PUSD Special Meeting, August 31, 2026 (Photo – Screengrab, KLRN)
On August 31, the Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education called a special meeting to discuss “district transformation.”
By News Desk
During public comment on the agenda item at the 6:00 pm meeting, all speakers opposed consolidation. Elizabeth Karem, an Upper Hastings Ranch resident, arrived with a “cure and correct” demand alleging that both of the evening’s meetings had been improperly noticed.
As board clerk, Patrice Marshall McKenzie asked Dr. Elizabeth Blanco to obtain legal advice. Board President Tina Fredricks and other board members attempted to continue the meeting. Collaborate PASadena facilitator Natalia Guerra opened the meeting by establishing ground rules and asking board members to read affirmative statements about working together.
Trustee Michelle Richardson Bailey, who participated by phone because of an illness, insisted that the board not proceed without legal advice. Dr. Blanco then contacted legal counsel, and the meeting recessed for five minutes while the board awaited a response.
When Dr. Blanco returned, she said that, after consulting legal counsel, “the Brown Act was violated” because the 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm meetings had not been properly noticed.
The meeting was immediately adjourned.
According to the PUSD website, the board intends to hold another special meeting on Thursday, September 3. Because it is a special meeting, the law requires only 24 hours’ notice of the agenda.
> Watch the full meeting at this link.
There IS NO EMERGENCY. There is no justification for rushing traumatic and irreversible decisions about our neighborhood schools. Stability matters to kids right now. Families are rebuilding. ICE is still everywhere. The community advisory committee spent months studying consolidation and rejected EVERY closure scenario in May. There is an election in November. Tina Fredericks needs to stop abusing her power and put the special meetings to rest. Remember when she called the city to advocate for term limits and campaign limits? She’s board president at PUSD and controls the agenda, why doesn’t she prioritize getting those passed for PUSD?