Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Personnel And Labor topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Teachers at Fernando Rivera tell board staffing decisions and morale are driving departures
Summary
Two teachers from Fernando Rivera told the board that recent teaching assignments and administrative decisions have led to the loss of experienced staff, alleged dismantling of ethnic studies offerings and reported a climate of poor communication and retaliation; the union vice president said staff followed proper channels in raising concerns.
Several tenured teachers from Fernando Rivera School appealed directly to the Jefferson Elementary School District board Wednesday, warning that recent administrative decisions are prompting long-term staff to leave and that the school’s programs and climate are at risk.
Billy Tornay (introduced by the board as a Fernando Rivera teacher) presented a joint statement saying teachers have been reassigned "outside of the scope of their experience, credentialing, background, and areas of interest and strength," and that specialized teachers who served the community were being released. Tornay said the changes threatened previously lauded programs, including an ethnic studies strand that staff fear is being dismantled. "When teachers lose their agency over what they teach, students lose meaningful authentic experiences in the classroom," the statement said.
Valerie Nikora, the second joint speaker the board listed for Fernando Rivera, described multiple attempts to address issues through staff meetings, union discussions and restorative conversations, but said those efforts had not resolved concerns. She told the board that long-term staff departures have been significant and that teacher morale remains low; she asked the board to review leadership decisions, master-scheduling processes and the district’s use of teacher input in assignments.
Anoushka Thakla, a teacher at MH Tobias and AFT vice president, told trustees that staff raising concerns should not be described as "complaining," noting the union had advised educators to follow agreed labor-management procedures and that the issues presented to the board had already been raised through those channels.
Board Chair acknowledged the comments and said the superintendent would follow up; no formal board action was taken during the public comment period. Trustees did not directly debate personnel details on the meeting floor during the public comment segment; they emphasized appreciation for staff who came to speak and noted the administration would be asked to follow up.
The teachers asked the board to take a closer look at leadership, schedule development and the practice of making assignments without collaborative input. They urged the board to act before further experienced teachers leave.
