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Special IssueR A C I S T E M A I L F R O M C O M M I T T E EM E M B E RL O C A L F O O D S W A P T R A D I N GG O O D I E S S I N C E 2 0 1 8O P I N I O N P A G ES U P E R I N T E N D E N TS I D E L I N E S U R P R I S ENEWLY APPOINTED CBOC MEMBER REPORTEDLYSENDS RACIST EMAIL TO SUNOL RESIDENTT H E S U N O L I A NContinues on page 13 hocking social media posts by Sunol residents Anna Wang and her husband, Scott Chong,brought to light allegations of racism within thissmall community, which is already in the midst of aheated school board recall. At the heart of thelatest issue lies an email sent by newly appointedCitizen’s Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC)member, Debbie Ferrari, to Wang at her place ofemployment.The issue came to light on the morning of February4, when both Wang and Chong made separateFacebook posts to the community Facebook group“LOVE SUNOL, CA” within minutes of each other,calling attention to the email and its contents. Thecatalyst for Ferrari’s email appeared to stem fromChong’s Letter to the Editor, which ran in thispublication on Feb. 6. Wang, while partially quoting from the email shereceived from Ferrari, went on to address itscontents at length. Chong, addressed his post toFerrari directly; both tagged Ferrari in their posts,however those tags have since been removed.This publication takes a look at both the posts––and the original email––to see what transpired,and wonders where the community goes fromhere.SReporter's refusal to share where they live met with School Board President'ssilence when asked for a comment on this articleEDITOR’S NOTE: During the course of researching andinterviewing for this article, two sources who were contactedmade claims that our reporter was not “identifying” themselvesproperly. However, our reporter contacted each source via emailand identified themselves as a reporter using their publishedbyline name and provided background of the news article theywere reporting on as well as the name of the publication theywere reporting for. That is the only identification obligation of ajournalist. In order to ensure accuracy, our journalist attemptedto conduct their interviews via email, of which at least one of thesources refused to provide a response unless our journalistprovided them with the location of where they lived and wouldmeet to interview in person. Our reporter made several attemptsto offer both sources an opportunity to contribute to this story;one source provided a short statement, and the other stoppedresponding. All other sources participated via email.R E P O R T E D B Y N . B . B U R K E

This newsletter is published on or around the5th of each month and is available for sale inan online subscription format only, via ourpublishing platform, SimpleBooklet. Currentyear’s back issues, including previous year’sarchives, will also be available for a feethrough SimpleBooklet. The goal of thispublication was, is and will continue to be to“Promote a more informed Sunol.” Oursubscription fees cover our production costs,while our advertising fees are donatedannually to a local organization of ourchoosing. Our objective is to provide access toall Sunolians, both readers and writers. Allsubmissions and contributions are subject toethical fact checking and verification. Allgroups in town are invited to submit monthlycolumns for publication, and we invite stories,comments, letters, photos, inquiries and otherinformation that would be of interest to thecommunity, and all contributions are subjectto approval and/or correction, guidance,delay or refusal. This paper is dedicated toproviding all points of view within thefollowing guidelines: (1) All submissions are tobe respectful, supported by factualinformation (when applicable) and signed; (2)All submissions will be confirmed by theeditor; (3) Space for Letters to the Editor islimited to 250 words maximum. We reservethe right to accept or refuse submissions andedit for context and length. We also reservethe right to refuse advertising that in ouropinion does not reflect the standards orvalues of the newsletter and Managing Team.The opinions expressed, whether by paidadvertisement or editorial content does notnecessarily reflect the views of thisnewspaper. Content submitted may bereprinted and acknowledged without consentin future publications.T H E S U N O L I A NP A G E 2Editor & DesignerCammie O’Connor,editor@thesunolian.comNeil Davies,Publisher-At-Largepublisher@thesunolian.comGeneral ManagerOpen until filled,manager@thesunolian.comContributing ReporterN.B. Burke,nb.burke@thesunolian.comGeneral Leads:nb_burke@proton.meSecure email:F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4ADVERTISING RATES WAIVEDDURING INAUGURAL LAUNCHMONTHS: FEB, MAR, APR AND MAY.

