MassResistance leader aims to disrupt Southeast Academy relocation

Chris Garcia addresses the NLMUSD Board of Education on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Photo by Vince Medina)

NORWALK — The Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District board of education listened as Christopher Garcia, the Norwalk MassResistance chapter leader, shared allegations the board broke the law when they voted to relocate Southeast Academy High School.

The board voted to relocate Southeast Academy High School (SEA) to John Glenn High School (JGHS) during their meeting on March 24. The high school is across the street from the academy.

Garcia and other parents from the academy argue the district did not give proper notice or give the community an opportunity to address the issue, violating the California Brown Act. He is attempting to pursue legal action against the district to reverse their decision as he wrote in a letter to the board on May 7, demanding they “cure and correct” their action.

“This letter is to draw your attention to what we the parents of Southeast Academy High School Cadets believe is a substantial violation of a central provision of the Ralph M. Brown Act; one which may jeopardize the finality of the action taken by the NORWALK LA-MIRADA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Board of Education,” wrote Garcia in his letter.

Garcia’s argument against SEA relocation

The board discussed relocating SEA under their item “Facilities Prioritization and Recommendations: Measure G and Additional Facilities’ Projects” during a meeting on March 27.

“The Superintendent is seeking Board direction for facilities projects including those under Measure G, Phase 1E totaling $20.0 M and additional projects for Huerta and Southeast Academy as discussed in previous Board meetings,” was written in the description for the item.

The Huerta site refers to Huerta Elementary School, which was closed several years ago and now houses the Migrant Education Department and hosts some after-school programs.

The description also included the cost estimates for district-wide facility renovations, improvements to the Huerta site and the cost estimate to relocate SEA to Excelsior High School.

The board deliberated renovation costs and available resources until almost midnight. They weighed multiple options including a $34 million renovation of the current site, or building a $62 million new campus at Excelsior High School.

While there was no cost scenario for moving SEA to JGHS, Superintendent Natasha Baker said no new structures would need to be added to the high school.

Southeast Academy High School is the only stand-alone free public military and law enforcement high school in California. The academy has a 100% graduation rate, according to the school website.

Input was invited on the issue from Jennifer Padilla, the John Glenn High School principal; Master Sergeant Marty Schafer, the Southeast Academy director; and Ricardo Rodriguez, who was a Southeast Academy cadet.

“Families come to Southeast Academy for the academy experience,” said Schafer. “If they don’t have that, they’ll go back to their home schools.”

During public comments, Rudy Miranda, a parent in the district, also expressed concerns about relocating SEA to EHS, citing the renovation costs, facility issues and the loss of electives. He asked the board to finalize their decision and suggested realigning middle schools to JGHS for better population balance.

As the board members’ decision became apparent, Garcia, a father of three cadets at the academy, shouted at the school board and threatened to take his kids out of the district.

“You’re going to kill Southeast, you’re gonna kill it,” said Garcia. “I’m pulling my boys out as soon as you guys do that. That’s three (students). I moved here for Southeast.”

Ultimately, a majority of the board sided with the John Glenn option, despite the reservations of some members and parents. School board members Lorena Vidaurre, Espie Free, Norma Amezcua and Jose Rios voted to move Southeast to John Glenn High School. School board members Robert Cancio, Narcis Brasov and Becky Langenwalter voted to keep the academy at its current location.

Garcia is basing his argument on JGHS not being an option for the relocation on the agenda.

“The motion and vote were to relocate Southeast Academy High School to John Glenn High School in a merger,” wrote Garcia. “That option was not listed on the agenda – merging Southeast Academy with John Glenn High School – in violation of the agenda and notice requirements set forth in California Government Code Section 54954.2.”

Over a dozen SEA cadets arrived at a board training on April 7, expressing they wanted the academy to stay at its current location. They also came to the board meeting on April 24, to advocate for the campus as well.

During the administrative item to approve minutes from the March 24 meeting, board president Brasov proposed amending the minutes. Brasov said he could not ratify the minutes that ratify a vote he found “procedure improper.”

