In the News…the REAL News…not the sandi.net version

It is unbelievable how tone deaf…and how unfeeling… the San Diego Unified School District has become under the current senior leadership of Cindy Marten and her senior staff.

With the addition of the MRAP debacle still fresh in the minds of all School Site Stakeholders, the unbearable heat in the area brought out another example of the total disconnect of the SDUSD Central office and life at a school site.

A news item broadcast on Channel 7 San Diego titled “Teacher Complains of Unsafe Conditions in Hot Classrooms” (http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Teachers-Heat-Hot-Classrooms-Heatwave-San-Diego–275282181.html) featured a teacher (with her voice garbled so she couldn’t be identified…wonder why?) explaining the misery that she and all the teachers in non-air conditioned classrooms face even AFTER the students leave at noon.   

The most revealing part of the story were responses from the SDUSD:

“SDUSD spokesperson Linda Zintz says if teachers can’t find a cool place on campus to finish their work, they can always go to a cafe.”

“The District says that teachers are contracted to work a set number of hours”

“She also said if teachers are that uncomfortable, they can also use one of their sick days or personal time.”

So the SDUSD answer to thousands of teachers who are supposed to be dedicated to students and also loyal to the SDUSD leadership is:

You are contracted to work in whatever unsafe conditions we dictate and your only recourse is to look for an oasis in the desert of your excruciatingly hot campus, “go to a cafe” (how quaint!), take personal leave or sick days (that you may need later when you actually DO have a personal situation or illness) or just suck it up and drop from heat stroke.

Another WONDERFUL message to send to one of the most important parts of the SDUSD Stakeholder Community.

Looks like the “BE KIND” phrase in the Senior Leadership Mantra has been replaced with:

“SUCK IT UP…IT IS IN YOUR CONTRACT”

Unfortunately that is about as “Kind” as the SDUSD Senior Leadership can get…unless they are also “getting” something for it…a photo op…a concession on the contract…an MRAP…a career boost…a promotion…a political score.

Principals, ELST’s, Students, Parents and Community Members already knew that about them first hand..and for all that it’s worth…

WE DO CARE