Entire school board resigns after mocking parents

(Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 7:20 PM PT – Saturday, February 20, 2021

A Zoom meeting mishap landed all members on a California school board in hot water. All four members of the Oakley Elementary School District Board of Trustees resigned after mocking parents in what they thought was a private meeting.

1) When officials at the Oakley Union Elem. School district thought they were meeting privately, they used profanity to insult & threaten parents upset by the district’s prolonged school closures.

Here’s when they realized their mtg was being broadcast to the public.

“Uh, oh.” pic.twitter.com/OXbHWq9FMy

— Bigad Shaban (@BigadShaban) February 18, 2021

Board members, including board president Lisa Brizendine, stepped down Friday after they were caught complaining about parents who wanted their kids to return to in-person learning.

“Are we alone?” former board member Kim Beede questioned on the virtual meeting. “F—. If you’re gonna call me out I’m gonna f— you up.”

In a statement, the school’s superintendent Greg Hetrick said no excuses would be made for what occurred and the comments were not in line with what the school stands for. The video quickly circled around social media and sparked outrage, prompting parents to start an online petition that called for members to step down.

“Parents in this area have been pretty vocal about the lack of communication and the lack of preparation to have our kids go back to school,” Oakley Elementry School parent Rebecca Mackowiak said. “And to hear that, it makes you understand why there’s no preparation and communication because they’re not taking us seriously.”

Officials appointed two interim Oakley School District board members while a third member is pending. In the meantime, the superintendent said his focus remains on the students and getting them back in the classroom.

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