Fresno Unified School District and Trustee Keshia Thomas are seeking dismissal of a defamation lawsuit filed by Bullard High football coach Don Arax, arguing that Thomas' statements that Arax used racist language is protected speech under the First Amendment. Thomas told GV Wire that Arax had used the n-word when...
Fresno Unified Says No Thanks to Big City Schools Assessment
Fresno Unified won't have to worry about being lumped together this year with other low-performing big city school districts like Detroit and Milwaukee. The district opted out of participating in the Trial Urban District Assessment, a district-level assessment in the Nation's Report Card, also known as the National Assessment of...
How Do Clovis/Fresno Schools Candidates Plan to Improve Education in the Valley?
In two of the most highly contested educational races in the Valley, candidates from Clovis Unified School District Area 1 and Fresno Unified School District Area 7 share how they plan to improve educational outcomes in their districts if they win election. In Fresno's Bullard Area 7, incumbent Terry Slatic...
Here’s How to Get an Early Start on Medical Careers: Doctors Academy
Eighth graders who are interested in medical careers can apply to enter Doctors Academy programs at Sunnyside and Caruthers high schools through the UCSF Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education and Research. The application period will open Oct. 1 and close Dec. 1. Informational meetings for students and parents...
Cellphone Ban at Bullard High Sparks Brouhaha and Online Petition
Bullard High students won't be able to pull out their cell phones during the school day under a new policy that's causing division in the northwest Fresno community. Principal Armen Torigian, who took the job midway through the last school year, told families in a recent back-to-school letter that...
Fresno Schools Chief Reacts to Texas School Shooting: ‘If You See Something, Please SAY SOMETHING’
Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson said Wednesday he is heartbroken and sickened by the mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas that claimed the lives of 19 children and two fourth-grade teachers Tuesday. In a Facebook post and a statement released by the district, Nelson urged the Fresno...
FUSD Hires PI to Investigate Its Own Investigation of Racist Bullard Photo
Fresno Unified School District has hired an outside investigator to delve into the district's in-house investigation of the Bullard High photo in which a student wore a head covering that resembled a Ku Klux Klan hood, district spokeswoman Nikki Henry confirmed Tuesday. The photograph sparked student protests and walkouts...
Fresno Teachers, District Gear Up for What Could Be Tough Contract Talks
Fresno's teachers union has already started to position itself in preparation for contract talks. If recent events are any indication, negotiations this time around may not be as cordial as last time. Fresno Teachers Association attempted to turn up the heat on the district last week with a news...
Bullard Coach Calls Trustee a ‘Liar’ on Racial Slur Accusation, Says ‘Investigate Me’
Bullard High School Coach Don Arax fired back this week at Fresno Unified Trustee Keshia Thomas over her accusation that he had used a racial slur to her middle son when he was a Bullard student and football player. Arax said he would welcome a "thorough" investigation into the...
How to Turn Fresno Unified Around? Get More Parents Involved in Kids’ Schooling
What if the key to unlocking Fresno Unified's academic potential has been hiding in plain sight? The district has spent millions of dollars on tutoring, mentoring, and literacy acceleration, but some believe that encouraging and increasing parents' involvement and engagement in their children's schooling will make a big difference....