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OPINIONEditor & DesignerCammie O’Connor,Neil Davies,Publisher-At-LargeT H E S U N O L I A NE D I T O R I A L B O A R DC O M M U N I T Y M E M B E RSubmit your request to join our Editorial Boardto help determine this paper’s positionon local issues:editor+board@thesunolian.comSubmission guidelines for Letters to the EditorSubmission guidelines for Opinion (Guest) EssaysEditorial deadline & publication scheduleT H E S U N O L I A NThe opinions, views, and perspectivesexpressed in articles, editorials, andletters to the editor within TheSunolian are those of the individualauthors and do not necessarily reflectthe official stance or opinions of thepublication, its editorial board, or itsstaff. The Sunolian is committed toproviding a platform for–and toseeking out–diverse voices andopinions, fostering open dialogue anddiscourse within the community.However, the publication does notendorse or take responsibility for theaccuracy or validity of the viewpointsexpressed by contributors. Readersare encouraged to critically evaluatethe content and form their owninformed opinions.P A G E 5F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

OPINIONG U E S T E S S A YCheryl Cook-Kallio, Vice President, Alameda County Board of EdT H E S U N O L I A NJERGENSEN CHIDED KALLIO'S PHONE CALLDESPITE RECENTLY URGING THE PUBLICTO CONTACT HIM VIA EMAIL OR PHONEa stranger without asking me first. Even if you wereagreeing with me, the president or the governor, I wouldexpect respect with my personal information.” Please keep in mind that the Alameda County Officeof Education (ACOE) is the agency that oversees SunolGlen, and is responsible for making sure there is abalanced budget in addition to potential services thatare extremely important to a very small school like SunolGlen. I am the trustee for this community. We haveshared interests. My sense is that for Ryan Jergensen,the civil part only occurs when one is in agreement withhim. School board members are called trustees for areason. We hold the well being of school communities intrust and teachers, staff, and the community expect thatthe well-being of the school is at the forefront of everydecision made. Students are stressed. Teachers feeltargeted and the Superintendent has announced herearly retirement. When trust is broken it is time for anew board. ecalls are the democratic remedy when elected officials fail to serve a community. It is crushingthat the small community of Sunol is facing thischoice. As the Vice President of the Alameda CountyBoard of Education, I am entrusted with the well-beingof the students who attend this lovely school. I havemore than a passing interest since our twins attendedSunol Glen K-8 and benefitted from a wonderfuleducation. Board President Ryan Jergensen has maintainedthat he has always been open to a civil discussion,willing to interact, assures the public that he is a goodlistener and always willing to engage with others. Thathas not been my experience. In my regularlyscheduled yearly check in with Superintendent BarnesI brought up the issue that was on the agenda for thenext night. I asked if I could be of help and requestedPresident Jergensen’s phone number. It is not unusualfor elected officials to share cell numbers especiallywhen there is a shared constituency. I left a detailedmessage and was met with very aggressive textmessages telling me to email him like everyone else. And I did. I was rebuffed and told not to “inject”myself: “We are not removing discretion from thesuperintendent. She asked us to make a decisionbecause she did not want to make decisionsregarding various flags that were being requested. “Respectfully, yes, you have a lot of experience, butyou are injecting yourself and your opinions into thisat a late hour without gathering information first. Youalso are not the attorney for this school. The attorneyhas advised that this is the most legally defensibleposition. It does not limit free speech as you havewildly an [sic] inaccurately claimed in your letter. Mypersonal views are irrelevant. Your personal views areirrelevant. The best legal position for the school is myaim. This is not a political decision. This is not and [sic]ideological decision. “Gather more information, please, before you startmaking and sharing your opinions. “Ryan Jergensen “P.s. And yes, I am quite disappointed that thesuperintendent gave out my personal phone number toRAbove: Screenshot of email from Sunol Glen Board President Ryan Jergensensent to Alameda County Board of Education Vice President Cheryl Cook-Kallio last September. Private email addresses have been redacted. Imageprovided by Cheryl Cook-KallioP A G E 6 F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

OPINIONher neighbors disgusting, I would submit to you it isthose same disgusting people that would come toyour aid should you need it.We live in a time when political identity hassuperseded personal identity. The notion that one canget another to see the error of their ways or tochange their mind seems like folly. What does it meanwhen neither side will concede the other has merit,nor will either side concede its faults? What we are leftwith has become untenable. So what is the wayforward? I would hope it would be a compromise. Butcompromise cannot mean that one simply hears youout, then comes over to your way of thinking. That isnot compromise. To wit, as I feel there is no wayforward with President Jergensen and Trustee Hurley,the way forward must be without them, and that iswhy I ask for their resignation, and absent that, theirrecall. I bear no ill will toward either of them, and Ithink anyone that is willing to serve their communityshould be applauded. Please vote to returncompromise, common sense and proper governanceto the board that oversees this school, and vote torecall members Hurley and Jergensen. — MARGIE QUARRY, SUNOL RESIDENT AND ANTI-RECALLSUPPORTER DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THEJANUARY 2024 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING I’m di s g us t e d e s pe c ia l l y w i th th e s e p eo p l ewho ar e f ro m o u t o f th e D i s tr i ct – y ou s ee mto co m e i n h er e th i nk i n g y o u c an c om e inand te l l a l l o f u s , t e l l t he b oa r d, w ha t todo. Wh e n in fa c t –I do n ’ t k n ow ho w to s aythis, b u t I ’ m j us t ap p a ll e d b y a l l