Something’s Happening Here

On May 30, 2023, the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School community elected the most diverse Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) board in the history of the school. People lined up outside the library and in a Zoom waiting room for their turn to vote, while officials from the California PTA, including State President Carol Green, ensured that proceedings were conducted with fairness and integrity in accordance with state bylaws.

Denise El Amin became the organization’s first African-American president, and Aria Vue-Daugherty the first student vice president. Two hardworking incumbents were re-elected, Secretary Mariela Medina, and Treasurer Gabby Flores. Ken Batson, running unopposed, was elected as Historian. The new board will be seated on July 1, 2023.

Coming in the midst of tensions and incidents at the high school that have made their way into the local news, this is a notable and revealing outcome. A vociferous group, fearful of change, has been seeking to impose their personal values and beliefs on curriculum and culture, while many kids and parents have felt excluded and harassed. There was in fact a brief, inappropriate outburst when El Amin’s victory was announced, but those responsible were few in number and were asked to leave. One by one, the election results repudiated the ideology of fear and anger, reaffirming democracy and inclusion. By the end of the night, the prevailing mood was one of hope and celebration.

“One big step for students’ involvement,” said President-Elect El Amin. “One step closer to justice for all students. I am honored.”

The PTSA of the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School was organized in 1991 under the guidelines of the California State PTA, and with recently revitalized parent participation and dedicated leadership, it has steadily increased and diversified its membership and become more representative of the community. In fact, the Santa Ynez PTSA won a prestigious national award this year: the Jan Harp Domene Diversity and Inclusion Award, given in recognition of outstanding efforts to end discriminatory practices and ensure that the perspectives and needs of all within the community are heard and represented.

The underlying principle is simple: every child matters. All PTSA materials and forms have been translated into Spanish, and a variety of multicultural events have been held, including the first ever Black History celebration. The Food for Finals initiative offers protein-rich meals ahead of exams to help kids do their best. Funds have been raised for more scholarships, school club grants, and affordable school wear. A gay-straight student alliance helps LGBTQ+ students to feel seen and respected. Anti-bias training is offered to staff, and teachers and administrators collaborate on ideas to encourage student engagement. Collectively, these efforts reflect the economic and cultural realities of the community. The PTSA election was a culmination that may well mark the beginning of a new chapter for the school.

“This election has shown it is possible for the community to come together for our children,” said Flores. “We all have a voice, and everyone needs to be treated with respect, regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, or sexuality. We want all our students to feel safe at school and know they have support when they are in need.”

Meanwhile, despite the attention given to conflict and clashes, shining moments unfold daily that say far more about the culture of the Santa Ynez Valley and the true heart of the school. Greg Wolf, on the front lines as a teacher since 2014 (and recently named Santa Barbara County’s Teacher of the Year), commented on the ongoing diligence and decency of the kids: “I have seen our students rise above the partisan divisions that currently characterize our society. I have seen them advocate for each other. I have seen them proactively embrace leadership roles in ASB, the No Place for Hate student planning committee, the PTSA, and a variety of other student clubs and organizations. I have seen them celebrate what is good about their school, and I have seen them ask for better in areas that they feel need to be improved.”

Yes, something’s happening here, and you may not have heard.

Recently, for example, without press or fanfare, world-famous blues guitarist and singer Robert Cray, whose son is a student at Santa Ynez, donated a quiver of gorgeous Fender guitars and equipment to the school. There happens to be a dynamic jazz band in place to use this gift because of the talent and quiet dedication of Les Rose, who retired from full-time teaching in 2016 to mentor kids and start a jazz program.

That’s what I mean.

Last month, a storytelling event was held in Buellton as a fund-raiser for the PTSA; it was an old-fashioned gathering just to hear stories and raise money for a good cause. The room was packed with enthusiastic listeners. I was one of the storytellers, along with screenwriter Jerry DiPego and outgoing PTSA President Sue Turner-Cray, so my perspective may be a bit different, but I felt embraced, and I know that the sense of connection was real. Our tales and histories swirled in the air, and again and again we recognized our common humanity, and people were generous and kind. I stepped into the night afterward and thought about gratitude, and community, and how good it was to be in the world, right here. This is the Santa Ynez Valley, whatever else you may have read or heard. It’s a welcoming place of love and story and reaching out.

These words of George Bernard Shaw resounded in my heart: “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can … Life is no ‘brief candle’ for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”

The results of the PTSA election at Santa Ynez Union High School are an invitation to come together to support our youth with a spirit of love and acceptance. There’s work to do, but many wonders along the way.

If we lift our heads, we see there is a kind of continuity to life, a shared humanity.

Every child matters.

Pass it on.