by Cesar Aguirre
In the Star’s article (10/8/15) 5 Tucson magnet schools could get more time, resources, Sylvia Campoy points to teacher vacancies as one of the issues at the magnet schools not being corrected by Sanchez and his board. On page 2 of the Star (10/8/15) More than 80 Tucson teacher jobs still vacant the article explains how teacher vacancies are an issue not only in TUSD but for districts across the Tucson area, the state and the nation.
For years teachers have been underpaid, under appreciated, undervalued and treated with great disrespect as professionals in their field. It’s no wonder there are so many teacher vacancies, but over the last 2 years Sanchez has worked with the teachers union (TEA), raised pay, and worked to insure teachers are being supported in order to attract and retain more teachers to TUSD.
3 years ago there were about 220 teacher vacancies in TUSD. Today there are only 69, or less than 100 if you include positions currently being filled by long term substitutes.
With the current trend across the country of teachers fleeing public school districts it is amazing to see TUSD filling positions at the rate they are.
One of the conditions that the plaintiffs have set forth in their new proposed plan is that all teacher vacancies at magnet schools be filled by Nov. 1.
Is this even possible in our current state of public education, or are we being set up to fail by the plaintiffs?
The talk of the plaintiffs working together with the district to provide more resources, funding and support to magnet schools is just that, talk.
The children are the ones who ultimately suffer when decisions to cut programs are made and until we see it in writing that none of our magnet schools will be demagnetized or lose funding then we will continue to put pressure on all the parties involved to do what is best for the students.
I believe that the district needs more time. They have shown a good faith effort to this point filling those vacancies and, even though I think there still needs to be pressure put on the district to fill vacancies, they need to be given more time to do so.
Some people may feel the district doesn’t deserve more time because of how long this case has been going on but leadership is changing and responding. This cannot be ignored.
We are constantly reminded that TUSD is the guilty party in this case, and I totally agree, especially when I think about how the district was being managed before Sanchez’s arrival.
Since Sanchez started in the summer of 2013 a lot has changed. The district is now fighting for us and our kids. It’s not so much that I support the district, but rather that the district supports me, and I have a feeling that more and more parents (and teachers) are beginning to feel the same way.
EN RESPUESTA A SYLVIA CAMPOY, VACANTES DE PROFESORES
En el artículo de La Estrella (08/10/15) 5 escuelas magnet en Tucson podría conseguir más tiempo, recursos, Sylvia Campoy apunta a las vacantes de profesores como uno de los temas en las escuelas magnet que no está corregidas por Sánchez y su mesa directiva. En la página 2 de La Estrella (08/10/15) más de 80 puestas de trabajo para maestros están vacantes en Tucson el artículo explica cómo estas vacantes son un problema no sólo en TUSD sino de los distritos en toda el área de Tucson, el estado y la nación.
Durante muchos años los maestros han sido mal pagados, menospreciados y tratados con gran falta de respeto en su campo como profesionales. Con razón hay tantas vacantes, pero en los últimos 2 años Sánchez ha trabajado con el Sindicato de maestros (TEA), aumentando sueldos y a trabajado para asegurar que los maestros son apoyados con el fin de atraer y retener a más maestros a TUSD.
Hace 3 años hubo unos 220 puestos vacantes de maestro en TUSD. Hoy hay solamente 69, o menos de 100 si incluye puestos actualmente cubiertos por sustitutos a largo plazo.
Con la tendencia actual en todo el país de los maestros que huyen de los distritos escolares públicos es sorprendente ver tantos puestos vacantes en TUSD llenos.
Una de las condiciones que los demandantes han establecido en su nuevo plan es llenar todas las vacantes de maestros en las escuelas magnet para el 1 de noviembre de este año.
¿Es esto posible en la educación pública de nuestro estado, o estamos siendo puestos en esta situación para fracasar de parte de los demandantes?
La plática de los demandantes de trabajar junto con el distrito para proporcionar más recursos, financiamiento y apoyo a las escuelas magnet es simplemente eso, ¨una plática.¨
Los niños son los que finalmente sufren cuando se hacen las decisiones de recortar programas y hasta que lo veamos por escrito que ninguna de nuestras escuelas magnet se les quitara el estatus magnet y los fondos entonces no vamos a dejar de seguir presionando a todas las partes involucradas a hacer lo mejor para los estudiantes.