o fyou.. . y o u g u ys a re ki n d ? N o , y ou ’ r e n otkind! Y o u ’r e r u d e, yo u ’ re di s g us t i ng .G U E S T E S S A YJoel Souza, Sunol Glen Parent for 9 yearsT H E S U N O L I A NINTERDISTRICT TRANSFERS INCREASE PER PUPIL REVENUE, THEIR PARENTS FUNDRAISETHOUSANDS OF DOLLARS – YET ANTI-RECALL SUPPORTER SAYS THEY’RE ‘DISGUSTING’ here are two words I heard frequently at the last board meeting. The first one was “bully.” While I findthe notion of an adult hiding behind this wordunusual, I do understand its place and reasons for itsuse in a child’s lexicon. However, when an adult usesthe word bully, it is done to end debate. Nothingmore. Opposition to your view is not bullying.Attempting to recall an elected official out of a deeplyheld belief that they have not performed the dutiesfor which they were elected, or have not been aboveboard in their performance is not bullying. It is calleddemocracy.The other word I heard was “outsiders”, used todescribe non-Sunol residents who have voiced theiropinions on matters before the board, and thecurrent effort to recall members Jergensen andHurley. It is my understanding that enrollment fromoutside Sunol represents something along the lines of80% of the student body. Are the students andfamilies that make up that 80% outsiders? I remindyou that without that 80%, there is no school here. Mychildren have been at Sunol for nine plus years. Arewe outsiders? Are room parents and volunteers andmembers of the Community Club that do not live inSunol, yet continually offer their time, outsiders? Areall of the families that came here to help clean up anddig out this school after it flooded outsiders? Are theteachers, administrators and staff of this schooloutsiders? We are not telling you how to run yourtown, what to do with your property, how to raise yourchildren. But as Sunol Glen families, we are notoutsiders, and we deserve a voice in the goings on ofthis school, and by extension, its board.At the last meeting, Trustee Romo was called a jerk bya local parent during comments, and another Sunolresident called her fellow community membersdisgusting. I hope apologies have been made, or areat the very least forthcoming. At the meeting onSeptember 12th, I myself called the Board Presidentsomething far worse. I apologized for it, because thatis what one does when they have wronged someone,whether you agree with them or not, and I believedmy behavior in that instance served as a poorexample to my children. To the resident that deemedTP A G E 7F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A NGraphic from US National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey CaliforniaGraphic from US National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey CaliforniaA wind advisory is in effect from Sunday 10 AM through 4 AM Tuesday. Strong southerly winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph are expected.Review more details at the National Weather Service website for the Sunol area by clicking here.P A G E 8 F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

CLICK IMAGE ABOVE TO PLAYCHANNEL 7 NEWS REPORTAround 5 a.m. Monday morning, aslip out occurred on a portion ofNiles Canyon Road betweenFremont and Sunol. While crewsassessed the damage along theedge of the roadway parallel to theAlameda Creek, which is currentlyroaring from the recent bout ofstorms, traffic was managed viaone-way control. By 11am, it wasannounced that the popularwinding roadway was closedindefinitely to allow crews todevelop a more permanent repair."When the roadway gets eroded,the ground underneath of it kind ofwashes out, then the pavementslips down, or becomes unnavigableso we can't have people driving on itso that's what's going on out thereright now and we're going to needto make a repair before we canopen it all the way back up," BartNey, a Caltrans spokesperson said.T H E S U N O L I A NFULL SLIP OUT CLOSES NILES CANYONF R O M S T A F F R E P O R T SAbove left: Kilkare Rd. resident, Melissa Avery, cautiously warned fellow Sunolians on Facebook to becareful navigating the treacherous road during the current round of storms in the area. Photo by:Melissa Avery Above right: Another road hazard, reported on Facebook by Kristina Lindstrom, shows a large downedtree on Foothill Rd. around 4pm Sunday. Drivers to the area should use extreme caution and researchroad conditions before they venture out. Photo by: Kristina Lindstrom.P A G E 9F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

his past Saturday, a locally formed group of Food Swappers gathered at the Kilkare Woods Clubhouseto trade homemade and homegrown goods rangingfrom locally roasted coffee beans to fresh churnedbutter varieties to farm fresh eggs. The private group,formed in 2018, follows the format set forth in the FoodSwap Network, whereby attendees barter or tradehomemade or cultivated goods with each other. Sunol resident, Lisa Ball, got the idea for starting herown group after attending the Silicon Valley Food Swapin Palo Alto in April of 2018. Upon arriving at the time,she thought, “Well, this is so Sunol!” Two months later,her Sunol Food Swap was up and running.How a food swap worksEveryone arrives and displays their items on tables, withsamples to taste.1.Fill out a Swap Sheet for each different kind of item youbrought.2.Mingle, sample and write your name on other Swap Sheetsif you’d like to swap.3.At some point, gather everyone to make introductions anddiscuss the item(s) they brought.4.Host announces when it’s time to swap; everyone checktheir Swap Sheet to see who’s interested and then....Swap!5.TAbove: At the Kilkare Woods Clubhouse, members of a local food swapgroup mingle about, checking out goodies their friends and neighborshave brought for trade. Photo by: Cammie O’ConnorT H E S U N O L I A NAbove: Local business Sunol Coffee was on hand to do some trading ofgoods, offering up a variety of coffee beans that proprietor Scott Sandersroasts right here in Sunol. His coffee bean varieties can also be purchasedonline at sunolcoffee.com/store/. Photo by: Cammie O’ConnorAbove: Sunol Food Swap founder, Lisa Ball, brought homemade pierogisand chocolate banana bread to this past Saturday’s food swapgathering. Swap participants provide bite-sized samples of their waresto entice other swappers to trade. The gathering is meant to be casualand social, and there is no pressure to trade for items that