During a recent board meeting, Gretchen Lee, a teacher at Paramount Elementary School, voiced her concerns regarding the disruptive reshuffling of students within the Azusa Unified School District. Lee, who has been with the district for nine years and was named Teacher of the Year last spring, highlighted the emotional toll on students and parents after 51 students were moved from their classrooms just ten days into the school year. This change affected 13 classrooms, resulting in 10% of the student body having to adjust to new teachers and learning environments.

Lee criticized the district's approach to managing classroom sizes and enrollment, noting that while other districts gather feedback from parents and administrators to inform their planning, Azusa Unified does not. She emphasized that a plan developed by her school could have significantly reduced the number of student relocations, but the district's late communication left little room for effective implementation.

The teacher's remarks underscored the challenges faced by educators and students alike, as the abrupt changes not only disrupted established relationships but also forced teachers to abandon their initial preparations for the school year. Lee's testimony calls for a reevaluation of the district's practices to better support students and staff in the future.