unvaccinated students out of our classrooms, campuses, programs, and everything Santa Barbara has to offer, we need to really change that and put students first,” she said.

“Our neighbors at Allan Hancock Community College to the north are open and so are our friends to the south at Ventura City College. , should be welcomed back with open arms,” ​​she continued.

California Public Health Officer Dr. Thomas Aragon is revoking state-mandated vaccination requirements for K-12 employees effective Sept. 17. However, SBCC still requires vaccine verification for in-person attendance. Vaccine mandates for community colleges in California were never enacted at the statewide level, leaving the decision up to individual campuses.

Also present was Lance Christensen, an advocate for school choice policy and parental rights in education. He is one of his two nonpartisan candidates vying to be elected California superintendent of education this November.

“Now our children are destined based on their zip code. They go to schools randomly assigned based on where they live, not what their parents choose.” ‘ said Christensen in a statement. “California ranks 50th in the nation for literacy. , Mississippi is much better (than California). Of all states, this is the only state to improve literacy in the last two years. ”

“I think it’s time to really ‘come to Christ’ about our education system,” he continued. “Not just learning loss, but there are years of learning loss that children have had to deal with, such as rising suicide rates, anxiety and depression. It is a burden that we bear.”

One of the messages repeated throughout the event was that like-minded candidates need to step up and work together to put a common message in front of voters this November.

“I am very excited to meet all the people who have stepped forward at the local and state level to turn things around as a team,” she said in her remarks. Now is not the time to do things the old fashioned way, it’s the time to do things the smart way.”

Email: jdaniels@newspress.com