“Given the response we’ve seen, I don’t think I can look at anybody with a straight face and say, ‘Yeah, people knew that was coming,’” said Brasov. “The agenda set for that evening stated ‘facilities for Southeast as discussed at prior board meetings.’ The most common reading (of ‘prior board meetings’) is what happened during the last two weeks, and the last two weeks the discussion was either staying put or moving to EHS.”

Brasov also argued that the vote did not follow his three rules of good governance: “no vote is pro forma, efficiency must give proper notice to the public, and not undermining (fellow board members) once a vote is taken.” He moved to delete the vote from the March 24 meeting minutes.

Board member Free argued against the board president since the conversation leading up to the vote was during the public meeting.

“We did ask our consultants during our training last week, and they agreed that it was in public, although the conversation went elsewhere,” said Free. “President, I’d like to remind you that you just said ‘do not undermine,’ but I felt undermined right now because four of us voted this way, but you are undermining us by bringing it up again.”

The law firm Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost (F3) conducted a Brown Act training with the board on April 7.

The general council for the district, Robert W. Jacobsen, clarified that approving the previous board minutes is only meant to reflect the actions of the board during that meeting.

“If there is a concern about whether or not the vote happened in accordance with the Brown Act, we understand that a challenge has been made and outside council has reviewed it and feels that’s not the case,” said Jacobsen. “If there’s a request to reconsider this, that’s something that has to go through the board president and the superintendent, but to erase this, there’s no basis for doing so. To say that we didn’t do this would be actual prejudicial error.”

After the clarification, the president’s motion to erase the vote from the meeting minutes failed 4 - 3.

Garcia’s attorney, Barry D. Silbermann, argues this moment “gives evidence that the effort to color the March 24, 2025, vote to approve” the John Glenn merger of Southeast Academy was, in fact, an arbitrary and capricious, CA Constitutionally void action of no force or effect.”

A “Notice to Cease and Desist” was sent to the board by Silbermann on June 23. However, most of the arguments were the same as those made in Garcia’s cure letter.

The “Notice to Cease and Desist” does include arguments to both state and federal constitutional provisions, civil rights statutes and including due process violations.

“The March 24, 2025, Board attempted merger actions and since, also violate the U.S. Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment due process clause as a state government entity’s state action,” wrote Silbermann. “The March 24, 2025 Board attempted merger actions and since, fails to meet the U.S. Supreme Court’s “hard look” Doctrine.”

A cease and desist notice is different from a cease and desist order. The notice is not legally binding and it cannot force the recipient to comply. An order is a formal directive issued by the court or government agency, telling the recipient to immediately stop a specific activity.

Garcia was also accused by the district of trespassing on the Excelsior High School campus with two of his sons during the final weekend at the end of March, between March 29 and March 30. The district alleges he was trying to access restricted areas of the campus.

Garcia said he was there with two of his sons running the open field track at the high school.

“I rang the doorbell for the maintenance and no one came to the door, I was hoping they could give us a tour, but no one showed up,” said Garcia. “So we went around, trying to look in the windows, to see if it looks as bad as they claim. We did hear something in one of the doors, and I thought, maybe there’s people working here. And we checked the door. It was closed, and all the doors were locked.”

During a meeting in his backyard with parents from Southeast Academy on May 23, Garcia shared he intends to stop and delay the academy merger with John Glenn for as long as possible.

While the district has not had the opportunity to respond to cease and desist notice, they responded to Garcia’s cure letter on June 7.

District rebuttal to the allegations

In a letter from superintendent Baker, the district argued against Garcia’s allegations and affirmed their decision to relocate SEA. The district addressed Garcia’s main argument about violating the Brown act.

The Brown Act falls under the California Government Code, in sections 54950 through 54963.

“Under Government Code section 54954.2, the agenda must provide a “brief general description” of each item of business to be transacted or discussed, sufficient to inform the public of the general nature of the item,” wrote Baker. “California courts have consistently held that the Brown Act does not require an agency to predict or post the exact action the legislative body may ultimately take. Rather, the agenda item must only give notice of the subject matter under consideration.”

