La Mesa/Spring Valley board member compares reopening schools to ‘white supremacist ideology’

On Feb. 23, 2021, La Mesa/Spring Valley School District held a board meeting via Zoom to discuss in-person learning. Board member Charda Bell-Fontenot said she was “extremely vexed.”

The San Diego Tribune reported, “Black school board member who linked school reopening to White supremacy faces backlash.”

Bell-Fontenot opposed arguments for school reopenings and said:

“That seems like a very white supremacist ideology to force people to comply with…you know…to conform…just letting you know…privilege…check it…I don’t want to be part of forcing anybody to do anything they don’t want to do…that’s what slavery is!” Another board member noted that “70-80% of our students want to return to school.”

A Change.org petition demanding Bell-Fontenot’s “immediate resignation” garnered some 4,495 signatures. Reopen California Schools, a local parent group, posted the video on its YouTube channel.