GROW FONTANA MEMBERS RECEIVE APOLOGETIC
FONTANA UNIFIED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KATHY BINKS
AT COMMUNITY MEETING

FUSD Board Member commits to public apology;
to work with GROW Fontana community group on campaign against hate and intolerance.

Tuesday, April 06, 2010, Fontana, California -- The GROW Fontana Committee met Tuesday night to discuss proposed resolutions regarding a dehumanizing reference to immigrant children as “anchor babies” made by long-time School Board Member Kathy Binks at the Joint Session Meeting between the Board and City Council last Monday evening. The community members were shocked by the unexpected arrival of Binks, her husband and daughter as the meeting got started.

Mrs. Binks extended a sincere apology and vowed to work with the group to begin a community dialogue and campaign against hate.  As Leticia Garcia and Bobbi Jo Chavarria led the discussion, concerned parents and community members candidly expressed their emotions ranging from anger to sadness and dismay. Some reiterated the call for her resignation.  Mrs. Binks said of the ugly connotations and effect her words carried, “It’s not me, it’s not me.”

Agreeing to three specific commitments proposed by Chavarria and agreed upon by the others, Binks vowed to prove her sincerity with a public apology at the beginning of the School Board Meeting on Wednesday, April 7 and to work with GROW Fontana to begin a city-wide dialogue and campaign against hate using tools, resources and programs that have worked in other cities. She also agreed to help support and promote GROW Fontana’s Mother’s Day Essay/Artistic Expression Contest as an opportunity for students to share what their mother taught them about community, tolerance, and compassion.  Binks and her family members even signed the petition members had been circulating that called for her apology.

After a hug with Mrs. Binks, Leticia Garcia, an advocate for Fontana students and parents said, “It was brave of Mrs. Binks to walk in here and we appreciate her sincerity.  This doesn’t erase the careless disregard her words had, but it does create an opportunity to start something positive for Fontana, especially because of her long-time position of power and influence.”  GROW Fontana members are encouraging residents to attend the school board meeting Wednesday and city council meeting next Wednesday to ask that the rest of the city’s elected officials make similar commitments.

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