Baker wrote the agenda conveyed the board’s ultimate action through the title of the item and through the description. Costs for moving SEA to EHS were shared and the agenda showed the superintendent was seeking direction from the board about the location and upgrades to the academy.

In the letter, the superintendent explains that while there were only two options for the relocation, they were meant to assist the board in deliberations and did not limit them to only those options. The board had maintained the discretion to use other options related to the subject matter.

“Significantly, persons interested in the location of Southeast Academy High School had notice that this topic was going to be discussed and might be acted upon, and could attend the meeting to comment on this item,” wrote Baker. “Specifically, the public had notice of the subject matter under consideration (i.e., the location and possible relocation of Southeast Academy High School) and the purpose of that action (i.e., for facilities upgrades). In fact, during public comments, speakers addressed the impact of moving Southeast Academy, including specifically to John Glenn High School. Various community members were asked to share input on such a relocation. Relocating Southeast Academy was clearly part of the agenda topic and actively discussed.”

“The Brown Act requires notice of the subject matter and an opportunity for public input, both were provided here. The agenda gave fair notice that facilities prioritization, including school relocation, could be considered, and the public was offered meaningful opportunity to comment. At a minimum, the Board substantially complied with all legal requirements, providing the necessary foundation for it to take lawful action on March 24, 2025 and there is no need to cure or correct the March 24, 2025, action.”

Transition plans for relocating SEA to JGHS are underway, as was shared on the SEA website.

“Implementation of the plan will be completed prior to the start of the 2025-26 school year,” according to their website.

Background on Garcia

Garcia was a candidate for the NLMUSD school board in 2024, and lost after receiving less than 37% of the vote in trustee area three. He said he plans to run for the school board again in 2026 by moving to a new trustee area, since becoming the Norwalk chapter leader of MassResistance.

The 48-year-old Norwalk resident is a single father of five boys, after being divorced three times. He said he was medically discharged from the Marines after a year and a half when he said he experienced an asthma attack.

Chris Garcia addresses the Women's California Republican Association in Fullerton on Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Photo by Vince Medina)

After working as a security officer, he is now a full-time stay-at-home care provider for his son. Garcia said he is able to receive benefits from Veterans Affairs.

MassResistance, an organization the Southern Poverty Law Center labeled a hate group, has held a presence in NLMUSD since they rallied against the Wellbeing Center at John Glen High School during the summer of 2023.

The Wellbeing Center provided health education, information about substance abuse, mental health and stress reduction groups. Masters Level Health Educators from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health were present to support students, teach sexual health and provide sexually active young people with counseling, according to the FAQ.

A registered nurse was also available for on-site testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, condoms, over-the-counter emergency contraception, pregnancy tests and sexual health information for students.

Members of the organization have already been elected to the school board. Becky Langenwalter, trustee area seven, was elected to the NLMUSD board of education in November 2024. The self-described pro-family group’s field director, Arthur Schaper, had identified Langenwalter as the local chapter leader.

As Garcia plans his next campaign, he continues to make allegations against his former school board election opponent, Jose Rios, and the board of education as a whole. However, most of his evidence is based on hearsay and he provides little to no tangible evidence for his claims.

After his loss, Garcia began making accusations against Rios and his wife, Margarita Rios, a Norwalk city council member. She served a term as mayor in 2024.

Garcia speculated, based on rumors and no evidence, the couple has an improper relationship with the construction company Grapevine Development. He said during her time as mayor, Margarita Rios changed the zoning of Excelsior High School to residential.

After discussions with Grapevine part-owner James Acevedo, and public relations officials from the city of Norwalk and NMUSD, it was found that the development company has never done business with either governing body.

While proposals were made by Grapevine Development to the school board about buying the Excelsior property, the board declined the offer. The idea was also pitched to the school district before Rios was elected to the board of education.

According to both Rios and Acevedo, the two know each other only through the Norwalk Chamber of Commerce.