Trustees failed to approve a Memorandum of Understanding between FUHSD and the external school districts that trustees Pat Carpio-Aguilar and Danny Choi work for as teachers. The measure, introduced on Sept. 23, would have allowed both trustees to take up to 20 days off school to perform board activities with substitute costs covered. This would have cost around $10,000 per trustee.

Trustees Stanley Kou and Rosa Kim voted in favor of the measure, while board president Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto voted against it.  

Currently, the trustees must use their sick and vacation time to attend to such activities, which could affect their pay and even delay retirement plans, Carpio-Aguilar, who requested approval for the MOU and the liaison for HHS, said.

“I already am doing other [board-related] things, I just need coverage for when it happens during business hours,” Carpio-Aguilar said. “Nobody would be like ‘If you’re not paying me, I’m not going to be here.’ That’s what you signed up for, but I have to work a few more years than I would have [otherwise] because I chose to serve.”

The state recommends but does not require teachers to receive substitute pay for time taken to execute board activities, according to California Education Code 44987. 

Although board members are only required to be present at bi-monthly board meetings, attending conferences that run during school hours helps trustees perform their duties and represent their communities better, Carpio-Aguilar said.

“[The conferences] are put on specifically to help you become more aware of what’s happening currently, especially with legislation and finances,” Carpio-Aguilar said. “It is important for teachers to take the training and become informed, because they will be better able to make decisions. If they don’t have those days off, then they’re left without the ability to feel confident about what they’re doing.”

Ana Reed, who gave a public comment about the issue at the board meeting, said campus visits are another key aspect of being able to perform trustee duties proficiently. Reed teaches at Cupertino Middle School and is a trustee for Mountain View Whisman School District. 

“It’s one thing to get a report on what’s happening at the school, but to be able to walk into those classrooms, meet the students and get to hear from their perspective allows us to have a more holistic view of what’s going on in that school space,” Reed said. 

Nakano-Matsumoto said she voted against the measure because it presented an equity issue by only compensating teachers.

“I felt it doesn’t allow for other voices to have that same type of access,” Nakano-Matsumoto said. “We need representation and diversity on our school boards, and all those perspectives give a better understanding of what’s happening and how to make better decisions for the district.”

Additionally, Nakano-Matsumoto said passing the measure would set a precedent for nearby districts, possibly pressuring low-income districts to spend more money on substitute pay for teacher-trustees instead of more critical issues.

However, Reed said nearby districts, including hers, already have MOUs similar to the one proposed at FUHSD. 

Peggy Shen Brewster, a retired teacher and trustee for the Sunnyvale School District, said teacher-trustees in her district are supported by their MOUs.

“Educators bring such a critical lens to the boardroom. With teachers at the table, students can be centered in every conversation,” Shen Brewster, who also gave public comment, said. “For their board to recognize the importance of having teachers in the room [and] welcome these new voices requires a very different culture than what that board has been used to.”

Regardless, Choi said he feels disappointed that the measure did not pass, as trustees are not able to perform duties adequately without dipping into their personal days off. It would have been a good way to show support to teachers working in the district, Choi added.

“The opportunity to spend more time doing outreach as a trustee is an investment worth taking,” Choi said. “What we do out here is important, and being able to connect with the rest of the community is very meaningful.”