Teachers in Beverly Hills will now have stricter limitations on what they can and cannot say in the classroom. At a meeting of the Beverly Hills Unified School District Board on July 16, board members voted unanimously to implement a new policy related to Standards-Based Instructional Education.
The policy, which was introduced by Board Member Sigalie Sabag, imposes limits on how teachers handle controversial issues in the classroom and tightens expectations that they do not deviate from their curriculum.
Board President Rachelle Marcus and Board Member Amanda Stern opposed the policy at the beginning of the discussion period. Stern said she could not approve a policy that includes, as the original draft did, language stating that “Staff members with firsthand knowledge of potential violations are encouraged to report concerns promptly.”
Saying the language was a “nonstarter” for her, Stern had strong words about its implications.
“Please, guys, we are better than that, and we need to evolve,” she said. “That is going backwards, and there’s just no way to sugarcoat that … we have seen from the letters we’ve gotten, from the educators we’ve heard from, that is actually insulting.”
Marcus, who attended the meeting virtually, said the district already has a policy addressing the handling of controversial topics in the classroom. That policy was reviewed two-and-a-half years ago, Marcus said, calling the newly proposed policy “unwarranted and dangerous.”
“Mrs. Sabag wants to limit all instruction in the classroom to curriculum only, leaving no room for discussion on any and all discussable topics which might be controversial, or even more,” said Marcus. “We are tying the hands of our teachers by limiting them to what the curriculum mandates they teach and teach only … before we adopt this, we should take a step back and see if it is really necessary.”
During public comment, several BHUSD teachers spoke against the policy. Other educators were present in the audience wearing shirts bearing the name of the Beverly Hills Education Association, the union that represents teachers in the district.
Hannah Croft, a seventh grade English teacher at Beverly Vista Middle School, echoed some of the concerns expressed by Marcus and Stern.
“The language of this supposed standards-based instruction policy does not actually reflect standards-based instruction, which I know well,” Croft said. “Instead, this proposed change demands teachers limit their scope of instruction, and by extension, limit student skills and ability to learn. The meticulously chosen and intentionally vague language of this proposed instructional change does not have student success at its heart. Instead, this proposed change actively inhibits the learning, growth and success of every child in this district.”
Over the course of a two-and-a-half-hour discussion, the board reviewed the policy sentence by sentence. Among the changes made was the deletion of the language Stern flagged regarding staff reporting one another.
The board also added language stating that, “Educators are encouraged to have meaningful dialogue among students to foster educational objectives.”
The new policy will go into effect immediately.
In other news, the board approved the hiring of a new principal at Beverly Hills High School. Loan Sriruksa previously served as the principal of Esperanza High School in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District and has also held multiple administrative roles in the Garden Grove Unified School District.
At the July 16 meeting, Sriruksa expressed her enthusiasm to start her new position.
“I’m fully committed to continuing the legacy of high expectations for all students, while also fostering an environment where every person feels cared for, seen and supported,” she said. “I believe every student deserves not just a premium education, but a school experience that nurtures their whole self … Our school’s motto, ‘Today Well Lived,’ is one I hold close. It reflects the kind of school community I hope to lead.”
In a statement, BHUSD Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss voiced his confidence in Sriruksa.
“Loan Sriruksa brings a focused, experienced, and results-oriented leadership style to BHHS,” he said. “Her track record reflects exactly what we expect in Beverly Hills; strategic thinking, high expectations, and a clear drive for academic excellence.”
