Include requiring menstrual products in elementary boy’s bathrooms – supported by all of Contra Costa’s state legislators; allowing kids 12 or older to consent to mental health care without parental consent, keeping transgender student secrets from parents, climate change instruction, more

By Diana Lambert, Zaidee Stavely, Emma Gallegos, Mallika Seshadri, and Amy DiPierro, EdSource.org, republished with permission

California students, including those in elementary school, will have better access to mental health care, free menstrual products and information about climate change this school year. The expansion of transitional kindergarten also means there will be more 4-year-old students on elementary school campuses. 

These and other new pieces of education legislation will go into effect this school year, including a bill that bans schools from suspending students for willful defiance and another that offers college students more transparency around the cost of their courses and the materials they will need to purchase for them. 

Here are a few new laws that may impact students in the 2024-25 school year.

Climate change instruction required

Science instruction in all grades — first through 12th — must include an emphasis on the causes and effects of climate change, and methods to mitigate it and adapt to it. Although many schools are already teaching students about climate change, all schools must incorporate the topic into instruction beginning this school year.

Content related to climate change appears in some of the state curriculum frameworks, according to an analysis of Assembly Bill 285, the legislation that created the requirement.

Assemblymember Luz Rivas, D-Arieta, the author of the bill, said the legislation will give the next generation the tools needed to prepare for the future and will cultivate a new generation of climate policy leaders in California.

“Climate change is no longer a future problem waiting for us to act upon — it is already here,” Rivas said in a statement. “Extreme climate events are wreaking havoc across the globe and escalating in severity each year.”

Menstrual products in elementary bathrooms

A new law in effect this year adds elementary schools to the public schools that must offer a free and adequate supply of menstruation products — in order to help younger menstruating students.

Last school year, the Menstruation Equity for All Act went into effect, requiring public schools serving sixth- through 12th-grade students to provide menstruation products. It affected over 2,000 schools. 

The new law expands the requirement to public schools that serve third- through fifth-grade students. A Senate analysis of the legislation notes that 10% of menstruation periods begin by age 10, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.

The new law requires affected schools to offer free menstrual products in all-gender bathrooms, women’s bathrooms and at least one men’s bathroom on each campus. The legislation, authored by Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes,D-San Bernardino, includes one men’s bathroom on each campus to offer access to transgender boys who menstruate.

Supporters of the bill note that menstruation isn’t always predictable and can strike at inopportune times, such as during a test. Menstruation products can also be pricey — especially for students who might also be struggling with food insecurity. 

Girl Scout Troop 76 in the Inland Empire advocated for the bill. Scout Ava Firnkoess said that menstruation access is important to young girls, like her, who started menstruating early. 

“I have another friend who also started at a young age. She had to use toilet paper and paper towels because she did not have access to menstrual products,” Firnkoess said in a statement. “We think young students who start their periods need to have access to products, not just those who start in sixth grade or later.”

According to the California Legislative Information website, State Senators Steve Glazer (D-SD7, Orinda) and Nancy Skinner (D-SD9, Berkeley), and Assemblymembers Tim Grayson (D-AD15, Concord), Lori Wilson (D-AD11, Suisun City), Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-AD16, Orinda) and Buffy Wicks (D-AD14, Oakland) all voted for the bill.

Younger students on campus

Elementary students may seem to be getting a little smaller this year, as transitional kindergarten classes are expanded to children who will turn age 5 between Sept. 2 and June 2. 

Transitional kindergarten, an additional grade before kindergarten, was created for 4-year-old children who turn 5 before Dec. 2. It has been expanded each year since 2022 to include more children aged 4. All 4-year-old students will be eligible in the fall of 2025.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond have celebrated the expansion of transitional kindergarten, pointing to numbers that show enrollment doubled over the past two years, from 75,000 in 2021-22, to 151,000 in 2023-24. However, a recent analysis by CalMatters found that the percentage of children eligible for transitional kindergarten who actually enrolled had gone down 4 to 7 percentage points.

Colleges must disclose costs

The typical California college student is expected to spend $1,062 on books and supplies in the 2024-25 academic year, according to the California Student Aid Commission.

The exact costs can be hard for students to predict, leaving them uncertain about how much money to budget for a given class. Assembly Bill 607, which Newsom signed last year, requires California State University campuses and community colleges to disclose upfront the estimated costs of course materials and fees for some of their courses this school year. The bill asks University of California campuses to do the same, but does not make it a requirement.

The schools must provide information for at least 40% of courses by Jan. 1 of next year, increasing that percentage each year until there are cost disclosures for 75% of courses by 2028. This year, campuses should also highlight courses that use free digital course materials and low-cost print materials, according to the legislation.

Proponents of the law, which was co-authored by Assemblymembers Ash Kalra, D-San Jose; Isaac Bryan, D-Los Angeles; and Sabrina Cervantes, D-Inland Empire, said it will promote price transparency. The bill covers digital and physical textbooks as well as software subscriptions and devices like calculators. 

A student speaking in support of AB 607 in May 2023 said she felt “helplessly exposed and vulnerable” when she had to appeal to a professor for help covering the surprise costs of a textbook’s online course content.

“If I would have known that a month ahead of time, I could have organized and evaluated my budget in an effective manner for the entire semester,” said Rashal Azar. “This would have prevented my financial anxiety and not triggered my mental health as well.”

TK exempt from English language test

Students enrolled in transitional kindergarten, also known as TK, are no longer required to take the initial English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC). The test, which measures proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing in English, is required to be taken within 30 days of enrollment in kindergarten through 12th grade, if parents indicate in a survey that their children speak another language at home.

Previously, transitional kindergartners also had to take the ELPAC when enrolling. But many school district staff and advocates for English learners said the test was not designed for 4-year-old children and that it was not identifying English learners accurately, because the children were too young to answer questions correctly.

The California Department of Education has directed school districts to mark children’s English language acquisition status as “to be determined” in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, if their parents indicate on the home language survey that their primary or native language is a language other than English. These students will take the initial ELPAC when they begin kindergarten the following year.

Californians Together, which advocates for English learners, and Early Edge California, which advocates for quality early education for all children, were among the organizations that celebrated the bill.

“As the parent of bilingual children and a dual language learner myself, I deeply appreciate Governor Newsom, Assemblymember (Al) Muratsuchi, and California’s legislators for supporting our young multilingual learners by championing AB 2268,” said Patricia Lozano, executive director of Early Edge California in a news release. “This bill will create more support tailored to their needs and strengths, so they can learn and thrive from the early years onward.”

Kids can consent to mental health care

A new law that took effect in July makes it easier for children on Medi-Cal who are 12 or older to consent to mental health treatment inside and outside of schools. Children older than 12 on private insurance can already consent to mental health care without parental consent.

Previously, students in this age group could only consent to mental health treatment without parental approval under a limited number of circumstances: incest, child abuse or serious danger, such as suicidal ideation.

“From mass shootings in public spaces and, in particular, school shootings, as well as fentanyl overdoses and social media bullying, young people are experiencing a new reality,” said Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, D-Los Angeles, author of the bill. “The new law is about “making sure all young people, regardless if they have private health insurance or are Medi-Cal recipients, have access to mental health resources.”

Children who need mental health care but do not have consent from their parents could potentially seek help from social media and other online resources of sometimes dubious quality, according to the legislation.

The legislation allows mental health professionals to determine whether parental involvement is “inappropriate” and also whether the child in question is mature enough to consent.

California Capitol Connection, a Baptist advocacy group, opposed the bill, stating, “In most cases, a parent knows what is best for their child.”

This is not strictly an education bill, but it does affect schools. The law notes that school-based providers, such as a credentialed school psychologist, find that some students who want to avail themselves of mental health resources are not able to get parental consent.

No willful defiance suspensions

Beginning this school year, and for the next five years, California students across all grade levels cannot be suspended for willful defiance.

Acts of willful defiance, according to Senate Bill 274, include instances where a student is intentionally disruptive or defies school authorities. Instead of being suspended, these students will be referred to school administrators for intervention and support.

SB 274 builds on previous California legislation that had already banned willful defiance suspensions among first-through-eighth-grade students, and had banned expulsions for willful defiance across the board. 

Studies show that willful defiance suspensions disproportionately impact Black male students and increase the likelihood of students dropping out of school.

Los Angeles Unified, Oakland Unified, San Francisco Unified and other school districts have already banned the practice.

SB 274 would apply to all grades TK through 12 in both traditional public schools and charters. The bill would also prohibit schools from suspending or expelling students for being tardy or truant.