do notinterest you. Photo by: Lisa BallFoodFoodSwapSwapTRADING HOMEMADEGOODS SINCE 2018B Y C A M M I E O ’ C O N N O RP A G E 1 0 F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A NTop Left: Several fresh butter varieties were on offer from Cammie Clark, including Cacio e Pepe. Top Right:Shown here is a bounty of traded goods, including fresh eggs, jam, chocolate banana bread, cannolis, driedapple slices, lemon curd, local honey and chia pudding. Photos by: Lisa BallAbove: Jars of fresh lemon curd from Sunol FoodSwapper Erika Beratlis were popular at the mostrecent gathering. Beratlis used locally harvestedlemons. Most food swappers reuse and sharepackaging materials. Photo by: Lisa BallAbove: Most of the original group,pictured here in 2019, still meets toshare their goods. Back Row (L-R):Laura Oka, Kamal and Jas Johal,Erika Beratlis, Lisa Garcia, LisaBall, Carrie Finley, Georgia Ball,Phaedra Hageman, and TazlinaDentinger. Front Row (L-R):Cammie Clark, Claire Dentinger, VVDentinger, Annelise Oka andMarinda Dentinger. Photo By:Timothy O’ConnorContinued from previous pagePopularity growingA food swap follows in the longtradition of neighbors trading andexchanging their handmade orgrown goods. From coast tocoast, swapping groups havebeen popping up amongst friendsand neighbors, many of themappreciating the fact that nomoney is exchanged––just a laborof love.How to Host a Food SwapMany food swaps remain privategatherings due to hosting orvenue constraints, but there isalways room for creating a foodswap group of your own! Thepremise of a food swap gathering entails the following basic steps:Find a friend to partner withand share hosting duties.1.Establish your group’sguidelines such as requiring yourinvitees to RSVP and maintainingthat items must be homemade orgrown.2.Pick a venue and sendinvitations. Private yards workwell when the weather is right, but you will need access to a spacethat can accommodate an indoorsgathering during the rainy season.Digital invitations work best formanaging your head count, but asimple email will suffice too.3.Assemble supplies, such aspens and Swap Sheets, trash cans,napkins and small paper plates.4.Make your goods!5.Hold your event and swap!6.P A G E 1 1F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A NDr. Nanette Gray’s warmth and humility reflect her corevalues in her role as senior director for the Tri-ValleySELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area ) in PleasantonUnified School District. In her role, Gray ensures districtcompliance with special education requirements. Sheimplements the Alternative Dispute Resolution process,facilitates complex IEP meetings and coordinatesworkshops for parents, administrators and staff on topicssuch as special education law, inclusion andsocial/emotional development. Dr. Gray shared what caused her to enter specialeducation as follows: "I was prompted to enter the field ofspecial education by my uncle, who was born and raisedin the segregated South. Due to the era, he was notallowed to go to school. My grandparents refused toplace him in a mental institution. Despite being non-verbal, physically disabled, and hearing impaired, he neverreceived a professional diagnosis. I always wonderedwhat he could have become with more educationalopportunities. Today, he continues to enjoy life in his 70s,surrounded by family."As for what she loves about her work as a SELPAAdministrator, she loves most providing support to newadministrators and other professionals."'Good to Great' by James Charles Collins," she says, "is theone book that most changed my mindset. I have learnedfrom experience and reading this book that having qualitystaff leads to improvement, or 'going from being good tobecoming great!' And, it is never good to becomecomplacent with where you are currently functioning. Theaim is to get better and better at supporting studentachievement." MEET NANETTE GRAY OF TRI-VALLEY SELPAF R O M T R I - V A L L E Y S E L P A & A C S AWhen: Saturday Feb 24, 2024Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PMWhere: Pleasanton USD district office; Board Room. 5758 W Las Positas Blvd., PleasantonThe focus of the fair is to highlight the organizations withinour area that provide resources and supports for ourfamilies of persons with disabilities. During the fair familieswill interact directly with organizations’ representatives tolearn more about what the organization has to offer.Registration is highly encouraged, but not required toattend. Register online here: https://shorturl.at/fnDW9This event is appropriate for individuals of all ages withdisabilities as well as for their families and support network.P A G E 1 2 F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A NContinues on next pageEmail sets forth new challenge for small communityContinued from cover pageCommittee Member misconduct on the riseAcross the country and over the last decade, there hasbeen a sharp increase in reported racist incidents–bothin person and online. The proliferation of social media,instant messaging, email messages and public commentthreads–all technology intended to make communicationeasier and faster than ever–has possibly brought alongwith it a slapdash, brazen attitude of malignant andcovert bias. According to the Anti-Defamation League, in2023, “online hate and harassment rose sharply foradults and teens ages 13-17. Among adults, 52%reported being harassed online in their lifetime, thehighest number we have seen in four years, up from 40%in 2022”.And you’re only a Google search away from discoveringthe well documented, public receipts, particularly fromcommittee member appointments, be they federal, state,county or at the local level (click through links in the liston the right). In some of these instances, the member inquestion opted to resign, saving a committee the timeand hassle it might take for a formal removal. But often,committee members must enter into a removal processthat never quite looks the same from one place to thenext.Sunol’s appointed CBOC member joins the frayWhen Ferrari’s message landed in Wang’s work emailinbox, the first notable detail was the odd hour: 3:56am.The other notable thing was Wang hadn’t provided herprofessional email address to Ferrari forcorrespondence; in fact, prior to the message, Wang saysshe had never knowingly interacted with Debbie before.