Manufactured Budget Crisis-Blind, Deaf, and …?

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Manufactured Budget Crisis-Blind, Deaf, and …?

December 26, 2006

Trustees, open your eyes
If departing board of trustees President Marcia Cohn-Lyle [of the San Mateo Union High School District] truly thinks that Superintendent Sam Johnson has performed "magnificently" and has not placed the blame on anyone, she has a future in the Bush administration as a consultant for its "stay the course" policy in Iraq. She is that out of touch with events going on in the district. As she states in your article, "District stands by embattled leader" (Dec. 16), she is ignoring the teachers' public declaration of concern over its present leadership.
Ninety-six percent of district teachers know better. This administration manufactured a budget crisis in a time of rising revenues, and its mismanagement of the crisis it created has alienated its employees. Furthermore, both Johnson and [Associate Superintendent Ethel] Konopka have falsely and publicly blamed teachers on numerous occasions for the budget problems that resulted in firing teachers and classified staff. Until the trustees open their eyes and make a change, the real victims of their lack of oversight will continue to be the district's students.
Craig Childress, president,
San Mateo Union High School District
Teachers Association,
San Mateo
San Mateo Daily News

– Written by JC

Posted in Schools

4 responses to “Manufactured Budget Crisis-Blind, Deaf, and …?”

Mary

December 26, 2006

As someone with a daughter at BHS I would like to know what Mr. Childress would suggest for fixing the situation. Repeated calls to shoot the guy who sent the messenger do not seem very helpful at this point. Does he have any concrete solutions that either this Superintendent or the next one could use?
bill

December 28, 2006

Yes, I agree with Mary…the teachers are not interested in solutions…only in skewering Sam Johnson. It’s about time the teachers stepped forward and said what they would do now (other than get rid of Johnson). I frankly don’t think they have a clue. My wallet is staying as locked as their doors were (and are)when it comes to donating money to BHS—I have no interest in seeing teachers’ lives made more cushy than they already are–about time they figured out how real people live.
Ed Larios

December 29, 2006

Teachers and Staff have made public what they would do. However we can only make reccomendations, the Superintendent and the Board have rejected all of them. This is the reason why teachers have taken the stance that they have. Teachers do live in the real world and thats why issues such as Health Care and Working conditions are a high priority. Violating working conditions compromises the education students receive and if teachers don’t stand up to protest then who will?
Grinch

December 30, 2006

Bill,

The teachers don’t get the money that you donate to BHS so the only one that you are hurting is your own child. It is this type of foolish logic that has allowed the district to get into such a state of disgrace.

The SMUHSD was once one of the greatest school districts in the state, now it is a disgrace. Driving the district to a state of bankrupcy is one thing, breaking the spirit of the schools is taking things too far.

It is amazing to see a group of highly educated parents living in one of the wealthiest places in the country allow the district administration and the board to destroy a school system. What is even more amazing is listening to the parents take the bait and blame the teachers for the problem. The SMUHSD will remain a disaster until the community takes control of the schools and demands honesty and ethics of its elected and appointed leaders.

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