After a vigil in August honoring the death of Daniel Padilla, Fresno Unified Superintendent Misty Her emailed parent activist Kristina Holmes‑McIntyre to arrange a meeting and hear concerns from families in the district.
Holmes‑McIntyre, a mother of three Fresno Unified students, co‑founded the Fresno Community Parent Coalition (FCPC) in late 2025 after repeated frustrations with district communication. She alleges that Child Protective Services was contacted multiple times over disputes involving her children, yet the district never followed up.
Padilla’s collapse during a P.E. class in March sparked renewed scrutiny of the district’s handling of student medical emergencies, echoing earlier concerns after the 2022 death of 11‑year‑old Elizabeth Gonzalez at Homan Elementary from a severe asthma attack.
Proposed oversight versus parent‑led accountability
According to Holmes‑McIntyre, Superintendent Her and Deputy Superintendent Ben Drati initially agreed to work with the FCPC on greater transparency. The coalition’s proposal called for an independent oversight committee composed of parents that would report directly to the board of trustees, bypassing district staff filters.
The coalition’s draft committee would track major student injuries, safety incidents, bullying, harassment, and budget matters, providing quarterly feedback to the board.
District leaders, however, have suggested expanding existing school site councils—already in place at each school—by adding principals and having them relay information to the chair of the School Climate and Review Team and other administrators, including the superintendent, on a bi‑monthly basis.
Drati emailed coalition members stating the district hopes to implement the revised site‑council model by the end of October.
Parents question effectiveness of the new model
Holmes‑McIntyre argues that the existing site councils suffer from low parent participation, limiting their effectiveness. “They will listen to you, tell you ‘We’re gonna take some kind of action,’ and then nothing happens,” she told Fresnoland.
During a September 15 meeting where Drati presented the district’s proposal, Holmes‑McIntyre noted that two other parent groups were present to discuss separate concerns, though Superintendent Her was absent. Before the meeting concluded, Holmes‑McIntyre walked out, stating, “The problem is they do not know how to systematically address those issues in a way that builds trust with parents. That’s what our group was offering—a mechanism for accountability that they don’t want to adopt.”
Despite the tension, Holmes‑McIntyre said she remains willing to return to the table if the district allows parents to submit feedback directly to the board.
Other parent voices and upcoming district events
Not all parent organizations share the FCPC’s frustrations. The Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) praised its collaborative relationship with Fresno Unified, emphasizing the importance of clear, accessible partnerships. “Strong school partnerships are built on trust, and that trust grows when families are heard, their concerns receive thoughtful responses, and parents and educators work together to help students succeed,” said Isaac Cox, PIQE’s Director of Communications.
The district has scheduled its first Parent Advisory Committee meeting of the school year for October 8 at 5:30 p.m. in Parent University. The meeting will address educational achievement goals and the district’s Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). For more information, callers can reach the district at 559‑457‑3390.
Original reporting: Fresnoland — read the source article.
