Board Braces for Hot Session on Dress Code and Bus Fees : Simi Valley: Trustees will vote on whether to lower the new $300 transportation charge and discuss Valley View’s ban on some T-shirts.

Facing a federal lawsuit and scores of angry parents, the Simi Valley school board will tackle two of the community’s most contentious issues tonight: the student dress code and the new bus transportation fee.

The five-member board will vote on whether to lower a $300 fee for riding the school bus, a charge levied for the first time this year. They will also discuss one junior high school’s strict dress code, now being challenged in U.S. District Court and criticized by parents.

As if that were not enough, the board expects to adopt a resolution opposing Proposition 187, a move some Ventura County schools districts have shied away from due to controversy surrounding the ballot measure.

Proposition 187 would deny illegal immigrants access to public schools, non-emergency health care and other social services. If passed, Ventura County schools could lose nearly $50 million in state and federal funding, school officials have estimated.

Additionally, school districts would have to spend about $6.5 million in administrative costs, namely verifying the immigration status of children and their parents.

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But the most volatile issue before the board tonight promises to be Valley View Junior High School’s dress code, now the subject of a federal lawsuit.

The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Simi Valley Unified School District this month, alleging that the restrictive dress code violates students’ constitutional rights.

The suit was filed on behalf of John Spindler, a 14-year-old Valley View student who was sent home from school for wearing patriotic T-shirts. His mother, Ellen, requested that the board review the school’s dress code.

But board members said Friday that because of pending litigation there is little they can say on the subject.

“I am not sure we are going to have a lot of leeway,” Trustee Diane Collins said. “What I think we have to do is wait for the lawsuit to play itself out.”

Trustee Debbie Sandland said she wants to talk about the dress code, and hopes the board doesn’t shy away from the subject.

“I am totally prepared to discuss it,” she said. “My contention is that we should rethink it. I am going to be very disappointed if the board backs off this.”

Sandland said she plans to present a letter signed by 80 parents and students opposing the dress code. “It says (the dress code) is too strict and it’s gone too far.”

Although the board will not take any action regarding the dress code, parents and students could use the board meeting to voice their opinions, board members said.

“I think there is a lot of strong feeling about it and people are going to come out--no question about it,” said board President Carla Kurachi.

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On the issue of bus fees, trustees will vote tonight on whether to lower fares for home-to-school transportation.

If approved, annual fees that start at $300 per child would be reduced to $200 per child. The district would also begin to offer one-way bus passes and allow parents to pay fares on a quarterly basis.

The school board voted in June to charge for school bus service beginning this school year in an attempt to bring in about $190,000 for the financially strapped district.

But bus pass sales have generated only about $49,760 so far, officials said. By lowering the fares, district officials hope to boost bus ridership.

“When you do things the first time you have to make adjustments,” said Trustee Judy Barry, who supports the lower fee.

Barry is also pushing for a board resolution opposing Proposition 187 because of the potential effect on the school district.

“The rationale behind it is not only the expense,” Barry said. “We don’t feel that the schools should be in the position of policing whether a child and their parents are citizens or not. We are in the business of education, not policing illegal immigrants.”

Collins agreed. “If she wouldn’t have asked for it, I would have. I think we need to take a position. This is a terrible proposition.”

But board member Doug Crosse said he will oppose the resolution against Proposition 187.

“I am not a proponent of this (ballot measure), but the message it delivers is critical,” he said. “To take a stand against it is to say we don’t have a problem.”

Calling the proposition a “necessary wake-up call” addressing the problems created by illegal immigration, Crosse said he believes the costs for schools will be worked out in subsequent bills.