Medina ‘not shrinking back’ after Lelieur letter
Mr. Lelieur’s letter (Nov. 21-28, p. 8) tries to present a clear picture of the PVUSD Nov. 12 board meeting, but anyone who was present or watched the recording knows his version doesn’t match reality. The board president had already paused the meeting before I arrived. A separate 15-minute break was scheduled. I walked into a room that had already been paused by the president. If he has concerns about that, he should take them up with the person holding the gavel, not the trustee who wasn’t in the room yet.
Before he comments on what PVUSD Area III deserves, he should understand who lives here. They elected me over a Republican incumbent. They showed up, they voted, and they put a Chicano trustee in this seat because they wanted someone who pushes back. So it’s interesting that he is calling for a recall from Santa Cruz, where conservative politics are already on life support. But Area III isn’t his playground. And I’m not shrinking back so he can pretend to speak for a community he’s never understood.
His political record makes his criticism even more hollow. He has supported conservative positions that hurt immigrant families in Pajaro and Las Lomas for years. He backed narratives that blamed Chicano and immigrant workers for “taking American jobs” and pushed enforcement strategies that brought fear into the homes of our neighbors. Those choices caused damage to the very families he now claims to defend.
He also continues to support a president with a long record of disrespect toward women and well-documented associations in publicly released Epstein-related files. If he wants to take the moral high ground, he might want to look down and realize he’s not actually standing on one.
PVUSD, Area III voters chose a trustee who asks strong questions, demands transparency, and refuses to rubber stamp choices that undermine students and workers. They did not elect me to soften my voice so a conservative commentator from outside the district feels comfortable.
I will not resign. I will continue advocating for the students, families, and staff who rely on our schools every day. If Mr. Lelieur wants a factual discussion about policy, I welcome it. If he chooses to misrepresent events or claim to speak for a district he has never understood, he should expect a direct response grounded in truth.
Mr Medina, PVFT only endorsed you because you promised to soften your language. Sad how quickly you forget the lies you’ve spouted on your on path to drag PVUSD down to your own mediocrity. In your screed of grievance aiming to clear your name, you only prove your detractors correct. What is the most telling is you never once mention our students. You write about politics, your preference for only your own race, and a lot about how you are awesome; but not once about the students. They seem to be the furthest thing from your mind, which is why perhaps you should resign and run for some other office where you aren’t hurting our children’s future. Oh, thank you for only lying about suing the school district because others made you look silly. It saved us $35,000.