“It's possible I walked past her at school board meetingsor Sunol Citizens Advisory Council meetings, but I don'tknow what she looks like,” Wang corresponded in anemail interview. “I was completely shocked to see anemail [at] my work address regarding a letter to theeditor that my husband and I had submitted.” Their letterhad been posted in several local publications as well ason Facebook.When asked what other ways Ferrari could havecontacted her to share her thoughts, Wang explained, “Itwould be far easier to simply reply to the Facebook post, • In 2013, North Carolina's Buncombe Countyprecinct chairman resigns after racist remarksmade on The Daily Show• In 2019, Iowa Representative removed fromcommittee assignment for lamenting the term“white supremacist”• In 2020, an Oregon West Linn school districtcommittee member resigned after making racistcomments during a podcast• In 2020, Boston Committee Chair resigns afterracist anti-asian comments were caught on azoom call• In 2020, a New Jersey EMT was removed from avolunteer board of health after he made racistand threatening Facebook comments• In 2021, a Massachusetts School Committeemember voted off multiple committees for racistcomments • In 2022, Texas State Committee member calledto resign after racist comments• In 2022, a Virginia school board member was removed from a governor’s education workinggroup after racist comments• In 2022, Los Angeles city councilmembers cutfrom committee roles after leaked racistcomments • In 2023, a Queens New York Community Boardmember was removed from the board aftermaking racist and anti-vaccine comments• In 2023, a New Jersey planning board memberwas removed from their role after racist remarksin Facebook Live video• In 2024, Michigan lawmaker lost a committeeassignment for posting an image of a racistideology on social mediaP A G E 1 3F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

Most people I knowof Chinese descentare much morecompassionate andthey understandthat this is aboutcontrol, control likethey have seen inChina.— D E B B I E F E R R A R I , S U N O LR E S I D E N T A N D R E C E N T L YA P P O I N T E D C B O CM E M B E R , I N A N E M A I LS E N T T O T H EE M P L O Y M E N T E M A I LA D D R E S S O F S U N O LR E S I D E N T A N N A W A N GT H E S U N O L I A NContinued from previous page[or] private message me on Facebook, or email a replyto [the publication]. Instead, Debbie made the extraeffort of Googling me to identify my employer (which Ihad NEVER mentioned in our letter to the editor). I feltit was a deliberate attempt to intimidate me and flexthe fact that she knew where I worked.”Wang, a member of the California Bar, is an AssociateDean for Stanford Law School. She also serves on theBoard of Directors of Chinese for Affirmative Action, anonprofit in San Francisco that works to strengthenand sustain a progressive Asian and Pacific Americanmovement through community organizing and policyadvocacy. Wang and her husband–both Chinese–wereboth born in the United States and their two childrenare 6th generation Americans. “We are as American asthe Ferrari family,” Wang said in her Facebook postoriginally addressing the issue.When Wang opted to address Ferrari’s email onFacebook, she remarked that someone “CAN threatenmy livelihood by going to my employer and trying tobesmirch my professional reputation....Thankfully, I'vespent the past 20 years at Stanford Law Schoolshowing what values I champion.”Will Ferrari’s email be addressed? As of now, neither the School District Administration,School Board trustees, nor the Citizen’s BondOversight Committee (CBOC) have formallyaddressed Ferrari's email to Wang. Ferrari wasappointed to the CBOC after a last minute expansionin November increased the committee's size from 7members and 2 alternates to 15 full active membersfor the single campus school district with a currentstudent population of just 265 students. Whencompared to neighboring district’s CBOC committeeteams and their projects and school sizes, some saySunol looks over-managed (see chart on facing page).Sunol’s CBOC president, Chris Bobertz, when reachedby email for a public comment had this to say: “I don’t Above: Screenshot of email sent from CBOC member Debbie Ferrari to Sunol resident Anna Wang.Email provided to publication by: Anna WangP A G E 1 4 F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4Continues on page 16

CBOC Member CountLivermore Unified School District: CBOCMeasure JNumber of schools18$245 millionCBOC Member CountFremont Unified School District: CBOCMeasure ENumber of schools43$650 millionNumber of schools12Dublin Unified School District: CBOCCBOC Member Count$679 millionMeasures E, H and JCBOC Member CountNumber of schools1Pleasanton Unified School District: CBOCCBOC Member CountMeasure INumber of schools17$395 millionT H E S U N O L I A NSunol Glen Unified School District: CBOCMeasure J$10.9 millionToo many cooks in the kitchen?Sunol’s Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee had what many considered a manageable 7members plus 2 alternates nearing the end of last year, and then Trustees Jergensen andHurley voted to expand the committee by 6 more members and move the 2 alternates to anofficial member status, pushing the committee to 15 standing members. Compared tosurrounding districts, Sunol has the lowest number of school project sites and the leastamount of possible bond monies per site to manage––yet has the highest number of BondOversight members for a community of less than 900 residents and a school population ofless than 300 pupils. Compare this to Fremont, which has the most project sites with 43schools and the second highest amount of total bond monies to oversee at $650 million,Fremont averages $15 million per single school site––still $4 million more than Sunol’s oneproject and somehow FUSD maintains an oversight committee of just 11 members.P A G E 1 5F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A NContinued from page 14 don't think it would be in the interest of thecommittee for me to provide a comment on behalfof the committee. Personally (not of the committee),I have...questions to the board and would like toaddress these to them. I don't have a plan to reachout to the resident directly. Based on the bylaws, Ido believe that the appointment and removal isultimately determined by the Board.”Ferrari, who has been a frequent commenter at therecent school board meetings, was