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Free speech and activism at Aragon

4 min read

Features

Free speech and activism at Aragon

Austin Lautenbach March 9, 2017

Learn about the students who go out and shout.

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This summer, brother-sister duo senior Matthew Cho

This summer, brother-sister duo senior Matthew Chong and sophomore Hayley Chong began their business, Crochet Away.

“I had a small business running in middle school selling crochet bees,” Hayley Chong said. “Then my brother wanted to improve it this year, and that drove us to start Crochet Away.”

When they began, Hayley Chong mainly created their products while Matthew Chong managed the logistics like organizing orders and promoting on Instagram. He now uses four different spreadsheets to organize their business — one for orders, one for expenses, another for total income and the final one to summarize all the information.

“When you have formulas, you only have to put in a few inputs,” Matthew Chong said. “Then [Google Sheets] automatically does it for you, rather than [having to] calculate yourself and then putting in each cell.”

Crochet Away has received seven orders thus far and they promote their business mostly through word of mouth from their customers and Instagram.

“Be willing to promote and constantly post or repost other people’s stuff relating to your business,” Hayley Chong said. “We [have] a highlight [on] our Instagram [to thank] our customers who have posted our products on their page and tagged us in it so that we can get some recognition.”

Although they currently only have three main designs, “Bella the Bee,” “Baby Bee” and “Ollie the Octopus,” Crochet Away often takes custom orders. Some recent ones include flowers, an orange cat and two pink bunnies.

“[For custom orders,] we’ve got to make sure our customer likes the design that we chose, and [ask] if we need to make any alterations, like adding a small accessory or two if needed,” Hayley Chong said.

In the future, the duo plans to create holiday themed products, like a snowman, as well as other trendy items like Smiskis and Spider-Men.

“I do hope that we can expand our products,” Hayley Chong said. “Maybe eventually releasing our own patterns or designs, or … opening an actual website.”

Reporting by Darshan Bal and Kyra Hsieh.
Photos courtesy of Matthew Chong and Hayley Chong.

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Aragon’s biotech club hosted its 5th annual enviro

Aragon’s biotech club hosted its 5th annual environmental design competition in the MPR on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Each group had 10 minutes to present their project; five minutes to pitch their idea, and five minutes for a Q&A session with the judges. Groups were to find a realistic solution to a specific environmental issue, and were judged on how well they identified the problem and how realistic their solution was.

“[All] the projects that we saw were very well put together in terms of identifying a problem and trying to think of how to approach it. [Just] looking from the outside … [these students] are definitely on the right track to have that right mindset,” said competition judge Cobi Yu. “[Whether] you pursue engineering, business, science, [etc.] in the future, [this] mindset is … going to be more and more important as time progresses.”

Winners received monetary prizes, $1000, $500, and $250 for first, second, and third place, respectively.

“[We] were … looking [for] what [the scope of] problems they’re solving for [is],” said competition judge Sameer Kalra. “For example, [the first place team] defined a larger problem, and then [they came] up with an approach of solving it, [as it was something they can] actually do something about [and] create a prototype [and test] around it.”

The first place group designed a filter for a washing machine, focusing on water pollution. The second place group focused on deforestation through speakers that stimulate plant growth, and the third place group concentrated on algae bloom removal. Students saw that they can make a tangible impact, and many are hoping to continue to compete next year.

“[There’s] really no harm in trying. [The] whole point is [for] people to … work on [and] think about how [to] solve these issues,” said Chase Rokala, a member of the group that placed second. “[The] underlying purpose behind it is to get younger people thinking about the environment or health…to help solve these issues [and] improve the world.”

The Biotech club will host its next competition next year centered around health.

Reporting by Renee Ren.
Photos in courtesy of Aaron Lee.

The California Assessment of Student Performance a

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress test is taken by juniors every year, testing their levels of academic achievement in English and math. The purpose of the test is to show families, teachers and administrators students’ progress and areas where more attention is needed.

“[Teachers] painted [the tests] as something that didn't really have that much impact on our lives,” said senior Sheridan Stewart. “[Your] results [may] … have an impact on [California State University] placements in English and math classes, [but] other than that, it didn't really seem like a very high stakes test.”

