Sierra Unified tarnished its brand with soft stance on trustee who rioted at the Capitol
In the summer of 2019, concerned about dwindling enrollment, the Sierra Unified School District hired a Fresno marketing firm to craft itself a new image.
“The Sierra Unified School District has embarked on a significant initiative to identify our unique strengths to build the reputation and brand position of the school district — both in our local community and throughout the Central Valley region,” reads the statement posted at sierrausd.org.
The makeover by Five Creative Group includes a new logo, redesigned web pages, quarterly publications, marketing materials and a social media strategy. A 12-page “Marketing Budgeting Overview” prepared last month for Superintendent Alan Harris identifies nearly $40,000 in current and future costs, along with “recommendations” totaling approximately $81,000 annually to keep everything up and running (most of covering the projected salary of a social media/web manager).
Shame on the district’s own Board of Trustees for undermining all that hard work. Spiffy brochures aside, it will be a while before Sierra Unified is regarded for something besides the way members defend and equivocate for an insurrectionist in their ranks.
By voting 5-2 not to censure Proud Boys buddy James Hoak for his gleeful participation in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, the board revealed more about the district’s values than any marketing materials ever could.
“(Sierra Unified) has a problem with declining enrollment … and this is only going to exacerbate it,” said Fresno County foothills resident Jason Gardner, who has two children enrolled in district schools. “Who wants to send their kids here with this kind of leadership?”
Excellent question.
According to figures compiled by EdData.org, average daily attendance and cumulative enrollment at Sierra Unified schools have slightly declined since 2015-16. Transfers to Clovis Unified accounted for much of that, Gardner and other district parents tell me — until CUSD stopped accepting them.
To combat that, officials at the 1,323-student, three-school district that serves the Fresno County foothill and mountain community launched a “brand initiative.” Which, board members were told at their December 2019 meeting, “will clearly illustrate (Sierra Unified’s) differentiated meaning and promise and will solidify its reputation in a positive, forward-thinking manner.”
Oh, well. It was a nice thought. When Sierra Unified trustees can get away with violating their oath of office, the district’s “reputation” and “brand position” are inexorably tarnished.
Trustee violates oath at Capitol riot
On Dec. 14, Hoak pledged to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” The oath of office is required by district policy as well as the California Education Code.
Twenty three days later, Hoak participated in a coup to overthrow the very government he swore to support and defend. Whether he went inside the Capitol is immaterial. Hoak crossed security barricades and livestreamed his activities, telling his Facebook audience “This is what it looks like when you storm the Capitol and it is not burning down yet.”
Incredibly, none of Hoak’s fellow trustees even brought up his blatant violation during Monday night’s special meeting.
Instead, they made excuses for Hoak’s conduct, suggesting he may not have traveled to Washington, D.C. had he been aware of board bylaws. (Which is laughable.) Some even groused about all the time they had to spend fielding calls and emails from outraged community members. (Oh, boo hoo. You ran for the seat, didn’t you?)
“If board members don’t have to follow the district’s policies and procedures, why should my kid have to?” Gardner asked. “It’s a total double standard.”
Another excellent question.
Hoak given ‘gentle reminder’ on ethics
Presented with six potential action items by the district’s legal counsel, board members chose the second most lenient option.
Rather than a censure, Hoak was given a gentle reminder of “the visibility and significance of his new role” with its “heightened ethical standards and the modeling positive adult behaviors for the community and the District’s students.”
Meaning no more posting racist videos on social media. No more taking part in violent uprisings against the federal government while dressed in a Joe Biden mask and black-and-white striped prison costume. No more showing up uninvited at the homes of local politicians to instigate trouble and point cameras.
And perhaps Hoak and his buddies could refrain from doxxing foothill residents who speak against him during public comment. Or ask Ben Martin, Fresno’s anti-mask zealot, not to give those same people the finger on Zoom.
Since that sort of conduct by an elected trustee could sure damage Sierra Unified’s “brand position” in the local market.
Oops. Too late.
