16 Oct WCCUSD Recognizes Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Rejects Budget Resolution

(Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy  

The West Contra Costa Unified school board on Oct. 8 recognized the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.  

The resolution, passed unanimously, celebrates the “incredible accomplishments and resilience of the original inhabitants of the West Contra Costa community,” which includes the Ohlone and Miwok peoples.  

The district “joins the President of the United States and the Governor of California by acknowledging, honoring, and celebrating the perseverance and rich diversity of Indigenous People,” the resolution reads. 

But the district’s proclamation came just a day before President Donald Trump rebuffed the holiday in favor of Columbus Day, in honor of whom he called “the original American hero.” 

“Outrageously, in recent years, Christopher Columbus has been a prime target of a vicious and merciless campaign to erase our history, slander our heroes, and attack our heritage,” Trump’s executive order reads. “Before our very eyes, left-wing radicals toppled his statues, vandalized his monuments, tarnished his character, and sought to exile him from our public spaces.” 

In 2021, President Joe Biden began to jointly recognize Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day in response to criticism of Columbus for his role in the genocide of Indigenous peoples. 

Many jurisdictions across the country, including San Pablo last year, have also made the switch to either jointly recognize Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day or only the latter.  

WCCUSD’s switch preceded Biden’s decision. In 2017, the school board replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day.  

Trump’s executive order has no impact on observations on the local level, but “Columbus Day” is what will be officially observed on the federal level. Statewide, Gov. Gavin Newsom has recognized the day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day since 2019, but it is not an official holiday.  

The district officially recognizes the Chochenyo, Muwekma, Karkin and Ohlone peoples as the area’s first residents.  

Board rejects resolution addressing ‘deficiencies’ in budget 

Board members also rejected a resolution that acknowledged the district’s “fiduciary duty to meet its financial obligations in the current fiscal year and two subsequent fiscal years.”  

The resolution, which fell 3-2, is part of a number of actions the board has to take to receive approval from the Contra Costa County Office of Education.  

“So, I just want to be clear: Tonight is not about the money. This is just a commitment to do the work,” Board President Leslie Reckler, one of the votes in favor of the resolution, clarified.  

The resolution is not an outline of cuts but does say that the district will submit a plan of reductions for the next two fiscal years and implement savings to remain fiscally solvent.

Kim Moses, associate superintendent of business services, said not approving the resolution meant a few things.  

“We received conditional approval (of the budget), and one of the conditions of obtaining approval is passing this resolution,” said Moses. “Should the resolution fail, the county will not approve our budget. And what that triggers is county oversight of the budget.” 

Moses said this means a budget committee would be established, the county would assume the budget, and assign a fiscal advisor.

“We would be in the same situation that we were in when we failed to pass an LCAP [Local Control Accountability Plan] and budget expenditures were halted,” said Moses. “I’m not quite sure if our budget would be paused. But I am sure that oversight would then shift to the county, and that’s the implication of not passing the resolution this evening (or by Oct. 10).”

Superintendent Cheryl Cotton asked the board to reconsider the resolution after staff requested a five-minute break, noting the potential “negative impact” it could have on the district. 

Board members Demetrio Gonzalez-Hoy, Guadalupe Enllana, and Cinthia Hernandez, all of whom voted against the resolution and would have needed to initiate the motion, did not ask to reconsider.