Aragon’s test scores are much higher than the state average. In the 2024-2025 school year, 59.39% of juniors earned a passing score in math, far surpassing the state average of 30.49%. In English, 81.71% of juniors scored a passing score, exceeding the state average of 56.96%. This is also an increase from the 2023-2024 school year, where 56.84% of juniors passed the English portion, and 78.19% passed math. Those are 2.52% and 3.51% increases in the last school year, respectively.

“[The questions] were pretty standard, at least for English,” Stewart said. “I'd compare it to [the] grammar [section] on the SAT … I didn't think they were bad, [and] the essay was pretty straightforward.”

There was also growth for English-learner students.

“[Even] though [their] scores were below the average, each student’s scores in math and English went up at least 80 points,” said Vice Principal David Moore. “[We] believe that's because we have our new [community and literacy in action] classes … Everyone [in the English Learners’ Advisory Committee was] super encouraged and excited to continue to grow [the] program to see those scores continue to increase. [That's] hard data that shows those CLA classes work, [so] we're really excited to expand that program.”

The CAASPP test will be administered for juniors again in April 2026.

Reporting by Renee Ren.
Graphic by Madeline Allen.

Advanced Placement Physics teacher Steve Ratto has

Advanced Placement Physics teacher Steve Ratto has been collecting baseball merchandise since his childhood.

“My dad would buy a box of [baseball] cards, and we would open it together to try to complete the set,” Ratto said. “I would watch the All-Star Game with [him], and we’d put out a felt field, and we [would] take the cards that we collected … and move them around during the game.”

As a Giants season ticket holder for seven years and running, Ratto continues to expand his Giants collection with both sentimental and humorous finds.

“I have a [Giants] orange [styrofoam] Hulk fist … meant to hold a drink,” Ratto said. “It’s hilarious. Every time I bring it to a game with friends, it becomes this prop, and it’s a lot of fun. I have a lot of good memories behind that.”

Many of his other memorabilia also have personal stories behind them.

“When you had seats during the pandemic, they’d put your cardboard cutout there in [your] place and televise it,” Ratto said. “I pranked one of my best friends by putting a cardboard cutout of him instead of my wife … Now, he moved to Minnesota … but every now and then, we’ll take his cardboard cutout to a game … It means something when I look at that.”

To Ratto, collecting isn’t about chasing rare or expensive items — instead, they serve as a physical reminder of the moments, people and experiences that make up his life.

“I have these memories related to baseball — good, bad and indifferent; I wouldn’t trade them,” Ratto said. “It’s not just items, but any time that has [those] memories. That stuff matters to me.”

Reporting by Madeline Allen and Zack Li.
Photos by Madeline Allen.

Over the past summer, junior Elena Alvarado has tu

Over the past summer, junior Elena Alvarado has turned her love for baking into a small business, crafting homemade desserts ranging from brownie bites to mini cakes and chocolate dipped strawberries .

“I've been into baking since I was little,” Alvarado said. “I would always make sweet treats with my family, like cookies and brownies.”

What began as a spontaneous decision has gained a steady stream of orders. Alvarado typically receives requests through Instagram, which she uses to plan her schedule in advance. For certain treats, like her chocolate-covered strawberries, she likes to make them fresh in the morning before school to deliver the same day.

When setting prices, Alvarado focuses on fairness and accessibility.

“I price them how I would pay,” Alvarado said. “I feel like some businesses are overpriced, and that makes people want to step away. If I feel like I'm putting myself under with my worth, I would add five more dollars. But it really depends on my customers, and if I can work with them [for] their pricing.”

Running her business has also helped her manage her time and responsibilities.

“I would say I'm a procrastinator,” Alvarado said. “[But with baking] I don't really procrastinate as much because I'm working towards getting my money and giving it to my customers, so having to meet that deadline is easier for me than my schoolwork would be.”

Balancing schoolwork, getting tutored and baking have taught her to prioritize self-care.

“Make sure that you make time for yourself,” Alvarado said. “If you are getting overwhelmed, just let [your customers know] and create time for yourself so that it doesn't take over your mental health, because that can be a big thing too, especially with handling things like school or extracurricular activities.”

For Alvarado, baking isn’t just a business — it’s a way to combine her love for baking and connecting with others.