Schools can’t ‘out’ students

After Jan. 1, California schools boards will not be permitted to pass resolutions requiring teachers and staff to notify parents if they believe a child is transgender. 

Newsom signed the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth, or SAFETY Act, in July in response to the more than a dozen California school boards that proposed or passed parental notification policies in just over a year. At least seven California school districts passed the policies, often after heated public debate.

The policies require school staff to inform parents if a child asks to use a name or pronoun different from the one assigned at birth, or if they engage in activities and use facilities designed for the opposite sex. 

The new law protects school staff from retaliation if they refuse to notify parents of a child’s gender preference. The legislation also provides additional resources and support for LGBTQ+ students at junior high and high schools.

“Politically motivated attacks on the rights, safety and dignity of transgender, nonbinary and other LGBTQ+ youth are on the rise nationwide, including in California,” said Assemblymember Chris Ward, D-San Diego, who introduced the legislation along with the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.

In the City where “Opportunity Lives”, give the new council members the opportunity to make the decision

By Allen D. Payton

With less than 90 days until the election on November 5th when two new Antioch City Council members will be elected and a new mayor could be elected, it’s too late for the current council to make the decision to hire the new, permanent city manager.

District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica is running for county supervisor instead of re-election and District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock can’t run for re-election because she was gerrymandered out of her district by the council majority in 2022. Plus, Mayor Lamar Hernández-Thorpe is running for re-election while facing a formidable challenger in former city manager, Ron Bernal who could very possibly win.

Why should those three council members help choose the city manager who the three new council members would be working with for the next four years? The answer simply is, they shouldn’t. Plus, both Barbanica and Ogorchock have stated they agree the next council should make the decision. He said on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, “That has always been my stance.”

What if the new council majority doesn’t click with the new city manager? They would be forced to work with the person or terminate the contract costing the City and wasting taxpayer funds by paying the severance, which is usually 12 to 18 months of a city manager’s salary.

The one good thing, this time, is the council hired a company to conduct a nationwide search. But they waited too long to get started, after the previous city manager, Con Johnson, who was hired without a nationwide search, was promoted from acting city manager on Oct. 26th immediately before the 2022 election, placed on administrative leave on March 17, 2023, and then resigned effective July 14, 2023. Part of the challenge and delay was the council could only find one search firm to submit a bid to take on the responsibility.

The mayor and council majority could argue the point that they need to make the decision, now to comply with the six-month deadline by the county’s Civil Grand Jury from their report issued in June. But it would be the height of arrogance for the current council to make such a decision impacting the two new council members and possibly three, including a new mayor, without their input. I’m pretty sure the Grand Jury would both understand and give the new council a little more time to comply, knowing that a change in leadership and direction of the city has occurred which won’t cause more of the same concerns to the jurors.

If Hernández-Thorpe is that confident he will be re-elected, then he’ll recognize the city will be fine for a few more months operating under the day-to-day leadership of Acting City Manager and Economic Development Director Kwame Reed and limping along with an interim police chief, two other acting department heads and an acting assistant city manager, and the mayor will wait. The other two council members, Mayor Pro Tem and District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson and District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker will still be involved in the decision even after the election. If the mayor is re-elected, he too will have a say, which can occur right after the council meeting in December when the new members are given their oaths of office.

But we’ll see what the three decide and hopefully they won’t repeat their past action when they appointed the previous city manager less than two weeks before the last council election. They must give the new council the opportunity – which the City’s slogan claims, “Lives Here” – to make the decision to hire a new city manager.

By Celebrate Antioch Foundation

This Annual Event is Super Fun! Cruise Downtown Antioch 5pm – 9pm All our downtown restaurants and stores will be open so come grab a bite to eat and enjoy the show. A lot of beautiful classic cars, great music and food! Come join the fun!

This is a Celebrate Antioch Foundation & Rivertown Merchants event, for more information visit www.celebrateantioch.org.

Held on $11.7 million bail, has history of arrests

By Lt. Desmond Bittner #3252, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

 Antioch Police Department officers arrested a man wanted on a laundry list of charges, including attempted murder and animal cruelty. On August 7th, at approximately 11:52 PM, an Antioch police officer was patrolling the area of Buchanan Road and Contra Loma Blvd. when he observed an Infiniti doing donuts in the intersection. As the officer approached, the car took off at a high rate of speed and crashed into an unoccupied vehicle parked about a quarter mile down the road on Cortez Court. The collision disabled the Infiniti, and the officer was able to detain the driver, who was identified as 23-year-old Francisco Javier Hernandez, Jr. of Antioch (born 9/5/2000).

