A routine request to close down streets for the annual December La Jolla Christmas Parade turned into a debate over making the parade’s name faith-neutral, with the issue voted down 9-5-2 by La Jolla Community Planning Association trustees in September.
The meeting took an unanticipated twist as Cindy Marten, San Diego Unified School District superintendent, speaking as a private citizen, supported the ongoing effort to remove Christmas from the La Jolla parade name and have it changed to something more generic, like “holiday.”
“Yes, I do support looking at a name for the parade that is faith-neutral and inclusive of all faiths and cultures,” Marten emailed after the meeting. “While the parade may be privately funded, the use of public city streets makes it a community event.”
Marten noted a discussion over a possible name change “offers us the opportunity – as a wider community – to have a meaningful, collaborative discussion about inclusivity that allows people to express their opinions without judgment and with politics aside. This is especially timely given the increasing diversity of our American workplace – a good thing – and the associated challenges with observing religious-based holidays.”
Marten added that the issue of changing the parade name “may be a question for local school leaders to discuss whether participation in events with faith-based names is appropriate. I am not suggesting specific action or a future agenda item – just that it may be timely to have a more global discussion.”
Later news reports said that Marten may prohibit school bands from performing in the parade if the name is not changed.
A couple association trustees and private citizens in attendance said they felt discussion of the parade name change was inappropriate given that the item was agendized strictly as a traffic and transportation-related street closure, with no mention of the proposed parade name change.
Trustee Francis O’Neill Zimmerman disagreed, stating it was impossible to consider closing down public streets without discussing the purpose — and symbolism — of the private parade and what it represents to the community.
“We (trustees) are being asked to approve the closing of streets for an event whose name is extremely contentious,” Zimmerman said. “We ought to rethink our support for that endorsement. I don’t think we should be endorsing stuff that needs reflection and change. We have an opportunity here to get a more neutral name that is more inclusive.”
Association colleague Ray Weiss said he was “sympathetic to concerns about the name of the parade,” pointing out that name “represents the town.” He added “public streets belong to all the people.”
“The only way we (trustees) have any leverage here is by denying the street closures for this parade,” pointed out trustee Rob Whittemore.
The argument was made that changing administration of the year-end parade, once run by La Jolla Town Council but now handled by a private, nonprofit foundation, was done deliberately as an “end-around” to avoid the parade name change controversy.
Trustee Cindy Greatrex, also a town council member and immediate past president of that group, denied that claim, noting the move to create a separate private foundation and split it from town council was done so that more contributors would be encouraged to donate to the parade because of its tax-exempt status.
In other action:
• Following the debate, trustees voted 10-1-4 to reject a city letter that maintained the planning group violated its bylaws by not immediately seating a disputed board candidate, architect Michael Morton.
• Trustees gave thumbs up to plans by George Hauer to convert his restaurant at 1250 Prospect St. to expand his rooftop dining terrace. The vote was 10-4-2.
