22 Questions SDUSD Superintendent/Deputy Secretary Nominee Cindy Marten MUST Answer Before Senate Confirmation Vote!

Superintendent/Deputy Secretary Nominee

22 QUESTIONS

District Deeds received the following 22 questions from an anonymous source about the San Diego Unified Leadership for current Superintendent and Deputy Secretary of Education nominee Cindy Marten since 2013

We have reviewed all these questions and agree that ALL of them should be answered by Marten before or in her Senate confirmation hearing.

We urge our readers to review this list and send it or the link to this post all to your Local, State or Federal official, your favorite TV, Radio or Newspaper or your relatives and friends who are education advocates.

We will update this page with evidence and the answer from Marten for any of the questions listed so check back regularly.

If you have any more question or evidence to answer these questions please leave them in comments at the bottom of this page or send them to districtdeeds@gmail.com

Senators and Media,

It was our hope that Biden and his new team would Build Back Better by choosing a vetted group of professionals to lead critical cabinet positions. We aren’t sure who vetted Cindy Marten, but if the message you are trying to send is that photo ops and a focus on “me” takes precedent over the achievement of students you have made the right choice.

Have you asked any questions about this nominee?

(1) Why isn’t anyone asking questions about the deposition Cindy Marten gave regarding the Green Elementary incident? What kind of district leader responsible for the well being of students would say that she wasn’t sure that the oral copulation of a kindergarten student was not serious or a priority? https://districtdeeds.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/marten-depo-gurrieri.pdf

QUESTION 1 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(2) Why hasn’t SDUSD been able to close a California Department of Education Federal Program Monitoring Review from Spring 2018? Specifically English Learner items 14 and 15—why has it been more than 637 days and the items are still open? Has anyone asked why the textbooks, curriculum and training were not in place over her tenure as superintendent? https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/cr/unrslvfndgs225.asp

QUESTION 2 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(3) Has anyone seen the recent public records request findings raising questions over $37,000 of relief funding that was used to pay for a lobbying firm? Has anyone asked why SDUSD is putting off the release of the totality of these public records requests given Cindy’s nomination? Shouldn’t the public see what was actually purchased given that these were relief funds and should have been used to support students returning to school? Shouldn’t we see these documents before she is confirmed? https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X6USAD-rHEHjT1JIRf5AfrG-YQkSsdDP/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bLdrNgFIqi4_xJlyopVRwJ_kgzhGNwj_/view?usp=drivesdk

https://opensdusd.com/2021/01/21/did-taxpayers-fund-cindy-martens-nomination/

QUESTION 3 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(4) Has anyone seen the yearly reports on the disproportionate Black suspension rates in SDUSD from Dr. Luke Wood at San Diego State University? Has anyone asked why three of the principals with the highest rates of suspension were subsequently promoted when Cindy Marten claims she supports social justice and culturally responsive practices?

https://cceal.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/WHENTHEYpdf.pdf

Note page 17: Montgomery Middle School Principal Stephanie Brown #1 rate of discipline promoted to Principal of Lincoln High School. Innovation Middle School Principal Nicola Labas #3 rate of discipline promoted to Principal of Logan K-12 Complex. Roosevelt Middle School Principal #8 rate of discipline promoted to Area Superintendent. Has anyone looked at the expulsion and suspension record of the newly appointed High School Area Superintendent Erin Richison–check out her suspension and expulsion, dropout rates and achievement rates (esp Black and Hispanic) as a principal at El Cajon Valley High School from 2011-2012, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/dqCensus/DisSuspRate.aspx?year=2012-13&agglevel=School&cds=37681303731692

https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/dqCensus/DisSuspRate.aspx?year=2013-14&agglevel=School&cds=37681303731692

https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/dqCensus/DisExpRate.aspx?year=2013-14&agglevel=School&cds=37681303731692

https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/dqCensus/DisExpRate.aspx?year=2012-13&agglevel=School&cds=37681303731692

https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/CohortRates/GradRates.aspx?Agg=S&Topic=Coh&TheYear=2011-12&cds=37681303731692&RC=School&Subgroup=Ethnic/Racial

https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/CohortRates/GradRates.aspx?Agg=S&Topic=Coh&TheYear=2012-13&cds=37681303731692&RC=School&Subgroup=Ethnic/Racial

https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/CohortRates/GradRates.aspx?Agg=S&Topic=Coh&TheYear=2013-14&cds=37681303731692&RC=School&Subgroup=Ethnic/Racial

QUESTION 4 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(5) Why was the San Diego Chapter of the NAACP the first to come out and question Cindy Marten’s nomination?

https://www.sandiegonaacp.org/2021/01/18/position-statement-on-the-deputy-superintendent-nomination/

QUESTION 5 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(6) Has anyone asked why Cindy would train district leaders on how to delete their emails?

https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/official-san-diego-unified-trained-employees-to-delete-emails-from-public-record/

QUESTION 6 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(7) Has anyone called Lallia Allali, a parent who chairs the District English Learner Advisory Committee, to inquire about Cindy’s support for English Learners over her tenure as superintendent? Has anyone watched the board reports online to watch how she was dismissed when presenting her concerns to the board?

QUESTION 7 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(8) Has anyone called the recently resigned Special Education elected parent leader, Moira Allbritton, to inquire about Cindy’s support for special education over her tenure as superintendent? Has anyone asked her about the number of due process cases filed against SDUSD and Cindy over the last 24 months? Has anyone watched the board reports online to watch how she was dismissed when presenting her concerns to the board?

