Tag Archives: Benicia Unified School District

Ariana Martinez, Benicia Unified School District

Candidate Ariana Martinez racks up more high-profile endorsements before April 11 Special Election

Local Labor Council Endorses Ariana Martinez for Area 5 School Board Race

April 7, 2023

Ariana Martinez, LCSW, candidate for Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees, Area 5

The Napa-Solano Central Labor Council (NSCLC) has joined the Benicia Teacher’s Association in endorsing Ariana Martinez for the special election to be held on this upcoming Tuesday, April 11, 2023, for the Area 5 Special School Board Race.

Ms. Martinez has also been endorsed by the following organizations and officials:

  • California State Senator Bill Dodd
  • Benicia Mayor Steve Young
  • Benicia Vice-Mayor Terry Scott
  • Benicia City Council Member Kari Birdseye
  • Solano County Board of Supervisor Monica Brown
  • Benicia Unified School Board President Sheri Zada
  • Benicia Unified School Board Member Mark Maselli
  • Benicia Unified School Board Member Dr. Gethsemane Moss
  • Former Benicia Unified School Board Member Andre Stewart
  • Former Benicia Unified Board Member Gary Wing
  • Former Benicia Unified School Board Member Gary Wing
  • Former Benicia City Council Member Dan Smith
  • Solano County Office Associate Superintendent of Human Resources and Educator Effectiveness Michael Minahen
  • Fairfield-Suisun Unified District School Board Member Jack Flynn
  • California School Employee Association Benicia Chapter 1096
  • Benicia Independent 

Ms. Martinez is a Bay Area native, Benicia High School graduate, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker with hands-on experience in the areas of cognitive psychology, social sciences, organizational development, and education. Read more about Ms. Martinez at www.ariana4busd.com.

Why is Benicia having a special election?

As previously reported, this special election is the result of a vacancy that the Board was required to fill after no one ran to represent Area 5 in the November election. Any interested, eligible candidate could have applied for the post. Four candidates applied, including Ms. Martinez.

In November, the Governing Board interviewed the four applicants in open session for the position. After comparing the needs of the district with the experience and backgrounds of each of the candidates, the Board chose by a majority vote to appoint Ms. Martinez.

In response to the Board’s appointment, the unsuccessful applicants chose to gather at least 62 signatures and submit them to the County to rescind the appointment. The special election must be paid for by Benicia Unified School District, taking roughly $60,000 to $80,000 from school budgets that must also support students, teachers, school staff, and school facilities.

The two other candidates in this race are Ms. Amy Hirsh and Dr. Ali Mansouri.

How to vote

According to the Solano County Registrar of Voters, voters can drop off ballots in drop boxes at the following locations:

Benicia Pedrotti Ace Hardware (830 Southampton Rd., Benicia)

  • Monday through Friday —  8 am to 6 pm
  • Saturday — 8 am to 7 pm
  • Sunday — 9 am to 6 pm

Solano County Registrar of Voters (675 Texas St., Fairfield)

  • 24-hour drop box on Union Ave.

On Election Day, ballots can be dropped off at any location listed above plus the poll place location listed below, from 7 am to 8 pm:

Matthew Turner Elementary (540 Rose Dr., Benicia)

Only residents of Area 5 may vote in this special election (see map below).

BUSD Area Map (click to enlarge)
*BUSD Area 5 includes: Mathew Turner School, Lake Herman, Water’s End areas.  Click on map to enlarge. Area 5 is in purple.

More information on this matter can be found by searching online for “Important Message From BUSD Governing Board re: Trustee Area 5 Appointment and Petition“.

Benicia, Benicia Police Department, Benicia School Board, Benicia Unified School District, Racism

ALERT – Dangerous LA MIGRA game Friday

Talk to any Benicia high schoolers you know!

[BenIndy Contributor Nathalie Christian – On Wednesday, March 29, the Benicia Unified School District (BUSD) issued a district-wide warning that the annual occurrence of the racist, violent “game” Benicia High School students call “La Migra” is anticipated to occur this Friday, March 31. For more than 20 years, the La Migra “game” has inflicted deep emotional and often physical harm on Benicia’s vulnerable youth, especially our youth of color. La Migra also claims countless hours of our police department’s time, tying up emergency resources and costing Benicia thousands in overtime wages and related spending. Despite all of this, too many in Benicia consider La Migra a harmless tradition. Although the game occurs off campus and is no way organized or condoned by BUSD, the district is right to call for an immediate end to this event and to warn the community of the imminent danger. – N.C.]
Last year at this time – KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco

Let’s Stop ‘La Migra,’ A Dangerous Game of Chase – March 31, 2023

Posted by Benicia Unified School District 
March 29, 2023

Dear Benicia Community,

We want to bring your awareness to an unsanctioned and dangerous activity that Benicia teens have participated in over the last twenty years, which is an underground, and unwelcomed event in our community. It is a chase-and-capture game referenced as  “La Migra”. This activity happens in the Spring, usually on a Friday evening in late March or in April. We have information that suggests this game may take place on Friday, March 31, 2023.