Reporting by Claire Dong.
Photos courtesy of Elena Alvarado and by Jayson Liu.

On Oct. 30, Aragon held its annual International F

On Oct. 30, Aragon held its annual International Food Fair in Center Court. The fair is an opportunity for Aragon students and families to showcase their culture through food and performances. Dishes from various cultures were offered at different booths, which each represented a country.

“[My mom] cooked mochiko chicken and some mac salad,” said freshman Naoki Yoshimura, who volunteered at the Hawaiian booth. “A ton of families volunteered and cooked the dessert, like the mochi, so everyone helped out.”

Many enjoyed getting to explore different cuisines.

“[The food] was good because it's from the culture [that it represents and] it's more authentic, rather than people just trying to recreate the thing,” said freshman Brian Lipton.

Apart from the food, there were many performances, including a teaser of Aragon Drama’s upcoming Footloose musical, a performance from the Aragon dance team and traditional Mexican, Indian, Filipino, Peruvian and Irish dances.

“We always hear about different cultures, but we never know what they traditionally wear, or where they’re located, or what food they have,” said freshman Maya Khatib, who volunteered at the Lebanon booth. “[The food fair] is a way to bring diversity to the whole school and to teach people that all cultures are important.”

In addition to educating people of cultures outside their own, the fair allowed many to showcase their own cultures.

“My mom [is] Hawaiian and I want to represent her and value the Hawaiian culture,” Yoshimura said. “[This] was one little thing I could do to help out the [Hawaiian] community.”

Reporting by Seanan Young.
Photos by Brandon Ho.

On Oct. 31, Aragon held its annual Halloween Rally

On Oct. 31, Aragon held its annual Halloween Rally during an extended lunch period. Teachers wore themed costumes coordinated with their department and competed in a costume contest, which took place outside the main office, with students watching on the grass of Center Court.

“I wasn't able to see most of it because they held it in front of the [office] instead of out in the grass field, as usual,” said senior Lucas Pemberton. “But from the cheers that I heard, it sounds like everyone [was] having fun.”

The math teachers dressed as hospital patients and the number seven on their gown, creating the pun “sick-sevens,” and the English department dressed as Beanie Babies. The social science department was dressed as the Scooby Doo Crew, while the counseling office dressed as variants of “six-seven,” including “bricks-seven.”

The science department won the competition, dressed as members of the Addams family. The winning department was determined by the volume of the student cheers as the staffulty displayed their costumes and tossed candy into the crowd of watching students.

“[Atoms are] a pun on [the Addams Family],” said physics teacher Steve Ratto, who dressed up as Gomez Addams. “We thought it would be both relevant to the students with the Wednesday series that's going to show up on Netflix, plus it has a relationship to science.”

A student costume contest also took place on Halloween. Students voted on the costumes through Google Forms, with costumes split into various categories.

After the teacher costume contest, students could participate in standard party games with a Halloween twist, like “Pin the Eye on the Zombie,” “Bone Limbo” and “Pumpkin Beanbag Toss.”

In addition, some students trick-or-treated at teachers’ classrooms following the teacher costume contest.

Some believed that the rally positively impacted Aragon spirit.

“Halloween … [is] good fun and I love to see the students dress up … “ said chemistry teacher Max Von Euw. “It makes [Aragon] stronger as a community when we all dress up and have a fun competition.”

Aragon’s next rally will be the Winter Rally on Feb 6.

Reporting by Siddharth Gopinath.
Photos in courtesy of Aaron Lee.

On Oct. 20, Aragon held its annual Club Food Fair

On Oct. 20, Aragon held its annual Club Food Fair in Center Court. 34 clubs participated, as did the class councils. Students bought tickets the week of the fair to be exchanged for various food items brought by each club. The fair was organized by Aragon’s Associated Student Body, and tickets were sold by the Leadership class.

“It was a little bit chaotic, but it was fun,” said freshman class treasurer Joaquin Pok. “We sold [Raising] Canes’ [Chicken Fingers] and got around $70. At least three dozen people visited [our booth].”

Selling food at the fair allows clubs to have extra funding for more events and activities.

“It's a really good fundraising opportunity,” said senior ASB president Neeha Kumar. “If you sell boba, you make a lot of money, usually hundreds of dollars. And if you're selling something a little cheaper, you can make $100 easily.”

