All six Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD) board trustee candidates in the upcoming election answered questions about their campaigns and goals on Oct. 10. The event was hosted by the Almanac in the Menlo Park City Council Chambers.
You can watch a recording of the candidate forum here: youtu.be/Gt_IUvvXYJw
This article specifically focuses on the candidates in Area B and does not include every statement made by each candidate, rather it focuses on the most relevant topics for students, community members and voters that can be credibly evaluated.
Statements from Mary Beth Thompson
Claim
When talking about detracking, Thompson said an outside study by Stanford shows detracking allows more exams to be taken and more high scores for higher achieving students.
What We Know
This is misleading. There was a study by two Stanford researchers on a specific detracking policy at SUHSD that placed freshmen who would otherwise be considered “below grade level” in Algebra I. The study indicated that this new policy significantly increased math achievement in junior year without lowering the achievement of students who would normally qualify for Algebra I. While this study shows the potential benefits of this new policy, this study doesn’t indicate that this new policy allows more exams to be taken and shows no significant difference in the scores of higher achieving students.
Claim
When talking about ethnic studies, Thompson said our district mandated ethnic studies as a graduation requirement before the state of California did.
What We Know
This is accurate. According to the SUHSD website, ethnic studies was approved as a district graduation requirement at the October 28, 2020 board meeting. This was a year before Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 101 into law on Oct. 12, 2021, which required districts to offer an ethnic studies course by 2025 and make it a graduation requirement starting with the class of 2030.
Claim
“My husband and I are also supporting this… so all the finances are coming directly from the community, with the majority of them coming from Educators and former and current board leaders,” Thompson said when talking about how her campaign is funded.
What We Know
This is accurate. According to public records, Thompson’s campaign received a little over $9,000 in donations coming largely from herself and her husband, as well as from donations from current Area B board member Carrie Du Bois alongside other educators and community members.
Statements from Jacob Yuryev
Claim
“The data is telling us that recent course changes are not helping our students,” Yuryev said.
What We Know
This is inaccurate. According to data from the M-A Chronicle, AP Exam scores at M-A have continued to increase following the removal of certain advanced classes in the freshmen and sophomore years. In 2023, Palo Alto Online reported that a Sequoia Union High School District report found that detracking had improved outcomes for students at all levels without hurting high achievers. Recently, a study by two Stanford researchers on a specific detracking policy at SUHSD found that this new policy significantly increased math achievement junior year without lowering the achievement of students that would normally qualify for Algebra I.
Claim
“There’s a fundamental difference between the mental health of a student that leaves school and goes home, versus a student that leaves school and participates in sports, arts, theater, music, et cetera, [and] clubs,” Yuryev said when talking about student mental health.
What We Know
This is complicated. Even though it’s widely believed that engaging in extracurricular activities increases a sense of belonging and therefore mental health, information on this is mixed. Some studies say students who participate in extracurriculars tend to feel greater school belonging, reinforcing positive mental health. Other studies indicate that after-school sports may have a small positive impact on youth mental health, but mixed results were found for non-sports activities and clubs. Furthermore, a study from this year indicates that too many enrichment activities can negatively impact a student’s mental health.
Claim
When talking about cell phone policies in schools, Yuryev said we don’t have a uniform district-wide phone policy restricting phone use.
What We Know
This is accurate. While schools within the district, such as Woodside, as well as many teachers, such as freshmen teachers at M-A, have created their own cell phone policies, there is not currently a district-wide policy on cell phone use.
Claim
When talking about how his campaign is funded, Yuryev said he was funded by constituents and other community members within the district.
What We Know
This is accurate. According to public records, Yuryev has received about $25,000 in donations from community members, including many from places outside Area B such as Menlo Park, Atherton and Portola Valley.
Statements from Daniel Torunian
Claim
Multiple times throughout the forum, Torunian said our county was the fourth wealthiest county in the country.
What We Know
This is accurate. As of 2023, San Mateo County is the fourth richest county in the country with a median household income of $149,907.
Claim
“It is very impactful if we are considering removing honors or AP classes for those who are coming in at the freshmen and sophomore level and then waiting for [those classes] to occur at their junior year,” Torunian said when talking about detracking.
What We Know
This isn’t accurate. The district previously made changes to some class offerings, including by combining English classes in freshman year, therefore removing AS English classes for freshmen. These changes of “detracking” mostly affected freshman classes and some sophomore classes. According to the SUHSD, they have no plans on reducing the number of AP classes offered.
Claim
When talking about how his campaign is funded, Torunian said he was “100% self-funded.”
What We Know
This is unknown, as he did not meet the $2,000 threshold where you are required to file a public financial statement.
