San Rafael Saga: Yet Another Troubling Tradition
PASADENA, Calif. — This is the time of year when the City of Roses gets all gushy over its renowned parade and gridiron clash, but if one looks just beneath the surface, this local tradition sports the same thorny overertones as the San Rafael Elementary School saga that broke hearts this past summer.
The most iconic machination of Pasadena’s perennial Rose Parade comes by way of its Royal Court, an all-female cohort comprised of seven wide-eyed high-schoolers who, according to the Tournament of Roses Association, “Experience countless benefits; becoming part of an organization dedicated to hands-on volunteerism, discovering opportunities to connect with and give back to the local community, developing public speaking skills, and growing self-confidence.”
Photo: Michelle Mishina
In an age when our nation’s women are ringing the biggest, loudest bell for gender reform to date, the Association believes that a Royal Court of queens and princesses somehow remains relevant. The Association believes its mission to purvey eerily coordinated smiles, mannerisms and messages for young females somehow remains relevant. The Association believes its etiquette drills for young females somehow remain relevant. The Association believes its mandate that all Court contestants “identify as a female” somehow remains relevant.
And, the Association believes its middle aged “judges” assessing the worthiness of these young females to join an exclusive clique somehow remains relevant — especially considering the dubious social history of the Association itself.
While the Court has recently begun to embrace a variety of races, the Association’s 130-year history has yielded just three female presidents out of 119. Only one Latina, one African American (male) and one Asian American (male) have ascended to the presidency to date. As long as the parade marches on, however, these disparities are nothing but unwelcome noise.
“The “countless benefits” of being a queen or princess are largely defined by adding the recognition to one’s résumé and cashing a $7,500 “scholarship” check for the college of one’s choice. Considering these Royals are required to attend more than 100 regional events over many months, all while completing senior year studies, this honor follows America’s proud tradition of cultivating females who are overworked and underpaid — females who do most of a community’s caregiving in exchange for the least of the community’s care. ”
Photo: Sarah Reingewirtz (altered for this article)
The crowns and tiaras atop these young female craniums are fortified with thousands of cultured pearls and six carats of diamonds worth roughly one million dollars, let alone the wardrobe expense for their matching blue-blood equestrian garb and bejeweled evening gowns.
In lockstep with this upper class braggadocio is the 18,500 square foot, 22-room Wrigley Mansion — an ornate Italian Revival structure on a 4-acre estate, all of which is home to the Association. In fact, the mansion effectively marks the start of the parade route.
So, while the Royal Court waves its white gloves as it rolls down Colorado Boulevard on a $300,000 float, adoring citizens sit on incommodious bleachers for which they’ve paid upwards of $12o per ticket. Best of all, the entire spectacle is mere blocks away form where one can find throngs of homeless persons searching for scraps on a crisp winter’s morn.
Those who believe such gender, race and class observations are mere blather would be best served to take a trip through the city’s troubled past, which remains firmly bridged to a troubled present.
That troubled present includes a similarly stunning display of gender, race and class warfare that played out at Pasadena’s San Rafael Elementary School this past summer.
A nosy neighbor in a tony neighborhood made an anonymous 9-1-1 call about a purported infidel who scaled the school fence on an otherwise quiet Sunday morning. The call wound up being as erroneous as the police response, whereby four highly armed officers terrified and detained the school’s Hispanic custodian without cause. That custodian never returned to his job.
School principal Rudy Ramirez rushed to the scene after officers requested that he identify the cuffed custodian. A guard from a private security company that the school system hired took it upon himself to covertly and illegally — according to current law — record Ramirez while the enraged principal fired off a series of sexist declarations coupled with disturbing racial epithets.
A female parent and her child happened to ride bicycles by the scene. As the two peddled away, Ramirez called her a “fucking punk” whom he said would rush off to complain to her “white neighbors.” He alleged that she herself might have made the 9-1-1 call in the first place. She did not.
Ramirez subsequently labeled a female neighbor — who allegedly complained about school traffic — “a nosy fucking bitch.” He made additional comments about “wetbacks,” white neighbors and how he would strike fear in the hearts of adversaries who dared confront him during off hours.
