At a San Jose elementary school concert, school board trustee and teacher Brian Wheatley went off-book and sang an unapproved, old-timey Christmas parody mentioning guns, which he’s reportedly sung over the years. The school principal swiftly cut him off and sent out an apology.

As NBC Bay Area reports, families of students at San Jose Unified School District’s Reed Elementary received an email apologizing for a controversial song that was sung by Wheatley during the school’s winter concert program Friday. Principal Jennifer Ponzio wrote in the email that Wheatley had requested to sing a song that wasn’t on the schedule, which Ponzio quickly deemed inappropriate upon hearing and jumped in.

“During the concert, which included eight classes, our Trustee requested to sing a song that was not part of the planned program,” Ponzio says in the email, per NBC Bay Area. “The song, which dates back to the 1940s, included references that were not appropriate for a young audience, including mention of a weapon. After approximately 30 seconds, I intervened and stopped the sing-along.”

"Our Trustee has acknowledged this lapse in judgment and has taken full responsibility for the impact of his actions,” the email continues.

"As a school community, we also recognize the importance of clear expectations and safeguards for school events,” Ponzio’s email concludes. “Moving forward, we will be more intentional and diligent in ensuring that all performances and remarks follow approved agendas and reflect our shared values, so that this does not happen again.”

Ponzio shared Wheatley’s apology, which assures families it will never happen again.

"I wanted to follow up with a direct and sincere apology for my lapse in judgement during the school sing-along,” Wheatley’s email states, per NBC Bay Area. “In an effort to bring levity and humor, I shared verses that were inappropriate, and I'm truly sorry for any disruption or distress this may have caused students, staff or families.”

"I take full responsibility for the impact of my actions,” he continues. “As a board member for the past seven years, I value the trust our school communities place in us and have deeply appreciated many positive moments we have shared at Reed events.”

“Please rest assured it will not happen again” Wheatley concludes. “Moving forward, I will be more deliberate and thoughtful in every school setting to ensure my actions reflect our shared commitment to student safety and well-being.”

Wheatley is currently running for re-election for the Trustee Area 4 seat.

Some parents from Reed Elementary discussed the matter on Reddit. The original poster said his five-year-old came home mentioning some old guy singing a parody of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” about a cowboy with a “big red gun.”

“My daughter came home from our last day before winter break and explained that an old man asked to sing a song at the holiday sing along today,” writes the OP, Huge_Lingonberry_140. “According to my daughter and the principals email, he took the microphone and started singing a parody of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer except the lyrics were about a cowboy with a big red gun, ‘turn and run’.”

“How did this guy get elected trustee and how do we get him out?” the OP concludes.

Redditor iamagrizzly responded saying the song in question was likely “Randolph the Red Gunned Cowboy.”

Another Redditor, CommunicationMany507, said they're a former student of Wheatley, who reportedly sang the song annually, including while carolling with students at local convalescent homes. They said the students loved it back in the day.

But times have changed, largely due to gun violence.

Image: Brian Wheatley Trustee

The post has been updated with the correct first name of Reed Elementary's principal, Jennifer Ponzio.

Hayward and Alameda County leaders have proposed a $900,000 reparations fund for residents whose land was seized during the demolition of Russell City — a historically Black and Latino community — to make way for an industrial park in the 1960s.

As Bay Area News Group reports, Russell City, once a thriving Black and Latino community on the edge of Hayward, was bulldozed in the 1960s under the guise of redevelopment. Now, nearly 60 years later, officials in Hayward and Alameda County are proposing a $900,000 redress fund for surviving residents who had their land seized and homes destroyed.

As KGO reports, Hayward officials and Alameda County Supervisors Elisa Márquez and Nate Miley have proposed that $250,000 would be allocated to the fund from the City of Hayward, $400,000 from Márquez’s office, and $250,000 from Miley’s. The funds would go to former Russell City residents whose properties were taken by eminent domain and annexed into Hayward.

Russell City was home to roughly 1,400 people, including Black, Latino, Asian, and poor white residents, before it was razed. About 700 parcels were seized. Though unincorporated and lacking city services, it was a vibrant community known for its strong local identity and blues music scene, hosting acts like Ray Charles and Dottie Ivory.

In 2021, Hayward formally apologized for its role in the destruction of the neighborhood, as reported by KQED. Alameda County followed with its own apology in 2023. That same year, the county formed a Reparations Commission to study the harms done to Russell City residents. The Russell City Reparative Justice Project — launched in 2022 — provided recommendations for how to move from apology to tangible repair.

Supervisor Márquez, who grew up in nearby Kelly Hill and first heard about Russell City from classmates at Fairview Elementary, said, “This is the result of collective and local action. This is what happens when you have people in these positions that are rooted and come from the community.”

She added, “With the background of everything going on at the federal level, it’s more important now than ever that we uplift this reality. We control our own voices, values and destiny at the local level.”

Eligibility requirements and payment processes are still being finalized. The Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on the proposal at its July 22 meeting.

Image: Russell City Art Commemoration mural, Heritage Plaza, Hayward; Downtown Hayward Improvement Association/Facebook