Club officers had to purchase adequate amounts of food from outside vendors ahead of time.

“[For] planning, it's difficult, because you have to go buy the materials,” said Reese Pavolotsky, senior and treasurer of Tabletop Club and Do It Yourself Club. “It’s difficult figuring out who's buying what out-of-pocket. At the beginning of the [day], my mom [dropped] off Celsius [for Tabletop Club], [and for DIY Club] we all had to go buy 60 [small bags of fries from] McDonald's. Also, you [have to] make sure [you] actually make a profit, [or you] lose the money and the officers [will] [have to pay for it].”

In addition to fundraising, Club Food Fair is also intended to give clubs more exposure.

“Since a lot of the clubs are out there, people discover that there are some clubs that they didn't know existed,” Kumar said. “Last year, I discovered that there was a Baking Club [because] they were selling cookies, and that was really fun.”

In the future, ASB may expand the Club Food Fair.

“It’s a really great opportunity for us,” Kumar said. “[So] we're hoping to — if this food fair goes well — start doing it twice a year.”

Reporting by Siddharth Gopinath.
Photos by Madeline Allen.

On Oct. 22, Aragon held its annual Expo from 6:30-

On Oct. 22, Aragon held its annual Expo from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The goal of the Expo is to showcase the academics, athletics, arts and other programs offered at Aragon.

The Expo is for prospective parents and students to see Aragon's campus and experience what high school might look like.

“I learned a lot more about the clubs and activities, like extracurriculars,” said eighth grader Juliette Marie Mounts. “I'm very excited to check out the electives and see all the classes that there are, because [Aragon is] much more diverse than I thought.”

The Expo had two parts: a presentation in the theater and numerous booths where prospective students and parents could talk to teachers and staff in the South Gym and Multipurpose Room. After a brief address from principal Dr. Michael Jones, each department presented a short video on the types of courses that are offered, in addition to a video from the counselors and wellness counselors on the services that they provide at Aragon.

After the videos, Jones continued to speak about the core values of Aragon and what it would be like if the students decided to come to Aragon. At the end of Jones’ presentation, the cast of Aragon’s fall musical Footloose performed their opening number.

“It encouraged a bunch of incoming freshmen to want to try out the drama program,” said freshman cast member Jayden Jurow. “Just seeing the product [of our work] displays how good the program is.”

A string quartet and a duet from Aragon’s music program played on the campus as parents and students were walking around and while families found their seats.

Attending the Expo also impacted how prospective students view Aragon.

“Before I came to Aragon, I thought of [it] as this big school with a bunch of lockers lining the walls, like a cartoon school,” Jurow said. “I was fully expecting [for it to be] not the best place. But then I [went to the Expo], and I realized this was a beautiful campus, and I immediately liked the vibe of the location. After Expo night, [that impression] really stuck with me, and hearing all the programs that [Aragon] has to offer made me happy.

Reporting by Seanan Young.
Photos by Jackie Wong.

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Junior Mina Hwang has been playing the piano since

Junior Mina Hwang has been playing the piano since she was five years old and has since won numerous competitions.

“My aunt gave me this mini keyboard,” Hwang said. “And I used to play around [with it]. But then I asked my mom, on my fifth birthday, to take me to a piano lesson. It started as a hobby, but then, little by little, it became more serious in my life.”

For Hwang, daily piano practice takes up one to two hours, or even five to ten hours during testing and competition time.

“Every touch is so important,” Hwang said. “If a note slips, the judges can hear it. If you’re not giving your best interpretation, the judges can hear it. It’s really important to give 100 percent emotion, 100 percent focus, into every single recording.”

Expanding from her solo journey, Hwang became a piano accompanist, joining the Bowditch Middle School orchestra in sixth grade and the Bay Area Youth Choir & Orchestra in seventh grade.

“It’s a new experience [compared to] when you’re playing by yourself because you really have to understand and match what your vocalists or string soloists are doing,” Hwang said. “You’re [not] free [or] on your own to do whatever you want. You want to understand what they mean and listen and play along. As an accompanist, it’s really important … not [to] overpower [the other instrumentalists].”

Hwang has found success in her musical endeavors, winning first place as a soloist in the 2025 Charleston International Music Competition. Hwang has also won a gold award with junior and violinist Laura Wang and sophomore and cellist Kana Ueno from the California Music Educators Association.

In the future, Hwang plans to continue playing classical music, as well as jazz and pop, and explore music composition.

“When I play piano, I feel the most comfortable,” Hwang said. “It’s a beautiful way to communicate, not with your words, but through your emotions. It’s a really valuable experience that everybody should [have].”

Reporting by Helen McCloskey and Kyra Hsieh.
Photos in courtesy of Mina Hwang and Madeline Allen.

On Sept. 12, the Aragon Improv Team held its annua

On Sept. 12, the Aragon Improv Team held its annual “Welcome Back” show in the theater.

“The main purpose of the Welcome Back Show was to grab your attention and go, ‘hey, join our improv team,’” said junior and improv treasurer Li Jennings. “It’s to spark interest in improv — not only in coming to the shows, but perhaps performing.”

The team performed a number of short form games, including Town Hall, Pillars, Family Dinner and Character Swap, followed by a montage about cheese. In Family Dinner, the performers acted as an audience member’s family, and the audience member rang a bell when the performers were accurate to their family. There was also a montage on cheese, which included a skit about a kid who wanted to become a cow milker, but had a cheese churner as a dad. The scene ended with the kid bringing a cow in, played by an actor on all fours.

Read our full coverage on aragonoutlook.org

Reporting by Ryan Li.
Photos by Haley Lau.

Senior Tory Maciel began her filmmaking journey in

Senior Tory Maciel began her filmmaking journey in her junior year to satisfy her interest in the discipline.

Maciel’s first filmmaking endeavor was creating a film during a two-week intensive camp. The film is 1980s-inspired and follows a stereotypical nerd and jock who conspire to steal exam answers.

“This was our first film for basically all of [the people in my group],” Maciel said. “Two weeks is [an] extremely limited [amount of time] and we only had two days of filming, two days for basically every stage [of production], which is extremely difficult, especially with eight minds all collaborating at once … It was the messiest thing ever. But it was so fun because the plot … was very cliche.”

Since then, Maciel has written screenplays and produced other films. The lengthy filmmaking process requires much collaboration and compromise, such as in another one of Maciel’s projects, the “Flesh and Spirit” series, which follows a girl coming of age at a Catholic school.

“I was the weaker link in the writing,” Maciel said. “I’d write something and then my partner would show me every reason why their version was better. Seeing other people’s ideas and thinking, ‘My idea is better,’ and then having to compromise is really difficult sometimes, especially when you get attached and feel strongly about something … but it’s necessary, and maybe your idea is better, but [that] doesn’t mean their idea is bad, either. The hardest part [of filmmaking] … is coming to [an] agreement about every single line.”

Maciel draws inspiration for her films from her own life and the world around her, whether it is from videos, nature or the color orange.

“In the screenplay I’m working on right now, one of the most pivotal scenes is [set] during sunset,” Maciel said. “So many important moments in my life have happened during sunset. That scene is where the characters are … being very vulnerable with each other in that moment … [and] you can feel the love.”

In the future, Maciel plans to create tour films and publish them on YouTube or a streaming service.

Reporting by Helen McCloskey, Kyra Hsieh and Yang Yang.
Photos in courtesy of Tory Maciel and Madeline Allen.

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In one year, senior Ivan Hager went from being a b

In one year, senior Ivan Hager went from being a beginner in photography to selling his work.

“Through high school I had friends … who liked to take photos,” Hager said. “I took Digital Photography my junior year [which] boosted my interest in [photography] … I bought my first camera towards the end of that class.”

Hager began taking photos of Aragon athletic events for the yearbook, but has since become a hired photographer for MaxPreps.

“Being at the event I’m taking photos of is the most fun part of the process,” Hager said. “I’ve always watched sports, but never played it. This is a way for me to be connected to it.”

Apart from taking photos of sports, Hager also enjoys capturing birds and aviation.

“Fleet week air show last October was really fun because the spot I was in was close to all the planes,” Hager said. “Seeing and taking pictures of the Blue Angels was really cool … I was in this area [for photographers].”

Learning photography required a lot of patience from Hager.

