Santa Barbara Unified school board candidates debate AI and budget

Candidates for the Santa Barbara Unified school board participated in a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters, where students and community members raised questions regarding artificial intelligence, racism, and student input.

Trustee area one candidate Valerie Amparan advocated for introducing AI as a classroom tool with age-appropriate guardrails, while Jacqueline Inda Karlsen emphasized the need to collaborate with state leaders to implement best practices. Regarding campus racism, Amparan called for student consequences and education, while trustee area four candidate Mark Philibosian stressed the importance of management accountability and swift action.

In his campaign for trustee area four, Philibosian, a former consultant, is focusing on the district’s $250 million spending plan and a $9.7 million deficit. He aims to implement a long-term plan to stabilize enrollment and improve test scores to match high-performing areas like Palo Alto.