The final two board meetings of the year closed with student and staff recognitions, a new Facilities Master Plan, and a four year contract for incoming Superintendent Dr. Austin. Records requests and a letter from the Orange County District Attorney are now part of the public record.

Since the May 12 and May 14 board meetings, we have heard from hundreds of parents, educators, alumni, and community members. The response has been overwhelming, and it has reinforced what we already knew: this community cares deeply about its schools.

Over the past two weeks, we have spent our time listening, researching, and reviewing what has been shared with us. We are sharing what we have learned because transparency matters, and because this community deserves to understand how we arrived at this moment.

In closed session, the board appointed an interim superintendent and voted 3 to 2 to name Don Austin the next superintendent, effective July 1. No public notice. No community input. No opportunity for families, staff, or residents to weigh in.

This is a documented pattern of decisions made behind closed doors, with no report to the public and no accountability. An Employee Discipline item has appeared in closed session five times without explanation.

Last Thursday, over 400 people marched in solidarity for LBUSD staff and students. Hours later, the board met. No report out of closed session. No acknowledgment of the staff listening report. And before the meeting, a Substack publication posted an AI-generated image of a FUEL President Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal holding a bloody ax. Here is what our community needs to know and how you can help.

Our recap of the April 9 LBUSD board meeting is live. This meeting included a fourth consecutive closed session with an Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release item and no report out, continued discussion of the district communications plan, a staffing update, and encouraging community bond survey results. Read the full recap and stay informed.

The March 26 LBUSD board meeting covered restorative practices, student wellbeing data, and a district communications plan that reflects strong staff work. El Morro Elementary showed remarkable student growth. Tonight, April 9, the board takes up a community bond survey, staffing and class sizes, and a governance committee review. FUEL breaks it all down.

FUEL President Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal addresses the board majority's pattern of framing decisions around taxpayer contributions. The way we honor taxpayers is not by repeatedly invoking how much money they contribute. The way we honor them is by delivering what they are actually paying for — an exceptional public education system.

The March 12 board meeting brought student voices, a union president in tears, a financial health update, and serious questions about how district communications are being directed. FUEL breaks it all down and shares what it means for our community.

The numbers do not lie. FUEL breaks down the financial figures at the center of recent community frustration and explains what they actually mean for LBUSD students and families.

FUEL formed in early 2025 when a group of Laguna Beach parents asked a simple question: who is holding our school board accountable? Meet the 500+ families behind the movement and learn how you can be part of it.

A powerful reminder that the educators in our schools are shaping more than academics. They are building the next generation of empathetic, engaged community members. This letter deserves to be read widely.

In January 2026, FUEL ran its first public advertisement in the Laguna Beach Independent and Stu News Laguna. The ad introduced FUEL to the broader community, explained why parents organized after the December 2024 school board meeting, and outlined what a 501(c)(4) structure allows FUEL to do on behalf of students and families. We are sharing it here as part of our permanent record.

Former LBUSD school board member Kelly Osborne walks the Laguna Beach community through what effective school board governance actually looks like — from the mindset of individual board members to how boards set strategic goals, support superintendents, and serve every student. The webinar also covers the 2001 Measure R bond, the 10-year Facilities Master Plan, and what a potential bond extension could mean for LBUSD. Hosted by FUEL board member Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal.