Monday, June 11, 2012

Schools Superintendent Called Out By Emery Teachers

The Secret News covers tonight's shocking School Board meeting where teachers excoriated the embattled Emery School Superintendent Debbra Lindo.  The teachers read from their resolution passed by some 90% of their colleagues at both Emery schools.  
From The Secret News:

Emeryville Teachers Blast Superintendent Debbra Lindo; Vote “No Confidence”

June 11, 2012
By Tracy Schroth

 

Teachers cite “unprecedented all-time low in staff morale” created by Superintendent Lindo, “leaving teachers feeling unwanted, devalued, and disrespected …”

Superintendent Lindo


Teachers with the Emeryville School District publicly blasted Superintendent Debbra Lindo tonight for violating the District’s guiding principles, destroying teacher morale, and polarizing the parent-teacher community during her one-year tenure with the District.
The litany of complaints, listed in a resolution of “no confidence” presented to the School Board during its meeting tonight, includes:    Click HERE for more...
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5 comments:

  1. TeacherJune 12, 2012 at 9:46 AM

    Just to clarify, 92% of teachers voted No Confidence when we had a secret ballot. 80% of teachers signed the resolution presented at the board meeting last night. Some teachers who didn't sign were afraid of retribution.

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  2. AnonymousJune 13, 2012 at 10:20 AM

    I wonder how many of the teachers are just pissed off cause Emery finally has a superintendent who does something other than spout platitudes, and doesn't just roll over for the teachers.

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    1. Brian DonahueJune 13, 2012 at 7:17 PM

      Well, judging by teacher's salaries and political clout, I'd say it's been a couple of generations since we had a superintendent rolling over for the teachers....hasn't happened since I've been here (30 years). I'm not quite sure why you used the word "finally". More to the point, it's been just the opposite for at least 30 years....teachers have had their incomes drop, working conditions deteriorate and their political clout has diminished.

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    2. TeacherJune 15, 2012 at 8:04 AM

      How many of the teachers are "pissed off?" That's easy......99.9%. It's easy for someone from the outside looking in to say we have a superintent that "doesn't roll over for the teachers." The truth of the matter is, before the superintendent can "roll over for the teachers," she has to SHOW UP first! Between August 2011 through the end of the school year, she
      hasn't shown her face much on either campus. When she does, it's with a bunch of lies and/or
      negativity! I've had bad leaders before, so I can deal with that. What I don't appreciate is someone saying one thing and doing another. She came to a meeting, looked us dead in the face and said, "Don't worry. There will be changes, but it won't affect the staff." We understand cuts had to happen, but
      at least be HONEST and SINCERE.... Something our current superintendent
      can't do at the moment. We're all a part of the team and we all work hard, but
      before you say things you don't know, come by and visit classrooms. Talk to
      the staff. Ask any teacher how much money have they spent out of pocket to
      provide for the students in their class. Teachers don't teach for the money and
      the fame, that's for sure. We do it because we love what we do and we want
      to make a positive impact on the Emeryville community. 92% of teachers
      voted no confidence. If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and walks like
      a duck, then what......it must be a duck!

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    3. AnonymousJune 15, 2012 at 1:11 PM

      I used to be an employee of the district (I started when Henry Der was superintendent, and I left during Lindo's tenure), I know ALL to well how things run there.

      But you have to admit, between John Quinn, Tony Smith, Stephen Wesley and John Sugiyama, not ONE of them tried to buck the teachers. Granted they had to deal with von Ter Stegge, Mr. Davis and Ms. Turner as ETA reps during that time, and unless you are a master debater, you aren't going to pull anything on those three. But now they have a superintendent who is finally making some real changes, wether those are good changes or not remains to be seen. But I know as a past employee. There was a LOT of fat to cut from the teaching staff.
      2 Spanish teachers to replace von Ter Stegge?
      CJ Patterson just recently started to do some work for the district, for the past two years his job has consisted of managing the sites lottery ticket pool.
      Larry Pratt teaches 2 classes? Jorge Wahner teaches about 20 students a day.
      Marty Procaccio doesn't have any credentials for his job. And he needs an assistant?
      And what about Doug D'Amour? Why does a school district of less than 800 have 3 people, sometimes more, in the business office? I work at a school district of 2700 and we have 2 people in the business office, a CBO and an A/P person.

      The cuts don't negatively impact student learning, the bickering and grandstanding among the adults is what negatively impacts student learning.
      If you don't like the way things are being run, maybe it's time to find another job.

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