The officer discovered the Infiniti was reported stolen and found that Hernandez had two arrest warrants which were obtained by Antioch Police detectives several weeks prior. One arrest warrant was for attempted murder and the other was for animal cruelty. Over the course of about three weeks, Hernandez had been on a crime spree that involved multiple shootings and stolen vehicles. See the crime details listed below.

-July 15th, 2024, shot and killed a friend’s dog during a dispute. Fled the scene in a stolen vehicle.

Case: 24-006208 / Location: 2300 block of Cypress Street

-July 16th, 2024, shot a person during an interrupted vehicle burglary. Fled the scene in a stolen vehicle.

Case: 24-006227 / Location: Lucena Way at Lopez Drive

– July 31st, 2024, shot a person during an interrupted vehicle theft. Fled the scene in a stolen vehicle.

Case: 24-006736 / Location: 3800 block of Rockford Drive

-August 1st, 2024, shot at a person after a dispute.

Case: 24-006756 / Location: 2201 San Jose Drive

On August 12th, Antioch Police Department detectives presented the above cases to the Contra Costa County District Attorney and the below felony criminal charges were filed against Hernandez.

Count 1) Attempted murder – Case 24-006227

Count 2) Attempted murder – Case 24-006736

Count 3) Assault with a firearm – Case 24-006756

Count 4) Animal cruelty – Case 24-006208

Count 5) Vehicle theft – Case 24-007002

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, the five-foot-four-inch tall, 200-pound Hernandez is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on $11.7 million bail. His next court appearance is scheduled of August 27 at 1:30 PM in Superior Court Dept. 03.

According to localcrimenews.com, Hernandez was arrested in March 2019 by Antioch PD for driving without a license, in October 2022 for shooting at an inhabited dwelling, vehicle, etc., carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle and carrying a loaded firearm when not the registered owner. He was again arrested twice on the same day, April 5, 2024, by Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department and Antioch PD for receiving stolen property – motor vehicle.

If you have any further information regarding these crimes, please contact Detective Cole Shaffer at (925)779-6944 or by email cshaffer@antiochca.gov.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By City of Antioch

Attention Antioch Community! Venue Change for Upcoming Police Oversight Commission Meeting

In our ongoing effort to boost community engagement, we’re bringing the meeting to you!

Venue: Antioch Community Center at Prewett Family Park, 4703 Lone Tree Way

Date: August 19th

Time: 6:30 p.m.

About the Meeting:

The Antioch Police Oversight Commission, which typically convenes at Antioch City Hall, will hold this meeting at the Antioch Community Center. Twice a year, we change locations to make our meetings more accessible and to encourage greater community participation.

The Commission’s mission is to advise the City Council and Staff on the administration of the Antioch Police Department and public safety matters. Our goal is to ensure that our policies meet national standards for constitutional policing.

Your Voice Matters! Come share your thoughts and help us shape the future of public safety in Antioch.

We look forward to seeing you there!

By Neil Sterud

Having recently attended the 2024 Augmented World Expo (AWE) in Long Beach, I was struck by the growing prevalence of extended reality (XR) in our society. XR, an umbrella term encompassing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), is making significant inroads into various aspects of our lives.

Notable examples of XR are becoming increasingly visible. The Sphere in Las Vegas, with its immersive displays, showcases the potential of large-scale XR experiences. Virtual home tours have revolutionized the real estate industry, while Snapchat filters have made AR a daily reality for millions. Meta’s Quest headsets continue to push the boundaries of consumer VR. Even Facebook, recognizing the potential of this technology, rebranded itself as Meta in 2021, signaling a strong commitment to the “metaverse.”

While many desks currently feature multiple monitors, the future may look quite different. AR laptops and headsets promise to create virtual screens, potentially reducing the need for physical displays. Microsoft’s HoloLens and the rumored Apple AR/VR headset are examples of how major tech companies are investing in this vision.

After the conference, I experimented with Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses for a month. While their capabilities were impressive, including hands-free photo and video capture, I noticed that some features overlapped with voice assistants like Google Assistant. However, it’s important to note that smart glasses and voice assistants serve different purposes – the former provides visual augmentation, while the latter focuses on audio interactions.

