Tuesday, May 12, 2026

PUSD Board Members’ Texts and Emails Under Scrutiny

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

A Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) spokesperson told Pasadena Now that the district is in receipt of several requests for information related to school consolidation.

“The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) is in the process of responding to several Public Records Act (PRA) requests for text and email communications, which relate to the issue of school consolidation,” said Hilda Hovarth Ramirez. “PUSD and its legal counsel are carefully analyzing the documents that are responsive to the PRA request to determine what, if any, next steps should be taken.”

The district has been discussing school closures for several months and although there have been no open Board discussions of which schools have been targeted for closure, a published report provided alleged emails between board members.

In those emails, board members spoke of closing Marshall, Don Benito, Blair High School, and San Rafael Elementary School.

It is unclear whether the board members violated the Ralph M. Brown Act.

The Brown Act mandates open meeting rules and prohibits legislative bodies from holding meetings without providing notice to the public.

However, the rules apply to a majority of the board meeting at once without an agenda. Two or even three members of the board can exchange emails, but four members cannot participate in an email chain at once to discuss policy.

A judge could rule decisions moot if the board violates the Brown Act.

Last month, parents, students and community members raised concerns about transparency, finances and student well-being during a Pasadena Unified School District town hall focusing on possible school closures.

District officials and consultants pointed to declining enrollment and mounting financial pressures as the primary reasons for considering closures, while acknowledging the emotional impact such decisions could have on neighborhoods and families.

District officials argued that consolidation could help stabilize finances and preserve academic programs by concentrating resources at fewer sites.

Many parents and residents challenged that reasoning, questioning whether previous closures had delivered the promised results and expressing skepticism about the district’s long-term planning.

Several speakers also warned about the potential effects on students, including overcrowding, disruption of academic progress and the loss of specialized programs.

District representatives stressed that no final decisions have been made and said the school board will ultimately decide whether closures occur after additional public outreach and an equity impact analysis. A draft report outlining possible consolidation scenarios is expected later this month, followed by more public input before the board takes action this summer.