While this activity is not in any way organized or condoned by the schools, Benicia Unified School District, or the City of Benicia, there is an urgent need to provide our community with information and ask for your partnership in putting an end to this event once and for all. We want to provide awareness about this event and see it stopped for two important reasons:  the inappropriate, racist, and offensive nature of the game and the  incredible safety concerns for our students and innocent bystanders.

“La Migra” is slang for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is the name used for this controversial game based on ICE agents deporting undocumented immigrants. The event involves older students chasing younger students through the city, trying to catch them, and then possibly transporting or holding the student against their will. The event begins at one location, typically a park in town, with the younger students attempting to get to a second designated location without being caught by an older student. A student that is captured is sometimes dropped off in an unknown location. There are reports of extremely unsafe situations in the course of this event, including unsafe driving, students dressed in all black with masks running through backyards and private property, speeding, physical contact causing injury, unsafe physical detainment, and students being left without the ability to contact someone to pick them up. It is important to stop this activity immediately to keep students from being injured or harmed.

In addition to the physical safety concerns, Benicia Unified School District strongly advocates for respect for all individuals, regardless of race, place of origin, sexual orientation, or disability. A game such as “La Migra” causes harm, both physical and emotional, to members of our community.

We urge every family to discuss this event, use this as an opportunity for education and understanding, and help us put an end to this game in our community.  In a city that has been nominated as a Be Kind city, continuing “La Migra” is counter-productive to this goal.

SEE ALSO
Ariana Martinez, Benicia Unified School District

Benicia Teachers Association Endorses Ariana Martinez for Area 5 School Board Race

Ariana Martinez has more experience working with a wide range of children than any other candidate

Press Release, March 7, 2023

Ariana Martinez, LCSW, candidate for Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees, Area 5

The Benicia Teachers Association has recently endorsed Ariana Martinez for the special election to be held on April 11, 2023, for the Area 5 Special School Board Race.

Ms. Martinez is a licensed Clinical Social Worker with experience in the Continuing Services Unit with Contra Costa County Children and Family Services.

Ms. Martinez has also been endorsed by California State Senator Bill Dodd; Benicia Mayor Steve Young; Benicia Vice-Mayor Terry Scott; Benicia City Council Member Kari Birdseye; Solano County Board of Supervisor Monica Brown; Benicia Unified School Board President Sheri Zada; Benicia Unified School Board Members Mark Maselli and Dr. Gethsemane Moss; Former Benicia Unified School Board Member Andre Stewart and the Napa/Solano Central Labor Council.

As a Social Worker, Ms. Martinez has helped mentor at-risk youth and their families, strengthening her understanding of the importance of equity in education. She has established successful working relationships with stakeholders including school staff, service providers, parents and community members to assess needs and support sustainable change in the lives of children and families. Ms. Martinez weathered the dark days of the pandemic and all of the new problems it brought, helping children and parents get through the worst of the storm. A passion for helping families still drives her.

Ms. Martinez received her Master’s Degree from the University of Southern California School of Social Work with clinical and personal experience serving diverse populations as well as professional training in human resources and health care as part of the Department of Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System’s Student Temporary Employment Program. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of California – Irvine with statistical, research, and leadership training in the areas of social sciences, organizational development, experimental psychology, and education. Ms. Martinez is a graduate of Benicia High and understands the many issues students and parents face today.

No one ran to represent Area 5 last year, resulting in a vacancy that the Board was required to fill. Any interested, eligible candidate could apply for the post. Four candidates applied, including Ms. Martinez. As a result, in November, the Governing Board interviewed the four applicants in open session for the position. After comparing the needs of the district with the experience and backgrounds of each of the candidates, the Board chose by a majority vote to provisionally appoint Ms. Martinez.

Along with her many other qualifications, the Board took into consideration Ms. Martinez’s dedication to a fair and effective school system, her knowledge of special education issues, her time seeking better outcomes for at-risk youths, and her unmatched experience working with a wide range of children when compared with any other candidate.

Once Ms. Martinez was chosen, the three unsuccessful applicants aired various concerns to the Board, including the concern that a conflict of interest may limit Ms. Martinez’s ability to fulfil her duties as Board member. The concerns were thoroughly reviewed in view of relevant policy regulations and with the assistance of legal counsel. The review decisively determined that Ms. Martinez was qualified for the post and that she would not be unreasonably restricted in performance of her duties by any conflict of interest.

In response to the Board’s decision to appoint Ms. Martinez, the unsuccessful applicants chose to gather at least 62 signatures and submit them to the County to rescind the appointment. The special election must be paid for by Benicia Unified School District, taking roughly $60,000 to $80,000 from school budgets that must also support students, teachers, school staff, and school facilities.

Three candidates are now on the April 11 ballot: Ms. Amy Hirsh, Dr. Ali Mansouri, and Ms. Ariana Martinez. Only residents of Area 5 may vote in this special election (see map below).

BUSD Area Map (click to enlarge)
*BUSD Area 5 includes: Mathew Turner School, Lake Herman, Water’s End areas.  Click on map to enlarge. Area 5 is in purple.

More information on this matter can be found by searching online for “Important Message From BUSD Governing Board re: Trustee Area 5 Appointment and Petition“.

Ariana Martinez, Benicia School Board, Benicia Unified School District

Ariana Martinez for Benicia School Board, April 11 Special Election

Ariana Martinez has more experience working with a wide range of children than any other candidate

By Betty Lucas, Benicia resident, January 23, 2024

Ariana Martinez, LCSW, candidate for Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees, Area 5

Ariana Martinez is the best candidate to serve as the Board Member (Trustee) for Area 5* of the Benicia Unified School District, in the special election that will be held on April 11. To start with, she has more experience working with a wide range of children than any other candidate. More specifically:

As a social worker with a Master’s Degree in Social Work, Ms. Martinez assists a wide array of children of all ages, as well as their parents and other family members, in dealing with various educational and other challenges. She weathered the dark days of the pandemic and all of the new problems it brought, helping children and parents get through the worst of the storm. A passion for helping families still drives her.

In addition, her experience with the Benicia school system is personal, direct and in key respects more recent than other Board members or candidates. After graduating from high school here, Ms. Martinez also helped her significantly younger siblings navigate their schooling in Benicia. She remains an active member and resident of our community.

How else do I know that Ms. Martinez is the most qualified candidate for Board Member? Because, after a careful, thorough application and review process, the BUSD Governing Board chose her for the position back in November. Along with her many other qualifications, the Board took into consideration her dedication to a fair and effective school system and knowledge of special education issues.

So if she was already chosen as the most qualified applicant, why is Ms. Martinez running for the same office now?

To start with, no one ran to represent Area 5 last year, resulting in the vacancy that the Board was required to fill. Any interested, eligible candidate (parent or non-parent) could accordingly apply for the post.

As a result, in November, the Governing Board interviewed four applicants for the position. Ms. Martinez was one of them. After comparing the needs of the district with the experience and backgrounds of each of the candidates, the Board chose by a majority vote to provisionally appoint Ms. Ariana Martinez.

Once Ms. Martinez was chosen, the three unsuccessful applicants – who, again, could each have run in an election for the position last year if they were so inclined – aired various concerns to the Board. They questioned Ms. Martinez’s qualifications, alleged conflicts of interest and suggested that the Board intentionally excluded parents of current pupils from serving on the Board.

The Board took these three unsuccessful candidates’ complaints very seriously. Each complaint was repeatedly reviewed in view of relevant policy regulations and with the assistance of legal counsel. The review firmly determined, among other things, that Ms. Martinez was indeed qualified for the post, that there was no conflict of interest, that Ms. Martinez could be appointed without creating a conflict of interest, that the Governing Board did not violate policy and that there was no reason to reverse the appointment decision made last November.

Ariana Martinez is not a parent, but she brings a wealth of professional and personal experience to the table. And let’s bear in mind that she does not need to be a parent to serve Benicia’s children admirably, just as she has not needed to be a parent to be a social worker serving children. Teachers do not have to be parents to teach; pediatricians do not have to be parents to see patients; the list goes on.

In addition, the majority of current Board members have had children attending Benicia’s schools, so it’s not as though the Board lacks experience in that regard.

Our school boards need people whose dedication and experience enable them to best meet the needs of the children and schools. Even better if their qualifications complement those of other board members. Ms. Martinez was chosen because she passed all of those tests with flying colors.

In response to the Board’s justified and carefully considered decision, the three unsuccessful applicants chose to in effect cost Benicia’s schools anywhere from roughly $60,000 to $80,000, by demanding the April 11 special election for Ms. Martinez’s position. One of their number is now an opposing candidate.

That’s $60,000-$80,000 that could have gone toward an additional student/teacher(s), school supplies, computer resources, athletic equipment, school maintenance or many other needs. That’s $60,000-$80,000 that would not need to be spent now if one of the unsuccessful applicants had opted to run for the position last year. That’s $60,000-$80,000 that Benicia’s schools cannot afford to spare.

Sadly, the expenditure of $60,000-$80,000 was triggered by the unsuccessful applicants circulating a petition that required only 62 signatures to initiate a special election. This imposition on the school budget works out to about $1,000 or more per signature.

Shame on those who decided to waste valuable school dollars on an unnecessary special election, especially since they could have easily run for the position last year and saved the schools all that money.

I sincerely hope that Area 5 residents vote for the most qualified person, Ariana Martinez, on April 11, 2023 or through the mail-in ballots that will be provided in March.

BUSD Area Map (click to enlarge)

*Area 5 includes: Mathew Turner School, Lake Herman, Water’s End areas.  Click on map to enlarge. Area 5 is in purple.

More information on this matter can be found by searching online for “Important Message From BUSD Governing Board re: Trustee Area 5 Appointment and Petition“.

Betty Lucas, Benicia


Betty Lucas
Benicia Resident