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Sac City teacher urges board to restore Phoebe Hearst teachers suspended over carpet incident
Summary
A longtime Sac City teacher told the board that suspensions and removals at Phoebe Hearst over a minor classroom carpet change were disproportionate and have left the school community 'in the dark,' calling on trustees to hold district leaders accountable and return the teachers.
Todd Meyer, a 23‑year Sacramento City Unified teacher who has spent the last 13 years at Phoebe Hearst, told the School Board he could not remain silent about the district’s decision to suspend two long‑serving teachers.
"No child was hurt. No one in the school community was upset...The punishment does not fit the crime," Meyer said, describing school rallies, widespread student absences and what he called a breakdown in communication between district officials and the Phoebe Hearst community.
Meyer said the staff and families at Phoebe Hearst feel abandoned and fearful, alleging that human resources instructed staff not to speak with the suspended teachers and describing students asking "Are you next?" He urged trustees — who oversee district leadership — to "bring these teachers back" and to provide the community clearer explanations for the district’s actions.
The board did not take an immediate action on the personnel matter during the open meeting. District representatives did not offer a public rebuttal during the public‑comment period recorded in the meeting transcript. Trustees acknowledged the comment as part of public testimony before moving on to the consent agenda.
What happened next: The public testimony was part of a broader series of community speakers who raised concerns about staff discipline and district transparency. The board meeting proceeded with scheduled presentations and votes; any personnel matters remained under the district’s administrative or human‑resources processes rather than being resolved on the dais.