This observation highlights a challenge in the XR industry: ensuring that new technologies offer clear value propositions to avoid being shelved. Nevertheless, using smart glasses is a form of augmented intelligence, a subset of artificial intelligence that focuses on enhancing human capabilities rather than replacing them. This concept promotes a collaborative partnership between humans and AI technologies, aiming to assist in decision-making and problem-solving.

XR is not limited to personal use. Industries such as healthcare, education, and manufacturing are exploring its potential. In healthcare, AR is being used for surgical planning and guidance. In education, VR field trips are making immersive learning experiences possible. Manufacturing companies are using AR for complex assembly processes and remote expert assistance.

However, the widespread adoption of XR faces challenges. Privacy concerns, particularly around data collection from AR devices, need to be addressed. Technological limitations, such as battery life and processing power, are ongoing issues. Social acceptance of wearable XR devices in public spaces remains a hurdle.

Despite these challenges, the collaborative nature of XR makes us all integral to the future of technology. As XR becomes more common, it promises to revolutionize how we interact with both digital and physical worlds. From enhancing workplace productivity to transforming entertainment experiences, XR has the potential to reshape numerous aspects of our daily lives in the coming years.

As we move forward, it’s crucial to stay informed about XR developments and consider their implications. Whether we’re early adopters or cautious observers, XR is a technological trend that will likely impact us all in the near future.

Starts August 26th

By Monique Binkley Smith, Manager, Media Relations, Sutter Health

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Aug. 12, 2024 – Northern California-based not-for-profit Sutter Health has named Trevor D. Brand to be the next CEO of Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch.

Brand comes to Sutter Health from City of Hope Atlanta, where he was chief operating officer, managing operations across six states and overseeing $2 billion in annual revenue. Under his leadership, service line performance improved, increasing hospital revenue by 13%. At City of Hope Atlanta, Brand also focused on fostering a culture of trust, implementing “people plans” that enhanced employee retention and engagement and reduced turnover rates by 5% annually. He also initiated a capital planning process resulting in a $10 million equipment and facilities improvement plan.

“Trevor Brand is an experienced and dynamic healthcare leader with a proven track record of excellence in hospital operations,” said Tosan Boyo, president of Sutter Health’s Greater East Bay Market. “I am thrilled to welcome him to Sutter Health to lead Sutter Delta Medical Center. In his new role, Trevor will focus on strengthening and growing Sutter Delta’s community partnerships and physician relationships and ensure the medical center continues to the deliver high-quality, connected and equitable patient care for which it is recognized.”

Brand’s previous roles include chief operating officer/senior vice president of Operations at City of Hope Phoenix and chief of staff and vice president of Strategic Initiatives at City of Hope National. He also held leadership positions at Erlanger Health System in Tennessee and North Carolina.

Brand holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management from Austin Peay State University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Brand succeeds Sherie Hickman at the helm of Sutter Delta. Hickman retired earlier this year after a long and successful career at Sutter.

Brand starts at Sutter Delta Medical Center on Aug. 26.

Under investigation; adult female driver not wearing seatbelt

By Allen D. Payton

A two-vehicle collision on Highway 4 in Pittsburg Sunday afternoon, Aug. 11, 2024, occurred following calls to the CHP of “street racing” and “erratic driving” and caused a traffic back up. According to CHP-Contra Costa PIO Dan Gilmore, “The crash occurred on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. on Hwy 4 westbound east of Bailey Road.”

“A Silver Lexus driven by an adult female, who was the only occupant side swiped a Ford F-250 pickup truck driven by an adult male, also a sole occupant,” he stated. “While the crash call came out, there were also calls of street racing and erratic driving by the Lexus.”

“The Lexus driver lost control and crashed into the right shoulder guardrail, it overturned and landed on its wheels and came to rest in the right shoulder,” Gilmore continued. “The driver was not seat belted.”

“The crash resulted in minor injuries and complaints of pain. Both parties were transferred to the hospital where they were expected to recover,” he added.

Asked if it was a DUI Gilmore said, “No DUI is suspected.” Asked if the driver of the Lexus was arrested he stated, “Results are pending the investigation which is still ongoing.”

A driver on Hwy 4 at the time shared dashcam video and screenshots showing the Lexus and a Dodge passing by. The driver wrote, “Here is the video of the silver Lexus and burgundy Dodge.”

Check back later for any updates to this report.