The security guard immediately shared the video with Pasadena police leaders who immediately shared it with the general public. The exercise reeked of a willful attempt to focus attention on Ramirez and away from an excessive police response.
Nonetheless, the controversy escalated at the speed of sound. And, Ramirez’s odious commentary was etched in stone in full view of 10 million Los Angeles County taxpayers.
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo publicly chastised Ramirez, despite neither vetting the video nor the process by which it was released. Police unsurprisingly escaped reproof. School parents rapidly assembled into camps that vigorously clashed over the police, the principal, the policies and the politics.
A small group of Ramirez faithful garnered hundreds of petition signatures in an effort to return the principal to his post. They pedaled letters to editors about his righteousness and managerial rigor. They bemoaned those who dared to disagree. And, when the dust settled, their wishes were granted.
Pasadena Unified School District Superintendent Brian McDonald and his school board gave Ramirez a green light with a muddy caveat about some potential disciplinary action that they refused to further discuss.
During a troubling town hall meeting to purportedly quell antipathy, Ramirez was largely remorseless, if not outwardly defiant. McDonald and Assistant Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco refused to allow anyone to speak. Local male religious leaders mandated wholesale forgiveness. The entire exercise was a microcosmic authoritarian debacle.
Perhaps most unsettling was how this parade of men in power positions pirated the voices of women who simply sought to raise their opposition voices.
“This has really harmed families,” said Patty Jimenez, a San Rafael parent who has since pulled her child from the school. “I just couldn’t be a part of a community that wanted to shut us up, turn a blind eye and not want better for their kids.”
Former school parent Juli Schneiderman concurred. She said, “When I looked at the [school security guard] video, it was vindication that everything we went through with [Ramirez’s] narcissistic abuse was real and we finally had proof.” Schneiderman said pro-Ramirez parents spun the incident in such a way that was meant to suffocate any dissent, as if firing Ramirez would have imploded the school and obfuscated any and all racial bias.
Jimenez and Schneiderman joined Ingrid Sanchez, Lorena Hernandez, Stephany Tritt and another women who will remain anonymous on a Zoom call to further discuss their arduous journey to be heard.
Schneiderman said that, during the prior school year, 10 female parents (which eventually became 14) confronted McDonald about their concerns with Ramirez. She said that McDonald pledged how their complaints would remain confidential to prevent retaliation — a policy required by law.
However, Ramirez’s Special Assignment Teacher and apparently unabashed cheerleader, Silvia Torres, somehow learned about the meeting. She eventually appeared at the office and was able to identify the complainants.
The day after their meeting with McDonald, the women said that pro-Ramirez parents and even Ramirez himself had orchestrated unfounded accusations that the women wanted Ramirez fired. “It became an entire campaign to shame us in what was supposed to be an entirely confidential process,” Schneiderman said.
The most egregious acts allegedly happened after commencement of the first UCP (Unified Complaint Procedure) and subsequent investigation. “We needed to file another complaint against both Dr. McDonald and Mr. Ramirez because of the bullying and retaliation that had happened after our initial attempt to alert McDonald.”
The investigative group, the board of education and McDonald denied the group’s request. Despite the setback, they refused to be stifled. They initiated a a series of public records requests to review the investigation.
NOTE: I initiated my own FOIA requests which yielded very little relevant information other than the fact that the school system did, in fact, hire the private security system that illegally recorded Ramirez. Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian did not provide any of the police process information that I requested. The school board provided very little relevant information that I requested.
The Ramirez investigation substantiated how he mishandled PTA funds. It partially substantiated how he exacted unprofessional behavior and statements. And, it refused to substantiate three allegations of foul language and harassment.
Ramirez said to the investigator, “I’m a big boy. I use big words. I’ve never been accused of being mild mannered.” Additional issues of concern:
Ramirez said that he could slap or hit a child and not get fired.
Ramirez accused Schneiderman of being “a little bit off” if she is not on her medication.
Ramirez admitted his actions looked like he was retaliating against the PTA.
Ramirez apparently intimidated some women when he said, “I’m Principal of the Year, I’m not going anywhere.”
Ramirez allegedly called another school staffer, “a fucking bitch.”
