Atascadero school board candidates talk book bans and cellphone use at election forum
Candidates for the Atascadero Unified School District Board of Trustees talked policy and spending at a community forum on Monday.
The forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters and the Atascadero American Association of University Women, allowed community members to submit questions and hear candidates’ stances ahead of the November election, when voters will elect three to the school board.
Four candidates — Joey Arnold, Roni DeCoster, Corinne Kuhnle and Matt Pennon — showed up for Monday’s event. Jodi Taylor, the fifth candidate, was not present.
Kuhnle and Pennon are incumbents — Pennon was appointed to the board in 2022, while Kuhnle has served on the board since 2000. DeCoster, Arnold and Taylor are seeking a seat on the school board for the first time.
The candidates kicked off the forum by laying out their goals and qualifications.
Kuhnle, the longest-sitting trustee, wants to continue pushing for safer schools and helping the district recover from COVID shutdowns. Kuhnle also said fiscal responsibility is a main tenet of her campaign.
Pennon and said improving district communication and family engagement are two top goals.
DeCoster said her background as a district volunteer has given her insight into the budgeting process, and allowed her to develop relationships with district staff. Her background as a paralegal, she said, would assist the district in legal challenges.
Arnold, a Cal Poly graduate and local-business owner, said he’ll focus on academics and fiscal responsibility if elected. Supporting sports and vocational education programs is another key facet of his campaign.
Candidates divide on book bans, cellphone policies
While the four candidates found plenty of common ground during Monday’s forum, they split when asked about library books — a topic that has gained attention in districts locally and nationwide in recent years.
DeCoster, who says she writes children’s books, said she trusts the selection process that books go through to gain approval for a school library. If parents have an issue with their child reading a book, they should speak with school administration to restrict their child’s access to that book, she said.
“Banning a book from a school because one student or a handful of students is not allowed to read that book is unfair and it’s inappropriate,” DeCoster told the audience. “We don’t decide policy based on a few people. We do what is best for every student.”
Pennon described books as the “gateway to knowledge,” and said books help students learn how to think critically.
“School systems for the longest time have been making sure that the books that are accessible to our students are appropriate,” he said. “There’s this new lie that is being spread throughout our nation that there is pornography, that there are inappropriate books on our school campuses and that is not true and we need to call out these lies when they are being told to us.”
But Arnold, an Atascadero rancher and business owner, said he believes some literature in schools has strayed “outside the lines” of what is age-appropriate.
“I would be in favor of not allowing some literature to be shared with certain age groups in our district,” Arnold said.
Kuhnle said she wants to ensure that school materials are age-appropriate.
Candidates also expressed differing opinions on cellphone use in schools, an issue that has plagued districts around the state and county in recent years. In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a policy requiring districts to limit students’ phone use in schools. It takes effect in July 2026.
And while the Atascadero candidates agreed that cellphones cause distractions in the classroom, they split on how to govern them.
Arnold advocated for banning phone use in the classroom.
“Take them away, put them in a cubby, however you’re going to do it ... the kids need to be in the classroom concentrating on what the teacher is teaching,” Arnold said.
DeCoster said she’d like to see the cellphone policy from Atascadero Middle School implemented at the high school. The current middle school policy requires students to turn phones off and put them out of sight when on school property.
“When the students enter ninth grade, they’re already familiar with that policy, so why does it end?” DeCoster said.
She added that she does want students to be able to use their phones in emergencies but feels that phones are a classroom distraction and can contribute to bullying.
Kuhnle voiced concerns about students using cellphones to cheat on assignments and said she would be in favor of limiting students’ access to their phones.
But Pennon took a different stance.
“Banning cellphones doesn’t work. Let’s be very honest and clear about that,” he said. Pennon said the district should continue talking with educators to shape policies that work for staff and students.
Like DeCoster, Pennon also voiced concerns about school emergencies. As a parent of three children in the district, Pennon said he wants his kids to have access to their phones in emergencies.
“What we need to do,” Pennon said, “is make sure that we teach our students how to use technology in a safe, appropriate and healthy way, because it will forever be a part of their life.”
Throughout the forum, candidates referenced district spending and the state budget deficit.
The hopefuls expressed varying opinions on how district funds should be allocated, and acknowledged the district’s challenges in attracting and retaining staff, including special education teachers.
To learn more about the Atascadero school board candidates and their stances, visit our Voter Guide.
.JPG)