The Vice President’s statement inflamed parents, who said it is not teachers’ jobs to keep student secrets from parents.
Michael Parham, the Vice President of the Capistrano Unified School District, is currently embroiled in anger from parents after he said the school district needs to determine if “parents are a risk” before informing them of their student’s mental health issues.
During a Ladera Ranch Civic Council meeting, Councilman Tafa Jefferson asked Parham if the school district now determines the right to inform parents about their own student’s mental health problems, among other issues.
Parham replied, “Yes, [the teachers and school district] determine whether there’s something that rises to the occasion that a parent is the risk [to their own child.] This statement inflamed parents, who issued sentiments that they know what’s best for their own children, not the school district.
Just the week prior, Parham controversially voted against a parental notification policy that gives the district authority to not inform parents if their student is going through a mental health crisis, which many said went directly counter to his campaign promise to protect parents’ rights.
After more questioning, Parham repeatedly said parents being upset with him over his decision to vote against the parental notification policy is due to “misinformation,” among other ambiguous answers.
