Category: Education

Teisha Hase, a “child advocate,” assumes trustee seat "There needs to be a focus on mental health"

photo courtesy of Teisha Hase

by Natalie Hanson
posted Jan. 11

Editor’s note: Gayle Olsen and Teisha Hase joined the Chico Unified School District (CUSD) board this month after winning seats in the Nov. 5 General Election. Read our Q-and-A with Olsen here and our Q-and-A with Hase below. Read our sidebar on policy under the Trump Administration here.

Longtime English and reading educator Teisha Hase is taking her dedication to students to the next level as she assumes her seat on the CUSD board representing Trustee Area 3.

Hase told ChicoSol she’s excited to take on this new journey after 27 years working at Chico and Oroville high schools and tutoring students needing alternative support. Hase, who considers herself a student advocate, has also served as president of the Oroville Secondary Teachers Association (OSTA). read more

New Chico Unified board member prepares for challenges Gayle Olsen: "Every student learns differently"

photo courtesy of Gayle Olsen

by Natalie Hanson
posted Jan. 11

Editor’s note: Gayle Olsen and Teisha Hase joined the Chico Unified School District’s (CUSD) school board this month after winning seats in the Nov. 5 General Election. This Q-and-A with Olsen is the first story in a two-part series. And read our sidebar on what policy under the Trump Administration could look like here.

Gayle Olsen is no stranger to the challenge of fighting for resources for the most vulnerable students.

Now that she’s won the race for a seat on the board in Trustee Area 2, she said she’s ready to leverage that experience to fight for many more students. read more

Sheriff: school’s “vulnerability” exploited by gunman DA: Suspect had history of mental health problems

photo by Yucheng Tang
Elias Wolford, one of two shooting victims.

by Yucheng Tang
posted Dec. 19

The Dec. 4 Palermo school shooting that severely injured two kindergarteners appears to fit more under “domestic terrorism” than it would under the hate crime category, says Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey.

Ramsey also indicated, in a recent telephone interview, that he believes the violence was related to the suspect’s mental health problems.

Meanwhile, in a social media post last week, a woman who identifies herself as Debbie Wolford, the grandmother of victim Elias Wolford, said Elias hadn’t had movement of his legs since being hospitalized. In another update this week, a post indicates that Elias had undergone emergency surgery that went well. read more

Young shooting victims identified Suspect in Palermo school shooting also named

photo by Yucheng Tang
Sheriff Kory Honea identifies Glenn Litton (shown on screen on left) as the suspect in the Palermo school shooting.

by Yucheng Tang
posted Dec. 5

Roman Mendez, aged 6, sustained two gunshot wounds resulting in internal injuries when a gunman entered his school yard Dec. 4 and opened fire. Elias Wolford, 5, was shot one time in the abdomen, also resulting in internal injuries.

The two kindergarten students who attended Feather River Adventist School in Palermo remained in critical condition today. In the pictures shown at a press briefing earlier today, smiling Roman wore a red sweater and Elias cupped his chin in his hands. read more

Chico State Academic Senate calls for TPM policy suspension

photo by Caleb Hearn
Bryce Ingersoll tabled on campus, discussing with students what implementation of the TPM policy would mean.

by Yucheng Tang
posted Nov. 12

The Chico State Academic Senate has called on the California State University (CSU) Chancellor’s office to suspend the interim “Time, Place, Manner” (TPM) policy that sets rules for student protests.

The Oct. 31 resolution says the CSU should “initiate a process of good faith negotiation through shared governance to determine what guidance for peaceful activism … may be justified and consensually applied.”

The local Academic Senate took action days after the Academic Senate of the California State University system passed a resolution condemning the CSU-wide interim TPM policy. The California Faculty Association notes the policy restricts use of face coverings and requires “advance written permission for posters, signs, banners, and chalking.” read more

Will CSU’s new policy affect campus free speech? Some students and faculty worry; university officials say nothing has changed

photo by Yucheng Tang
Professor Lindsay Briggs makes a suggestion at the Sept. 25 campus forum.

by Yucheng Tang
posted Sept. 26

This story was updated Sept. 28 as more detail on the policy emerged.

On a list of 174 locations on the Chico State campus, only three are listed as “Public” that are available for sound-amplified assembly, marches, protests, and debate between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays by reservation, based on the newly-introduced, California State University (CSU) Interim Time Place Manner policy.

However, university spokesman Andrew Staples said Sept. 27 that outside spaces at Chico State, including Trinity Commons, can be used for “demonstrations, protest etc.” during campus operating hours that are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily if the area hasn’t already been reserved. A document sent to ChicoSol Sept. 28 called “Addendum Specifics” says those areas can be used for “non-amplified speech and expression.” read more