endorsed for theCBOC by Board President Ryan Jergensen at theNovember meeting when he recommended herplacement onto the CBOC, stating, “I’m trying tolisten to all sides and make recommendations as myconscience feels would be in the best interest of theschool and for the community.”Reporter’s note: When Jergensen was contacted forthis article for comment, he asked instead where I liveand alluded to my identity being “mysterious”, althoughit was clear in my initial contact email that I providedmy identity as a reporter with my byline along with thepublication I am working with and the article I wasseeking his input on (see screenshots, right)––he insteadopted not to participate. It’s unclear if Jergensen has thesame hesitancy when providing his writtencommunication to the Inform Sunol town email chain,but we welcome his direct input into our publicationshould he so choose.Americans view Asian Americans as the“model minority”According to the Asian American Foundation’s (AAF)annual survey of attitudes towards and stereotypesof Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in2023, politicians and other leaders often use AsianAmerican stereotypes and misperceptions toadvance their own agendas, and for AsianAmericans, this stereotyping and othering is oftenreflected in the ‘model minority’ trope which labelsAsians as “smart, hard working and nice.”Yet at the same time, the Leadership ConferenceEducation Fund report, Cause for Concern 2024: TheState of Hate, included the most recent data fromthe FBI which showed there’s been a staggering 168percent increase in anti-Asian hate crime incidentsreported from 2020 to 2021.Also reported, when it comes to belonging, Asian Americans tend to feel like they don’t belong––specificallyin the workplace (39%); in online spaces (39%); in theirneighborhood (33%); and at school (32%) (AAF). Whenasked why they felt that way, 58 percent of surveyedrespondents indicated “I have experienced discriminationbecause of my race/ethnicity.”When Wang was asked if she was concerned that therewas a growing issue with individuals of Chinese descentliving in the Sunol and the greater Bay Area, she said “Yes,I am deeply concerned, and someone like Debbie ismaking gross generalizations about what non-white P A G E 1 6 F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4Continues on next page

Continued from previous pageresidents should think, especially in a small town likeSunol, which has limited racial diversity. America has along history of conflating racial identity with nationalorigin. I may be of Chinese descent, but I am anAmerican, born and raised here. I was educated inAmerican public schools from kindergarten to lawschool. I think Debbie's email targeted me for being a"bad Asian" who should have sided with her andTrustee Linda Hurley instead. It was easier for her tolecture me than to address the points we raised inour letter to the editor.”When asked if it was possible Ferrari sent her email toWang in haste, she agreed that it was possible. “I thinkshe was impulsive and thoughtless when she sent itto me. She has not reached out nor has sheapologized. Honestly, I would greatly appreciate anapology. I even offered to meet with her face-to-facein my Facebook post.”No two CBOCs alike, but Ethics PolicycommonplaceMost neighboring CBOCs that responded for thisarticle didn’t have a formal complaint process formembers of the public to engage with, as theiroversight is typically driven by their school board. InSouth San Francisco, Assistant Superintendent ofT H E S U N O L I A NBusiness Services, Ted O, emailed to say “Citizens cancome to the CBOC meetings, which are open to thepublic, if they have a concern. Citizens could alsoshare their concerns with district staff and the schoolboard if their concerns are not addressed by theCBOC members.”In fact, the South San Francisco CBOC has anexpanded section in their bylaws regarding publicparticipation at their meetings, allowing time formembers of the public to address the Committee forboth agenda and non-agenda items. The same is truefor nearby Dublin CBOC in regard to publiccomments, and for removals, the Dublin Committeemay recommend to the School Board the removal of aCommittee member for cause.First for Sunol, but they’re not aloneIn April 2018 in the Huntington Beach area, OceanView School District CBOC member Gracey Larrea-VanDer Mark was removed from the committee in a voteby the school board (above photo) after making aracist remark in a YouTube video. During a heatedthree-hour meeting the Los Angeles Times reported,the district board voted 4-1 to remove Van Der Markfrom its Citizens Bond Oversight Committee forMeasure R, which oversees expenditures related to a P A G E 1 7F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

Continued from previous pagevoter-approved bond measurefor school facility improvements.The YouTube video was madeand uploaded by Van Der Markduring the protest of an anti-racism workshop. According tothe OC Weekly, Van Der Markstated: “This meeting was beingran by the elderly Jewish peoplewho were in there. The coloredpeople were there doing whatthe elderly Jewish peopleinstructed them to do.”“It’s free speech but it’s also hatespeech,” Trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin said at the time. “We don’thave to promote it. We don’thave to foster it. We’re aneducational institution that’ssupposed to be inclusive of allour children.”Van Der Mark subsequentlylaunched a school-board bidthat October, lost, launched acity-council bid, and lost again.By now, Van Der Mark’s list ofracist online comments, ProudBoy affiliation and alt-rightendorsement is well known––yetnone of that prevented her fromeventually becoming a citycouncilmember in HuntingtonBeach.Last August, fellowCouncilwoman Natalie Moserquestioned if Van Der Mark wasa Holocaust denier as it hadbeen revealed previously thatVan Der Mark had a YouTubechannel called ‘Holocaust hoax’and affiliations with known hategroups. That meeting abruptlyended, and then in September,Huntington Beach’s City Councilmajority voted to censure Moserfor questioning Van Der Mark’spast behavior and qualificationsto serve on an ad hoc committeeto review and amend the city’s T H E S U N O L I A NIt’s free speech but it’s also hate speech. We don’thave to promote it. We don’t have to foster it. We’rean educational institution that’s supposed to beinclusive of all our children.