Ex-District Consultant Gets Free-Speech Award

The former public relations consultant for the Bonita Unified School District has been honored by California’s First Amendment Coalition for her efforts to protect the public’s right to know after she clashed with school board members over the release of information.

Barbara Ward, who quit her position at the district serving La Verne and San Dimas in June when the board considered ending her contract, received the 1997 Beacon Award from the coalition, a statewide group representing media and law firms on free-speech issues.

“I am truly honored,” said Ward, who worked for the district for eight years. Her Upland public relations firm has been in business for 23 years.

The coalition, in giving the award last Friday, cited her stand in defense of the public’s right to know after she fought against a school board majority that did not want to release information on an audit of the district bidding practices. Ward supported the board president who sought the release of the audit.

Ward also advocated full disclosure of information regarding the firing of the superintendent and other legal actions by top officials.

“This, to me, seems like an extraordinary case of a person putting their citizenship above career considerations,” said Joseph T. Francke, the group’s executive director.