Last night was about more than signs.
It was about solidarity. It was about dignity. It was about standing shoulder to shoulder with the people who hold our schools together every single day.
I had the honor of joining members of VUEA and VESPA as they prepared for the school board meeting: teachers, classified staff, and families coming together in the face of uncertainty, looming layoffs, and difficult negotiations. What I witnessed was not fear. It was strength. Organized, focused, and unwavering strength.
Why Unions Exist
Because when people come together with a shared purpose, when they organize, when they refuse to be ignored, that is when real change happens.
There is a reason unions exist. There is a reason they have shaped the course of history. Without collective bargaining, without people standing together, the rights and well-being of individuals would be pushed aside again and again.
Who You Stand With Matters
And here in Ventura Unified, we are at a moment where leadership matters. Where priorities matter. Where who you stand with matters.
I stand with our educators. I stand with our support staff. I stand with the people doing the real work in our classrooms, on our campuses, and in our community.
Because supporting our schools means supporting the people inside them.
Gratitude
Thank you to Presidents Sarah McLaughlin and Carol Peek for your tireless leadership, your advocacy, and your commitment to protecting your members. Your work matters more than ever right now, and it does not go unnoticed.
The Next Generation
And on a personal note, getting to bring my son into that space, to watch him create, to watch him engage, to watch him proudly stand up for his teachers and the people who support him every day, that is what this is all about. This is the next generation learning what it means to show up, to speak out, and to care about their community.
This is not just another VUSD board meeting. This is a moment to stand with each other.
Because moments like this define the future of our district.