In a letter to the district, Ingrid Sanchez wrote:
““At no point during the complaint procedure did we ask for Mr. Ramirez to be removed or for the school to be shut down. These were many of the rumors that had been circulated that prompted numerous parents to file petitions in 2020-2021 in support of Mr. Ramirez. In addition, these rumors, mostly curated by Mr. Ramirez, led to the parent community ostracizing and alienating the parents who had filed the complaints. Every parent deserves the right to file a complaint if they observe unprofessional behavior by a staff member.””
Like numerous other women, Sanchez felt she had no other choice but to remove her child from the school due to the hostility she encountered. “I could no longer walk on campus without feeling hate, trying to dodge Mr. Ramirez and not crossing paths. My child who had an IEP [Individualized Educational Plan] would not have a fair IEP meeting in the future. I would not have a principal I could rely on if I ever needed help with anything related to my child. I am not alone, but one of many who experienced this shame.”
The majority of these women had actively volunteered for the PTA and other school councils. They were involved because, as Sanchez said, they were “huge supporters of PUSD and had always raved about our school district.” Unfortunately, positive views and support for the district have been greatly diminished.”
It was clear that, through the tears and angst they shared during the 2-hour Zoom call, these women suffered not only from Ramirez’s alleged emotional abuse, McDonald’s dismissiveness and the board of education’s inertia, but also from the disenfranchisement by fellow parents with whom they formerly enjoyed harmonious relationships.
Lorena Hernandez said that other parents who submitted letters and petitions in support of Ramirez had every right to do so, but it was the malice with which they went about the exercise that was hurtful. “They could have simply said that their experience [with Ramirez] had been different, and they could agree to disagree with us who have a very different point of view,” she said. “But both times they included in their letters to not listen to those who had an unfavorable experience with Ramirez.”
Hernandez is correct. A published letter by pro-Ramirez parents said, “Claims that Mr. Ramirez somehow poses a risk to the students of San Rafael are at best grossly misplaced and derogatory given his demonstrated love and devotion to the school and community. We urge you not to let a few loud voices dictate your decision.”
In fact, the loudest of voices were actually those who made aggressive efforts to return Ramirez to his post.
Furthermore, the cohort of dissenting women said that many of those who signed petitions and offered social media posts in favor of Ramirez were minorities who had been highly outspoken in the past about refusing to be silenced on a range of issues. Yet, these same persons were demanding that more than a dozen persons, most minority female, were not worthy of consideration.
Jimenez said a host of parents were posting vigorous support for Ramirez on the school’s Facebook page. When Jimenez attempted to offer her own perspective on the page, a school parent apparently removed her posts because they deemed such posts “disrespectful.” Kenyon Harbison is a school parent who responded to Jimenez’s posts with clear contempt for her opinions:
This is Sanchez’s response to Harbison:
As women on one side of the spectrum aggressively sought to protect Ramirez’s principalship, women on the other side of that same spectrum unsuccessfully attempted to draw attention to a troubling tradition of how wresting power in predominantly male hands can sustain a nefarious status quo.
What does it take to fire a principal who works within the Pasadena Unified School District? Superintendent McDonald failed to answer that question. As actions do often speak louder than words, McDonald did demonstrate that firing a principal takes a much more than aggression towards women and disdain for socio-cultural respect.
If Ramirez were a white man named Smith would that have changed hearts and minds of the community that rallied around a principal who called a fellow female parent “a fucking punk” and a female neighbor “a fucking bitch?” And if that white man dismissed whole communities as “wetbacks,” would that too have changed hearts and minds?
If the school custodian were an older white male, not a younger Hispanic man, would that too have changed the hearts and minds of the police? If McDonald were an older white male, would that have changed the outcome? If McDonald were a woman, would that have changed the outcome?
And if Ramirez called a female parent “a fucking bitch” in plain view of others, or even children, would that and should that have changed the outcome? And if so, why?
Answers related to questions about both real and hypothetical events are as complicated as the questions themselves. What is not complicated to understand is the immense toll this takes on our most important citizens — children.
Roughly a dozen parents have extricated their children from the school they loved because of a principal they feared. Yet, those parents are viewed as no more than “petty,” per fellow parent Mr. Harbison.
Young people are far more aware of the conditions under which they exist than most adults give them credit for — including those who are still learning to tie their shoes.
Ramirez clearly did not concern himself with how his comments would affect the children for whom he is supposed to be a role model. He made deeply offensive comments about a female school parent only after she and her child peddled away from him. That says a lot about Ramirez. Perhaps so does this:
Ingrid Sanchez said, “My son had lots of anxiety because he was being bullied at school. We continuously brought [this concern] to the attention of Mr. Ramirez who assured us that everything was being handled. One day, my son came home and told me that the same boy had slammed his head on the concrete. I was never made aware of this incident by any staff member. My husband wrote another message to Mr. Ramirez, and he said again that the issue had been resolved. A few weeks later, I ran into the mother of that boy and asked her whether she was aware of the incident that occurred between our boys. She said she had no idea what I was talking about. It was at this point where I felt that my son was no longer safe at San Rafael and felt that Mr. Ramirez was not doing anything to protect our child...perhaps because I had filed a complaint against him?”
Sanchez also invited Pasadena Councilman Steve Madison to join her and the other concerned women at a meeting to discuss their issues. Although Madison has gladly availed himself at the school for political fundraisers and campaign debates, he remained silent about the very school in the very District of the very constituents whom he represents.
Full disclosure: As previously mentioned, Madison never proactively afforded condolences to my wife and me — active constituents of his Sixth District — in the wake of our daughter’s barbaric death at a local summer camp. Instead, he chose to be the defense attorney of record for that camp that ended my daughter’s life in a lawsuit waged by the State.
As a youthful queen and her princesses will soon dutifully wave us all into a New Year, should we also plop tiaras on the 14 former San Rafael school mothers, tell them to smile kindly for the cameras and to mind their damn manners? These mothers will forever remember being waved off by a system that favors tradition over transformation, convenience over courage, artifice over accountability.
An innocent custodian may never return to his job, because he faithfully showed up for his job. Friendships among parents may never be restored, because tribal divides are more important than productive conversations. Myriad male figures may never suffer any fallout, because they possess the keys to the kingdoms.
And, children will look at the queen and the princesses and the deeply divided adult factions and the sadly flawed traditions and systems while wondering what it all means and why moms and dads fail to practice what they preach.
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Journalism can help bring about change. This is what needs to change:
Pasadena Unified School District Superintendent Brian McDonald and the Pasadena Board of Education should immediately amend its Unified Complaint Procedure to protect private citizens from retaliation and from disclosure of private information.
McDonald and the Board should establish a policy that clearly describes disciplinary standards, procedures and punishments for school administrators, since they do not currently exist in bylaws.
McDonald and the Board should publicly explain why he demanded that citizens, most especially those who were not in favor or Principal Ramirez’s return, were disallowed from speaking at a public meeting to discuss an urgent public matter. Such muzzling of citizen voices is an insidious and authoritarian action that must be further scrutinized and terminated.
McDonald and the Board should immediately terminate its relationship with California Metro Patrol for its role in illegally recording and distributing a video of Rudy Ramirez in which an unknowing parent, child and custodian also appear. No parent, child, school staffer or private person should be subjected to such illegal invasion of privacy.
McDonald and the Board must publicly apologize for disallowing all voices to be heard at a public School Board meeting about a serious public issue (re. Ramirez).
McDonald and the Board should also issue a public apology to the school mother and her child for the illegal video and for the role they played in securing a contract with California Metro Patrol that recorded that illegal video. McDonald and the Board must pledge to the public that such illegal recording facilitated by a government entity will never take place here forward.
The Pasadena City Attorney should investigate California Metro Patrol for its role in illegally recording and distributing a video of unknowing school staffers and two private citizens, including a child.
The Pasadena City Attorney should investigate the police personnel and the Department of City Manager responsible for publicly distributing an illegally recorded video.
The Pasadena City Council and Police Oversight Commission should acknowledge, examine and change policies concerning distribution of a video or any information that may violate individual rights.
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo should issue a public statement that addresses the above concerns about how City services mismanaged this occurrence. He should also pledge that he will gather the full complement of facts and understand the law before he issues widely distributed and arguably biased statements about any city employee, citizen, protocol or policy.
Additional documents related to this incident are available upon request.