QUESTION 8 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(9) Has anyone looked at the Advanced Placement (AP) data over Cindy’s tenure? How can you explain the increase in enrollment of students in the first three years and the subsequent decline in AP test taking and pass rates? Doesn’t it look like kids were better off under Superintendent Kowba? Were underserved students just shoved into AP classes to meet quotas without the support needed to be successful?

QUESTION 9 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(10) Has anyone looked at the state SBAC data over Cindy’s tenure? (Not year to year but impact over multiple years.) She conveniently says “kids are not a test score” but why can’t SDUSD show gains on mastery sets of data vs. subjective data that can be manipulated by placing pressure on adults?

QUESTION 10 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(11) Has anyone asked about the number of non-disclosure agreements issued in Cindy’s tenure? Why does the “be kind, dream big” superintendent need to close so many mouths in the system? How about asking about the principals who have been placed on leave before any evidence that the accusations against them were valid? How about the principal who reported that she was being sexually harassed to her supervisor (area superintendent) and was placed on leave?

QUESTION 11 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(12) Has anyone looked into the relationship between school bond funding and Gafcon? Didn’t Cindy teach his kids?

QUESTION 12 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(13) Has anyone examined the results of the workload surveys completed by administrators over Cindy’s tenure? Has anyone read the comments that are submitted as part of the survey?

2018 Elementary Principals Workload Surveys

https://districtdeeds.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/elementary-principals-workload-survey.pdf

2018 Middle Level Prinicpals Workload Surveys

https://districtdeeds.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/middle-level-principals-workload-survey.pdf

2018 K-8 Principals Workload Surveys

https://districtdeeds.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/k-8-principals-workload-survey.pdf

2018 Senior High Principals Workload Surveys

https://districtdeeds.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/senior-high-principals-workload-survey.pdf

2018 Vice Principals Workload Surveys

https://districtdeeds.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/vice-principals-workload-survey-copy.pdf

2018 Central Office Workload Surveys

https://districtdeeds.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/central-office-certificated-management-workload-survey-1-copy.pdf

2017 Workload Survey – Certificated Elementary Principal

2017 Workload Survey – Certificated K-8 School Principal

2017 Workload Survey – Certificated Middle School Principal

2017 Workload Survey – Certificated High School Principal

2017 Workload Survey – Certificated Vice Principal

2017 Workload Survey – Central Office Manager

QUESTION 13 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(14) Has anyone watched the recorded LCAP board meeting from 2018 where promises were made to special education families about the “Lighthouse” model? Where are the Lighthouse models and are they benefiting kids? Are there any?

QUESTION 14 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(15) Has anyone looked at the data at Lincoln High School over Cindy’s tenure? Didn’t she say in her first year as superintendent, “if we get Lincoln right we get public education right?” Has anyone asked the Lincoln community how this has gone? Has anyone looked at the achievement data, college data and other student impact data?

QUESTION 15 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(16) Has anyone asked about how many complaints have been filed with the Office of Civil Rights? Has anyone asked about the nature of these complaints?

QUESTION 16 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(17) Has anyone requested the retention rates of African American Students over Cindy’s tenure? Did she do anything to change these rates after they were openly discussed at board meetings? Did she make the retention rates public as Board member John Lee Evans requested after a board meeting examining the findings from the graduation strategies committee?

QUESTION 17 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(18) Has anyone looked at Cindy’s use of reorganization each year to balance the budget? How about the year(s) she didn’t bring reorganization charts forward despite huge shifts in district staffing? Is this how student-centered budgets are designed and implemented?

QUESTION 18 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(19) Has anyone read the District Deeds Blog https://districtdeeds.blog/ and Facebook pages created by community members summarizing Cindy’s behavior over many years? Did you know that a parent leader created that blog after witnessing the abuses to administration at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA)?

QUESTION 1 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(20) Have grading practices really been changed in SDUSD or was this announcement made prior to the board election a headline photo op? Doesn’t the communication by the teacher’s union (SDEA) communicate that teachers will continue to maintain control of grading processes?

QUESTION 1 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(21) Has anyone actually vetted the depth of her resume? Has she been recognized for her work, achievements or accomplishments as a principal or superintendent? Is starting a school garden at Central the noteworthy achievement in her resume?

QUESTION 1 ANSWER UPDATE: No Answer from Marten.

(22) Has anyone looked at all of the newspaper reports about students being compromised in SDUSD–Doesn’t research tell us that toxic leaders create toxic environments?

San Diego County CIVIL GRAND JURY REPORT 2013 – San Diego Unified Adult-Child Bullying

https://districtdeeds.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/adult_child_bullying_report-sd-civil-grand-jury-report-2013.pdf

San Diego Schools to Tackle Adult to Student Bullying Report

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/bullying-san-diego-school-adult-student-focus-group/1970248/#ixzz45Yg53b5P

Lawsuit Claims SDUSD Mistreated Disabled Boy https://fox5sandiego.com/news/another-san-diego-family-claims-special-needs-child-mishandled-by-school-bus-drivers/

Parents Ask City Attorney for Help in Alleged School Abuse https://fox5sandiego.com/news/parents-ask-city-attorney-for-help-in-alleged-school-abuse/

Mother of Kindergartener Claims School Response to Fondling Claims ‘Insulting’:

https://videopress.com/v/pSeAApso

San Diego School Counselor Pleads Guilty to Keeping Child Pornography https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/03/san-diego-school-counselor-admits-keeping-child-pornography.html

Former School Counselor and Former Navy Enlisted Man Sentenced for Child Pornography Offenses

https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/sandiego/press-releases/2011/former-school-counselor-and-former-navy-enlisted-man-sentenced-for-child-pornography-offenses

Sexual Assault – FOIA Document