• Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido released a May 24 statement regarding the shooting in Uvalde, Texas. “The school shooting that killed 14 students and one teacher at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, is the latest example of horrifying violence in our country. This senseless, devastating loss of life is difficult to process. And yet our children are looking to adults for support and reassurance,” Salcido said in her statement. Numbers have since been updated to 19 students and two teachers who were killed in a fourth grade classroom, according to the Associated Press. The 18-year-old gunman was killed by responding officers, and as of May 27, it was unclear how many other children were injured. Salcido added that each Santa Barbara County school has a safety plan with procedures that contribute to maintaining a safe learning environment, and local districts work closely with law enforcement agencies to build prevention systems against acts of violence in schools. “These senseless acts of violence must end, and we need to do everything in our power to keep our schools safe. I resolve to work closely with school leaders, law enforcement agencies, policy makers, and others in our community to align actions and resources as we move forward proactively to address the safety and well-being of our students and staff in Santa Barbara County schools,” Salcido said in the statement. “We send our deepest sympathies to the families whose lives have been altered forever.”
• Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in a May 26 statement that California’s state and local rent relief programs distributed more than $5 billion to help more than 1.2 million Californians impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic stay stably housed. Newsom’s California Blueprint May revision proposes an additional $2.7 billion in emergency rental assistance for eligible applicants who applied through March 31, creating a total $8.1 billion investment, according to the governor’s office. “With the largest rent relief program of any state in the nation, we’ve ensured more than 1 million Californians remain housed, and we’re advancing funding to help more families get back on their feet through this historic effort,” Newsom said in a statement. “As California’s recovery progresses, the state is committed to continuing our work to ensure the hardest-hit communities have the support and resources they need to thrive.” Throughout the pandemic, California has had the most robust eviction protections for the longest period of time in the country. Statewide eviction protections remain in place through June 30 with additional local protections in place. Individual support for applicants needing assistance with their application is still available. Call (833) 687-0967 to schedule an appointment.
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced updated legislation to expand the Pell Grant and improve college affordability for students across California and the U.S., according to a May 25 statement. Carbajal’s Degree Not Debt Act would double the maximum Pell Grant award to $13,800 a year, decreasing the amount of student loan debt for individuals pursuing higher education. “American college students owe nearly $2 trillion in student loans, and the tools that we have to prevent students from taking on additional debt to complete their education aren’t keeping up with the rising costs of higher education—even at our public colleges and universities,” Carbajal said during a University of California Santa Barbara May 25 event. In 2021, U.S. student loan debt totaled more than $1.7 trillion, and Californians hold the largest amount of student debt—$141 billion—in comparison to any other state. More than 7 million students across the country rely on the Pell Grant to cover the costs of their higher education, but the Pell Grant only covers a third of the average four-year college tuition. “The numbers don’t lie: Pell needs a dramatic overhaul. That’s why I’ve renewed my push to double the maximum Pell Grant award to improve Pell’s ability to cover the costs of a modern education, and I’m pleased to have universal support from the Central Coast’s student organizations as well as many of our colleges and universities,” Carbajal continued.
This article appears in Jun 2-9, 2022.