— O C E A N V I E W S C H O O L D I S T R I C T T R U S T E E G I N A C L A Y T O N -T A R V I N , D U R I N G T H E 2 0 1 8 R E M O V A L O F C B O C C O M M I T T E EM E M B E R G R A C E Y L A R R E A - V A N D E R M A R K F O R M A K I N GR A C I S T R E M A R K S O N L I N Ehuman dignity policy.The council majority thensignificantly altered the policy,removing explicit condemnationsagainst hate crimes in the city – ata time when hate incidents are onthe rise.And Van Der Mark? She wassworn in as Mayor for HuntingonBeach in December 2023.Sunol’s CBOC members mustadhere to Ethics Policy The Sunol CBOC CommitteeEthics Policy statement states:"COMMITMENT TO UPHOLD LAW. ACommittee member shall upholdthe federal and CaliforniaConstitutions, the laws andregulations of the United States andthe State of California (particularlythe Education Code) and all otherapplicable government entities, andthe policies. procedures, rules andregulations of the District.”But what exactly do the stateConstitution and the state EdCode say?California Constitution: "TheState shall not discriminate against,or grant preferential treatment to,any individual or group on the basisof race, sex, color, ethnicity, ornational origin on the operation ofpublic employment, public education or public contracting.”California Ed Code: "No personshall be subjected to discriminationon the basis of disability, gender,gender identity, gender expression,nationality, race or ethnicity,religion, sexual orientation, or anyother characteristic that iscontained in the definition of hatecrimes set forth in Section 422.55of the Penal Code, includingimmigration status."After reaching out to each SunolGlen School Board member forcomment, only Trustee Ted Romoofficially replied to state: “First, I'mcommenting in my individualcapacity and not on behalf of theSunol Glen board of trustees,district or teachers and staff,”Romo said via email beforecontinuing: “Second, it is deeplydisturbing that an individual whoonly recently was appointed to aposition of trust on the BondOversight Committee would thenproceed to make a grossly racistand offensive comment to amember of the Sunol Glencommunity. I would expect, at aminimum, anyone who makessuch an inappropriate commentto forthrightly and sincerelyapologize for it and, moregenerally, publicly account to theSunol community for such poorbehavior. It certainly reflects badly P A G E 1 8 F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

Continued from previous pagenot only on her but also on the district and its board oftrustees, given her involvement in school matters. Iwould think that the board of trustees might alsoconsider some sort of more formal action, includingwhether it remains appropriate for Debbie to continueto sit on the Bond Oversight Committee, given theblatantly offensive nature of her statement and herseeming lack of good judgment.“It remains to be seen what parallel Sunol’s CBOC willdraw up against: one that follows the bylaws and EthicsPolicy set forth and agreed upon by its members,mirroring the many other committee appointmentsacross the country that have found themselves facingsimilar allegations and thus removed their offendingmember(s). Or will Ferrari’s comments simply bedeemed not derogatory enough to meet the bylaw’sthreshold? Should the community at large, particularlyAnna Wang and husband Scott Chong and their twodaughters, continue to sit idly by for the possibility ofan apology––which hasn’t happened yet?Teresa Drenick, Deputy Regional Director at the BayArea Anti-Defamation League, said via email, thatindividuals targeted are encouraged to reach out toAsian-Americans Advancing Justice AAJC has partnered with Right To Be (formerly Hollaback!) to provide free trainings to equip people withtechniques on how to safely intervene when they see or experience anti-Asian harassment.Register for a virtual workshop on Bystander Intervention Training to address Anti-Asian/Asian American Harassment. The one-hour,interactive training will teach you Right To Be's 5 D's of bystander intervention methodology.T H E S U N O L I A Nthe ADL through their incident response portal atadl.org/report.Ferrari, when contacted via email to discuss her viewof the matter had only this to say: “Its [sic] suspiciousthat you would do a news story about a Facebookpost, in any case, I am being completelymischaracterized. That said, It [sic] isn’t appropriate toask questions of me and expect answers, since youare presenting yourself as an anonymous reporter. Ifanyone wishes to speak to me, it should be in personso I know exactly who I am speaking to and that wayyou can be sure as to who you are speaking to aswell. That is the way a real reporter would want to doan interview so it doesn’t seem like you are a realreporter. I am available for in-person discussions andI think Neil should be present as well since he is thepublisher” At this time, it remains unclear why Ferrari had an issueanswering interview questions for this article––whichwere provided to her in advance at her request––and yetdid not hesitate to email her thoughts to Sunol resident,Anna Wang, whom Ferrari had also never met.P A G E 1 9F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A NTRUSTEE MOVED SUPERINTENDENT TO THE AUDIENCEPublic records of District emails show it was the Board President who requested the Superintendent to sit inthe audience at the School Board Meeting. / Public Record as verified Sunol Glen Unified School DistrictOn February 15, this publication was copied, along withseveral other Bay Area news agencies, on an emailcontaining documents obtained through a PublicRecords request. The request was initially submitted tothe Sunol Glen Unified School District in December2023. The records have been verified by separatesources including district personnel, as well as by aletter that had been sent to the requestor from thedistrict's legal counsel (click to view), Bob Tuerck, of theCalifornia School Boards Association (CSBA).The body of the email (which we are choosing not topublish in our publication, but it may be read off siteshould readers choose to do so by clicking here) wenton at length, and included at the bottom a link to theNovember 13 school board video and the above emailattached as a PDF.At issue is a lack of acknowledgment during theR E P O R T E D B Y N . B . B U R K ENovember school board meeting by Board PresidentRyan Jergensen. When Trustee Ted Romo directly askedJergensen who made the decision to removeSuperintendent Molleen Barnes’ seat at the table andhad her sit in the audience instead, Jergensenresponded “I don’t understand the question”.However, the public record reveals an email sent themorning of the meeting, in which Jergensen requestedthe seat change for the Superintendent. In response,School Secretary Miki Whitfield tells Jergensen that shefeels uncomfortable with his request and will thereforenot be in attendance at the meeting.When reviewing the most recent Pleasanton UnifiedSchool District meeting, for example, SuperintendentDave Haglund is sitting with the board. The same is truein nearby Fremont, Dublin, Berkeley, Castro Valley,Hayward, Newark, New Haven and San Leandro––aswell as every previous Sunol Glen school boardmeeting.P A G E 2 0 F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

