The Emery School District Does Not
Support Our Teachers
Good public schools don't happen in a vacuum. They require support from the larger community, at least a little. Here in Emeryville, the schools haven't gotten a lot of support from the community other than voting ourselves a lot of new taxes. But that's going to have to change. Because the Emery School Board is marginalizing our teachers, and we're going to have to step in and pick up what the School Board has dropped. If we don't do anything, our investment in the schools and our children's expectations for a good education will both turn sour.
One year ago today, the teachers at Emeryville's schools sent the School Board and the people of Emeryville a loud and clear response to a crisis. That response, a document they called the Teachers Resolution, reveals that the teachers can't work with Superintendent of the Emery Schools, Debbra Lindo as they have no confidence in her. With the public presentation of the Resolution on June 11, 2012, the teachers appealed to the School Board and to the people of Emeryville to help resolve the crisis. But their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. The School Board has made themselves equally clear: they do not support the teachers.
However the School Board hasn't simply ignored the teachers in the wake of the release of the Teachers Resolution, they've actively countered with a resolution of their own, rejecting the teachers and throwing their total support to the Superintendent. With their counter-resolution, the Board is letting the teachers and the public know where their loyalties lie and anyone who thinks teachers should be part of a functioning school district should know that teachers here are considered expendable.
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| Mark Davis Acting President, Emeryville Teachers Association: The School Board has done nothing to help the teachers |
Superintendent Lindo for her part told the Tattler in December she has heard the teacher's charges against her in the Resolution and she has "fixed" the problems, a remark that has brought guffaws and indignation from every Emery teacher we approached. One teacher who wishes to remain anonymous called such talk from the Superintendent "lip service" based on nothing.
Speaking last week to this claim that the problems the Superintendent has with the teachers have been resolved, Mark Davis, acting Emeryville Teachers Association President countered, "Not according to the feed back I've been receiving from the teachers". Mr Davis added that the School Board has shown no interest in helping resolve the problems the teachers are having with Ms Lindo, "The Board has never inquired or sought an update as to what the teacher's position is regarding the lack of confidence in the superintendent" he said.
Superintendent Lindo is disingenuous when she claims to support the teachers says the anonymous teacher we interviewed, "Ms Lindo is paying lip service to improving transparency and communications with parents, teachers and even administrators as she pursues her personal agenda. In the process she has brought chaos and discord to the administration of the District and its schools, and so demoralized teachers that many are making 'escape' plans to work in a less pernicious environment" the teacher said.
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| Melodi Dice School Board President: She says the Board considers the teachers at Emery as "family" |
It's Up to Us
We find it very informative that two School Board members we asked about the one year anniversary of the Teachers Resolution drew a blank; they didn't even know what we were asking about. It's obvious that the teacher's concerns are not on this Board's radar. It is obvious to anyone paying attention that the Emery School Board will not support our teachers...not after a year waiting.
Teachers are essential to effective public schools and to diminish them like this School District is doing is to threaten this whole endeavour. So we the people of Emeryville should act. Beyond Emeryville residents basic desire for decent public schools in support of our children and our sense of inclusion and fair play, we residents have a lot invested in this school district. We're spending everything we have and more on the Center of Community Life in support of the schools. We should accept this discounting and marginalizing of our teachers ultimately presents an existential threat to the schools here.
We are especially concerned that this dysfunctional School Board has recently voted themselves another year in office; a subversion of democratic principles and we're beginning to realize to support the teachers and public education here in Emeryville is to replace these School Board members by recall.
Let's resolve to not be having this same discussion this time next year.
Emeryville citizens should move to protect their investment in the schools and support the teachers. Here's what citizens can do:
- Don't vote for ANY of these School Board members when they run for re-election
- Write or e-mail the School District
- Attend a School Board meeting and speak out
- No more School Board appointments; support elections for EVERY School Board member
- Support a recall of the School Board
