It’s high school graduation season and trustees from various school boards are often asked to say a few inspiring words to graduates to send them on their way. For Santa Ana Unified Trustee Ceci Iglesias, a short speech at Segerstrom High School’s graduation ceremony included a dig at her own alma mater — Santa Ana’s Valley High School.
And the comments are causing an outrage on social media. The above Facebook screen grab was sent to us to call our attention to Ms. Iglesias’ words. If it was meant as a joke, many didn’t get it or took it the wrong way.
Iglesias is up for re-election this fall; if she’s not happy with the performance of Valley High’s students or faculty, she’s done little to improve the situation during her time on the SAUSD Board of Trustees.
Iglesias is best known for two things — showing up with a small crowd, including children, to protest with homemade signs whatever she’s against; and being an early advocate against allowing transgendered students to use the restroom associated with the gender they identify with. Iglesias cut this spot in 2014 for the Young Kim campaign against Sharon Quirk-Silva trying to scare the heck out of parents about transgender kids.
Our conclusion: Iglesias owes Valley High and SAUSD families an apology for her bad attempt at humor. And it needs saying, her work in the anti-transgender bathroom spot exposes both her and Young Kim as intolerant bigots. Neither should be returned to their seats.
Dan, I must have missed something because I could see nothing in the quote that was derogatory toward Valley High School, it’s faculty or students. Iglesias merely stated she went to Valley because there was no Segerstrom High. Could she have meant that she lived in Segerstrom’s District, but since there was no school there she had to go to Valley instead? Since you are slamming her on your usual B/S throw it on the wall and see what sticks, accusations and the photo, I am assuming that Iglesias is a Republican. Additonally, good luck finding a lot of community support from parents who want their kids subjected to sexual misfits using the same bathrooms/locker rooms with their sons and daughters. If these are the worst things you can dig up on Iglesias, I’d say she is a pretty safe bet to be reelected in November.
Ceci is on the losing end of many 4-1 votes at the SA school board. She is highly ineffective. Here’s the community response:https://www.change.org/p/sausd-board-of-education-keep-ceci-out-of-valley-s-events
Not that familiar with Santa Ana politics, but being in a minority position is not necessarily a bad thing if she is voting for issues she promised during her election campaign and trying to do what the voters want. Sometimes a politician with their heart in the right place has to wait until voters wake up and elect more people who do not serve special interests, the unions and who put the education of the kids first.