“The biggest challenge is keeping track of the subject because it’s going so fast,” Hager said. “It can also be difficult if you don’t have certain types of lenses … For sports, I had to save up money to buy gear, even if it’s old gear, to get as good of a result as possible.”

Hager has found immense value from photography.

“[Through photography] you get to create memories through an image,” Hager said. “For example, in sports, you get to see the action but then you get to create the memory for yourself as well as the players and the [audience].”

In the future, Hager hopes to become a photographer for a professional team and also try concert photography.

Reporting by Meilin Rife.
Photos in courtesy of Ivan Hager and Anna He.

With finals approaching, many students seek ways t

With finals approaching, many students seek ways to destress and connect with nature. Spending time outdoors by exploring hiking trails could be a viable option for students.

In San Mateo, there are various hiking trails to choose from, including the likes of Sawyer Camp Trail and Waterdog Lake & Open Space. In a further radius to San Mateo, popular trails include Montara Mountain Trail in Pacifica and various trails in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

“The most enjoyable part about hiking for me is that you are pretty isolated,” said junior Luca Mangano. “You have a really nice view while you are hiking as well … it’s also [refreshing] to get out and get closer to nature.”

One of the most local and most popular hikes in the area is Sawyer Camp Trail. Sawyer Camp Trail is a scenic hike that traces the Crystal Springs Reservoir.

It consists of a windy and paved 11.6-mile trail that extends from San Mateo to Millbrae. Sawyer Camp Trail also features 456 feet of elevation change, and the trail takes around three-and-a-half hours to complete.

Established in 1978, Sawyer Camp Trail is one of the most popular in the area, with around 300,000 hikers visiting each year. Many people like to walk on this trail mainly for its views, consisting of a view of the Santa Cruz Mountains and even sights of the peninsula as a whole.

Overall, Sawyer Camp Trail provides a positive experience, consisting of an easy hike, all the while providing excellent views as well. At times, the trail gets close to the bank of the reservoir.

Another local hiking trail is the Waterdog Lake and Open Space, located in Belmont. The space preserve consists of five trails that lead to a freshwater lake. The trails are surrounded by many trees and are made accessible for bikes with various wooden bridges that go over creeks.

“I like how you feel like you’re deep in a forest when you’re there, even though you’re basically in someone’s backyard,” Mangano said. “There’s also a lake at the bottom that I see a lot of dogs swim in, it’s a fun place to go for an afternoon.”

Check out the full coverage on aragonoutlook.org.

Reporting by Antonio Mangano.
Photos by Felix Ma

The Outlook reported in the fall that the San Mate

The Outlook reported in the fall that the San Mateo Union High School Board of Trustees planned to decide on a district-wide cell phone policy this spring in order to comply with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Phone-Free School Act, which requires districts to implement policies restricting cell phone usage.

Aragon’s current rule for the usage of personal electronic devices is that they are to be turned off during class. It does not specify how this must be done, but some teachers have utilized phone charts or pockets.

Discussion about a new policy has been postponed until the fall due to other Board topics taking priority. This delay has given the Board more time to review data from the Panorama survey, which was taken by students, staff and parents last semester. The results revealed a common theme, with all respondent categories reporting that students seemed distracted by their phones when doing work.

While the Board has not started drafting the policy, the district will most likely set a foundational guideline for phone restrictions during class time, but leave the exact implementation up to the individual schools.

“My sense is [that the baseline rule is] going to be really rooted into what our values are,” said Brian Simmons, SMUHSD Director of Curriculum and Assessment. “What do we care about making sure students know and are able to do? The academic, social, emotional standards that we try to hold kids to [are] going to be big pieces of it.”

Although this approach would allow schools and teachers to determine what will work best for their students and environments, some anticipate the potential loose policy will lead to inconsistencies in execution.

“If we create a policy that is kind of unclear and leaves a lot of room for interpretation, that’s problematic,” said social studies teacher Courtney Caldwell. “So if there’s going to be a policy, then that policy needs to be upheld [throughout all schools in the district].”

Newsom’s law requires districts to have a policy in place by July 2026 so that it can be carried out starting in the 2026-27 school year.

Reporting by Naomi Kotani.
Data in courtesy of the San Mateo Union High School Board of Trustees.

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