Photo courtesy of Dolores Lucero.

Lucero is running against five candidates for a four-year seat Area 2. A note that four candidates declined to interview Shasta Scout about running for the SCOE board: Richard Gallardo, Michele Renee Tyson, Jackie LaBarbera and Teresa Roberts. Candidate responses to seven questions have been organized and paraphrased for this format.

Scout: Describe your background and what motivated you to run for the SCOE Board of Directors.

I think my candidate statement covers it all.

You know. I have no problem with SCOE. I actually get along well with the staff. They were very helpful with what I investigated (for my business, Shasta County Watchdog).

Editor’s note: Lucero’s official candidate statement is available here.

Scout: What is the Shasta County Office of Education responsible for?

I know that deep down, SCOE is like an umbrella; they are responsible for ensuring that all schools are complying with state laws and using their finances as they are supposed to.

Editor’s note: SCOE does not have jurisdiction over whether individual school districts follow the law or how they establish policy. When it comes to finances, SCOE reviews individual districts’ budgets to verify their financial solvency, as required by state law. The SCOE also reviews and approves districts’ LCAPs (Local Control Accountability Plans), which include school districts’ long-term goals and guide how they will prioritize spending over a three-year period.

Scout: What oversight does SCOE have over each school district?

I know (they oversee) the finances, any funding coming from the government and the vaccines. They make sure (individual school districts) follow all state laws.

Editor’s note: SCOE plays no role in school district vaccination policies. As previously noted, SCOE approves districts’ annual budgets for fiscal solvency, but does not have jurisdiction over individual school districts’ compliance with the law or how they establish policy.

Scout: How do the responsibilities of the SCOE school board differ from those of individual school boards?

School boards are all individuals – they all constitute their own districts. They make their own policies, their own ordinances, and things like that. So they’re all different, but they have to follow and respect certain state laws. If someone reports a school district and says, “Hey, you know, this school isn’t following these laws,” SCOE reviews the complaints to make sure the schools are following the laws. Otherwise, they will send someone to make sure the laws are followed.

Editor’s note: According to SCOE, it is not a law enforcement agency and do not have the authority to reprimand local school districts that do not follow state law. The California Department of Education oversees the state’s public school system and is responsible for enforcing education laws and regulations in schools.

Scout: Have you received donations of more than $1,000 and if so from which groups or organizations?

I didn’t receive any money from anyone and I didn’t spend any money. I do everything myself. Basically, I have my own photocopier. I do everything myself from home, so I don’t rely on anyone to support me.

Editor’s note: Shasta Scout reviewed Lucery’s campaign finances through the Shasta County Elections Office and found no documented contributions as of October 28.

Scout: Discuss your thoughts on public education in Shasta County.

How do I feel? I think things are changing. Sometimes I feel like it’s a bit of a tricky conversation, because schools change – everything changes. It is difficult for parents to keep their children in school, due to some state regulations. So parents are trying to find a way to say, “Hey, look, I don’t want my kid to be vaccinated,” you know? They have the right not to vaccinate their children. But I also believe in respecting the laws.

So you kind of have to figure out what you’re going to do. They force everyone to do things that harm the child and the parents.

Editor’s Note: It’s the law which describes the vaccinations required for students to attend California public schools. Students were not required to be vaccinated against COVID to attend public schools during the 2023-2024 school year.

Scout: What do you think about “Parents’ Rights?” »

I understand that parents want what is best for their children. I completely understand that. But there are groups that really attack schools and attack staff. I think if you don’t like something, if you know your child, if you don’t want your child to go to a school where you feel like parents’ rights are being attacked… sometimes you have to withdraw your school child. school. This way you can figure out what you want to do with your child, because you can’t leave him in that kind of environment.

The Fourteenth Amendment protects individual rights and public education. If parents know and understand these rights and understand the law, they may be able to make changes, but sometimes they do so without understanding the law. If we learn the law, we can use the law against the law… We all have rights as parents. Parents also need to do their homework to determine what they can do for the best of their child.

Editor’s note: After the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment – ​​abolishing slavery in the United States –the fourteenth amendment was ratified to extend the freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” At the time, this referred to African slaves who were granted full citizenship upon emancipation. In more contemporary times, parts of the Fourteenth Amendment have been invoked by the Supreme Court define certain elements of “parental rights” such as parents’ right to private school, the state’s right to prosecute parents who endanger their children, and people’s right to legal abortion.

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