Michael Parham, CUSD Board Vice President, is seeking reelection to the board of the largest school district in Orange County – in late 2023 Parham voted to reject a policy to notify parents of signs of mental distress in their students.
Michael Parham, Vice President of the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) School Board, is seeking re-election to a second term. Since his election to the board in 2022 on a platform of parent involvement, Parham has sparked frustration among district families by appearing to change course.
In October 2023, CUSD made headlines in Orange County by rejecting a policy that would have required school faculty and staff to notify parents of children showing signs of mental distress, depression, and other mental health issues. This included issues related to gender identity, which garnered attention from parents and government officials. As Orange County’s largest school district, with more than 40,000 students, CUSD’s decision was a strong and somewhat controversial statement in favor of protecting students’ right to privacy. The board voted down the policy 5-2, with Parham among the majority.
During a Ladera Ranch Civic Council meeting on November 21st, 2023, councilmember Tafa Jefferson questioned Parham about the decision, stating “when you ran for office, you said that you were all for parental involvement and parents’ rights. Clearly that’s not the way you voted.” Parham’s response raised eyebrows, as he explained that he voted to protect students’ privacy. When Jefferson pressed the matter, saying “so we’re protecting the privacy of an 8 year old from their parents?” Parham confirmed that this was indeed his position.
Parham’s career in public school administration reaches back to 2004, when he began the first of three consecutive terms on the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) board. Elected Board President of IUSD twice, Parham received the District Leadership Award at the Green California Schools Summit & Exposition in 2009, in recognition of the cost saving initiatives he championed in Irvine.
Since moving to Rancho Mission Viejo in 2018, Parham has applied his extensive background in banking and securities to his work for the CUSD board, and hopes to continue supporting the school district as Vice President. CUSD Board elections will be held November 5th, 2024.
