Redlands Unified flooded with 500+ public comment cards over library, flag policies

REDLANDS, Calif. — In an extraordinary show of public opposition, the Redlands Unified School Board received more than 500 comment cards Tuesday night - an unprecedented volume that officials acknowledged could stall or delay votes on a slate of controversial policies.

“I’ve never been in a meeting where we had 500 cards turned in,” Superintendent Juan Cabral said before the board called a five-minute recess to organize the stacks of submissions. Some individuals submitted dozens of cards each to speak on separate items. One speaker reportedly requested 75 cards to comment on every individual agenda item.

The volume of cards forced the board to alter its public comment procedures. After a brief debate, trustees voted to reduce the standard three-minute speaking time to 45 seconds per card. Cabral cautioned that allowing even one minute per card could extend the meeting past eight hours.

The comment surge was aimed at several policies that have been debated for months, including a new procedure for challenging library materials and a policy regulating flag displays and school celebrations. Another proposal, which would have allowed parents to opt in to notifications about changes to their child’s school records, was pulled from the agenda prior to the meeting.

While the meeting's tension revolved around those hot-button items, early confusion emerged when the board mistakenly voted on unrelated agenda items before opening the floor for public comment. That misstep led to frustration and further scrutiny of the board’s handling of the meeting.

“I was told I was going to have 20 minutes,” said one man, who submitted multiple comment cards but was surprised by the revised time limit. “This has been changed on me three or four times today.”

He went on to urge the board to "slow down, invite community input, and ensure that the final policy uplifts all students, not just those who already feel represented."

Public turnout and frustration

Over the course of more than four hours, more than 75 speakers addressed the board. All but four of those speakers opposed the revised library book and flag display policies.

Many raised concerns about censorship, student privacy, and the district’s ability to create inclusive environments.

"To outlaw the First Amendment activity for the purpose of increasing patriotic fervor is, to say the least, counterproductive because it is a healthy political discourse that makes America truly great," said a retired public school teacher. "It is the height of hypocrisy to claim that censorship is done to cultivate love of country."

Some warned of legal and financial consequences. "It will result in legal action being taken against our district, costing us a lot of money," another commenter argued during her allotted 45 seconds. "By banning all flags except U.S., California, and military flags, unless narrowly approved for educational use, it disproportionately targets student identity and culture."

More than a dozen students also spoke to the board. "No matter how much you try to ban the identities that you disagree with and you don't like, they will still persist," a 2025 Redlands High School graduate said. "The only thing that you're doing is making school an unsafe environment for people who deserve to have the right to learn."

First votes and board response

Despite the pushback, the board ultimately passed three controversial policies in 3–2 votes, with Board Members Patty Holohan and Melissa Ayala-Quintero casting dissenting votes.

• Library materials (AR 1312.2):
  The revised policy establishes a formal process for challenging library books. This regulation outlines how parents, students, or community members may challenge books or media center materials they believe are inappropriate. The updated policy introduces a two-tiered review process:
  • Section I applies to general complaints and requires a review committee including teachers, a librarian, and community members.
  • Section II is triggered if the complaint alleges pornography or explicit content. In such cases, the material must be removed from circulation within three days and reviewed by the school board in a public hearing within 45 days. Materials deemed inappropriate may be permanently removed districtwide.
  • The district already has a book review process in place, but the revised policy adds stricter procedures—requiring removal of certain materials and a formal board hearing if explicit content is alleged.
• Concepts and Roles (BP 6000):
  This policy outlines board authority over curriculum and adds language prohibiting “pervasive pornography” and other “obscene material” in instructional content. It passed without discussion.
• Flag displays and commemorations (BP 6115):
  The new rule limits which flags may be displayed on school property, restricting them to U.S., state, military, and approved curricular displays. Student clubs may still display flags during their own events. Daily patriotic exercises, including the Pledge of Allegiance, are required. Events must focus on academic or civic values and avoid endorsing political, social, or religious beliefs.

Discussion on the board policies was brief, with only Holohan and Ayala-Quintero expressing disapproval.

Speaking on the library materials policy: “This is a slap in the face to our librarians who work really hard all the time,” Holohan said.

Before voting to limit flag displays, which effectively excludes the Pride flag, Holohan and Ayala-Quintero expressed disdain for the policy.

“Your prejudice is showing, and you should all be embarrassed,” Ayala-Quintero said.

“This really opposes everything you’ve been trying to do… I don’t see how this makes a safe and inclusive environment,” Holohan added. “We’ve had 13 students come and speak today on their summer vacation, when they should be enjoying their time off instead of coming here."

What’s next

The policies approved Tuesday are expected to go for a final vote at the next board meeting on July 8.

The parent notification policy may return for future discussion in the coming months.