by
YOUT 350-D01
Mauricio Guerra
December 9,
2022
School Board Meeting
Reaction Paper
Submitted to Dr. Steve Vandegriff,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
1
Meeting General Information and Ministry Implications
The regular business meetings of the San Diego Unified School District Board of
Education are held twice a month, on the second, and fourth Tuesdays. However, with the
COVID problem, per Executive Order N-29-20 from Gov. Newsom, the meetings will be
conducted via a virtual/teleconferencing environment using Zoom.1
The following School Board information was taken completely from the December 8,
2020 YouTube Video meeting at the San Diego Unified School District Live Stream.
This is my first time taken part of a School Bord Meeting and to make things more interesting
had to be done through a video conference. The Board Meeting took place on December 8, 2020
with only three people in the Board room and everyone else via Zoom, and it began with
everyone standing up for the pledge of allegiance.
The agenda of the meeting started with an external auditor annual financial statements for
2020 and then the swearing-in of a new board member. They followed it with a student’s video
introduction for people to understand about public testimony. As far as Ministry Implications,
watching the student’s video gave me an idea that can help my youth ministry be able to get into
the school and help them create better videos as we have been blessed with experts in multimedia
that are able to come up with great ideas to create the possible videos.
Students from Rolando Park School shared what made their school so great and the one
main thing they shared was the success they have had across the school on reading as a way to
find a pathway to freedom and success, and how parents are helping to improve literacy skills
across the school. Again, as Ministry Implication is concern this will be a great way to reach out
to my local school and see if they have a reading program where some of my church’s college
1 Marty Stultz, Board of Education Office,
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students can sign up and be part of this outreach. Reading is a powerful tool that can be a way to
open a conversation to faith and a way where questions can be asked, and answers may be given.
Of course, this will only be done if the opportunity arises. The main objective will be to be there
helping the students become more fluent readers and make sure that they are also understanding
what they are reading.
As the meeting moved on, they introduced student trustee Patterson. This young man
allowed me to see what the state of the student population is as we go through this Pandemic.
Patterson started by sharing how hard is getting for students as the State Orders keep changing
and now that in California, we have a stay in home Order things are getting harder to deal with.
Patterson said that it is “a difficult grim thing to look towards” His update to the board was real
and somber. He said that students feel isolated, and he sees a great need for mental health help.
Anxiety is high in the school population. Patterson’s update just confirmed to me the great need
to present the good news of Jesus Christ loves them is there for them. As we have gone through
the Presidential Election process, the Governor of California changing the Orders every other
week, the local mayor sending different signal are all part of the anxiety that the youth is dealing
with right now. Youth Ministry can use this to open their homes if available to prayer and
worship time (with a limited number of people). What ministry implication does that have on our
churches? As Christians we must show the world that eventho is dark and gloom right now, there
is hope in what God is doing for us. Psalm 91:7 (NKJV) says that A thousand may fall at your
side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. That is a living hope
that these youths are in need to hear, receive and embrace. I understand that our main goal is
NOT to go against what orders are being given. However, we must continue to be there for those
in need. Clearly, the need is there and necessary right now!
Bibliography
San Diego Unified School District Live Stream.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=karXVETdlz8&t=5246s&ab_channel=SanDiegoUnifiedSchoolDistrict
Stultz, Marty. San Diego Unified School District. Board of Education Office.
https://sandiegounified.org/about/board_of_education
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Impressions
As a Nation, we are going through so much that is very easy to push God on the side.
There is so much negativity, adversity, anger, and confusion going on all around us. There were a
few people in the Board meeting that were there only to create more confusion, and the biggest
impression I got from that meeting was the fact that nobody even once mentioned the need to
seek God, to repent, to confess, to ask God to heal our land, our children.
It seems people are trying to fix things with their own wisdom, knowledge and strength.
As I was praying, seeking God’s guidance one Scripture came to mind and the message is not
just for me but for all those who can discern the times that we are living today. This is the right
time to embrace God’s Word and His calling for all of us who have been called to youth ministry.
Isaiah 6:8 (NIV) Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying “Whom shall I send? And who will
go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Sen me!” This School Board Meeting just confirmed to me
how much work we have to do, and to not do it out of our strength but with God’s Holy Spirit
guidance.