Report and help document hate andharassment: If you have witnessed or experienced anti-Asian hate, we encourage you to reportyour story to the website www.StandAgainstHatred.org (accessible in Chinese,Korean, and Vietnamese). Help us better understand anti-Asian hate so we can workto put an end to it.Click here to report your story of witnessing or experiencing harassment.P A G E 2 1F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4T H E S U N O L I A N

T H E T A L E S O FS T E V E N A . W A D D L E –A K A D A V I D N E A L O NL E D B E T T E R – R E T U R N !T H E S U N O L I A NLONG LIVE BUFFALO BILL AND OLD SUNOLViewed as one of the quintessential Americanshowman, Buffalo Bill Cody had a larger than lifecharacter. He was a pony express rider, soldier,American scout, bison hunter, and Medal ofHonor winner. He is most known for Buffalo Bill’sWild West Show, a large company of performersthat toured the United States, Great Britain, andEurope putting on shows that highlighted theAmerican West, cowboys, and the Indian Wars.My grandfather would often tell me the storyof the time he met William F. Cody in Sunol.The year was 1895 and Buffalo Bill was on hisway from Virginia City to San Francisco; he hadjust appeared at Piper’s Opera House, the onlyshow he ever did in Virginia City.It was the early 60s, I was around 9 years oldand granddaddy lived in Sunol, a couple ofhouses up from the first bridge on KilkareRoad. My grandfather, his name was ShadrickM. Zachary, and he was around 84 at the timeand still sharp as a tack. He would often tellmy younger brothers and me stories of theold days in Sunol. The steam train was theonly means of travel to Pleasanton or Fremont areas and the way he tells it, the train was abig deal in the old days. The family would alldress up in their finest suits and once everycouple of months they would ride the trainand pick up things they could not grow inSunol.Old Shad, as his friends used to call him,worked for Jose (Joe) Narciso Suñol, the sonof Don Antonio María Suñol, the founder ofour great little town in addition to being thefirst postmaster in San Jose, CA.Well old Joe, as my granddaddy wouldFremont areas and the way he tells it, thetrain was a big deal in the old days. Thefamily would all dress up in their finest suitsand once every couple of months theywould ride the train and pick up things theycould not grow in Sunol.Shad lived in the old bunk house by the siteof the present day water temple and the firstContinues on next pageLeft: Portraitof William F.Cody (aka)"Buffalo Bill"taken in 1911. This image isavailable fromthe UnitedStates Libraryof Congress'sPrints andPhotographsdivision.Photo: Moffett,Chicago. P A G E 2 2 F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4

T H E S U N O L I A NContinues from previous pagebuilding ever built in Sunol. The adobe shackthat Old Joe’s father built in 1839 was used atthat time as a tack house and on that site wasa large barn, corral and a cook house.Shad told us all kinds of the great fandangosthey used to have there and swimming in thecreek and finding arrowheads and all of thelarge steelhead they would catch in Arroyo deLaguna.Old Joe and Shad rode the buckboard todowntown Sunol to pick up Bill and take himto the ranch. The women of the ranch handshad spent the last couple days cooking inanticipation of the great man’s visit.From what I was told, it turned into a partythat was the talk of the town for years tocome. Bill spent 2 days at the ranch and whenhe left he went with five new mounts, onelarge grey stallion and 4 mares, all from greatworking sites.Granddaddy told me Bill had a superb time atthe ranch and remarked how peaceful andpretty Sunol was at the time. He wanted to goon a hunt, but did not have the time to dally.He had to get to San Francisco and meet withbusiness associates, as the logistics of theshow took up most of his time.They saw Bill off at the depot with his newhorses and he promised to return and dinewith all his new friends, but he never did. Mygrandfather received a letter from Buffalo Billbefore his death in 1917. He can’t rememberthe year, but he thinks it was around 1908and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West was in decline, but old Bill was working on a new project ….filming a show. And Sunol, in the old days,was a mecca for early silent films and somesay the first Hollywood.My grandfather lived in Sunol until the GreatWar. He returned from France with a pieceof German shrapnel in his leg, which hecarried until his death in 1971. After the war,he met my grandmother, a Tennessee girl bythe name of Cora Daniels and they moved toBakersfield and raised a family. Theiryoungest daughter was my mother MaryKatherine. We moved to Sunol in 1950 rightbefore the Korean War. During that conflict,my father left us to fight in the war andnever returned. We never tired of the storiesmy mom would tell us of her father knowingBuffalo Bill and the great times he wouldhave in Sunol. In 1958 my granddaddymoved in with us, and my brothers and Iwould pester him almost daily to tell thestories of Buffalo Bill and his Wild West. I’msure his greatest story was Buffalo Bill inSunol and the times they had there. I’mcertain every time we had a great party inSunol, Old Bill would look down on us with asmile and think of the time he spent herewith fond memories.P A G E 2 3F E B . 2 0 , 2 0 2 4Right: Portrait ofJosé NarcisoSuñol, son of DonAntonio MarîaSuñol. Photo:Livermore-AmadorGenealogicalSociety.