Creo que el distrito necesita más tiempo. Han demostrado un esfuerzo de buena fe para llenar las vacantes y, aunque creo que debe haber presión sobre el distrito para llenar las vacantes, deben darle más tiempo.
Algunas personas pueden pensar que el distrito no debe tener más tiempo porque este caso de desegregación ha llevado mucho tiempo pero liderazgo ha cambiado y está respondiendo. Esto no se puede ignorar.
Se nos recuerda constantemente que TUSD es el culpable en este caso, y estoy totalmente de acuerdo, sobre todo cuando pienso cómo se manejó el distrito antes de la llegada de Sánchez. Desde que Sanchez comenzó en el verano de 2013 ha habido muchos cambios. El districto ahora está luchando por nosotros y nuestros hijos. No es tanto que yo apoyo al distrito, sino que el distrito me apoya a mí y tengo la sensación que cada vez son más los padres (y maestros) que están comenzando a sentir lo mismo.
Voces de Casa Maria 
💓 Beautifully-executed response.
Cesar, after a long “career” of advocating for Ochoa getting its due, should Ochoa be one of the schools to wait while the district gets more time? Should your daughter be one of the ones who doesn’t get a real teacher in umpteen years because now the district needs more “time”? Oh, wait, there is ALL OF A SUDDEN (!) money available to give incentive pay. Wow! Where did THAT pot of money just appear from?
Oh, right, Ochoa won’t have to wait anymore because it just JUST got its studios back, after not having them for how long? Is that really a miracle of timing or a miracle of political advocacy for a leadership team who is far from sufficient in terms of benefitting the magnet schools with the desegregation money that it keeps collecting, year after year.
And finally, after stating endlessly that desegregation isn’t possible at Ochoa, on this blog and elsewhere, you also declared the other night at the Board meeting that there was a time when Ochoa WAS desegregated…..but you can’t have it both ways. Maybe that was back when the lawsuit was first declared, that now-famous forty years ago when our demographics were oh so different. No? Recently you say? Well then how did that better level of desegregation happen? Oh, I remember, it was a year or so before this new Superintendent came in, when the school had its studios and lots of support from the U of A. I well remember that by the 2012 Board campaign, when I was walking the neighborhoods, that was drying up, because I met people who had thought they would send their kids to Ochoa but then didn’t because of the closure scare. That is a LONG TIME TO LEAVE A SCHOOL WITHOUT STUDIOS Cesar….isn’t it? And a LONG TIME TO TAKE TO FILL SUBSTITUTE POSITIONS isn’t it? That all seems to have gone down the memory hole as you express here your newfound patience…..Or is it that political advocacy for leadership is more rewarding than actual benefits to the schools?
Note to Cesar Aguirre:
I have heard you speak a few times. Up until this summer I was impressed by your advocacy for what used to appear as your support for Ochoa. This recent “blog note” to Sylvia Campoy has totally disgusted me and set me off to find out more about you, your organization and your ties.
First of all, be a man and pick up the phone and call S. Campoy or email her and stop hiding behind a “Catholic” blog. What’s up with blogging your attacks behind her back? Do you really believe that she is checking the CM blog and that your attacks are any kind of communication? It is cowardly and inexcusable. I came across it to see if you were holding any more meetings but you have tainted my interest in being anywhere near all the lies that you are putting out.
It is not Ms. Campoy that I am defending- it is what the Mendoza Plaintiffs have done in truly supporting the rights of Latino/Mexicano children in TUSD and it is Ms. Campoy who has represented their positions for years. There is not a single doubt that the Mendoza Plaintiffs have advocated for the support of magnet schools for much longer than you have been on the scene and the same is true for Brian Flagg, your boss. I was actually around when she and the desegregation committee (I do not recall the formal name of the committee) went to bat to keep Ochoa open. Your note to her reveals what your REAL advocacy is all about, which is none other than HT Sanchez and NOT the children who attend Ochoa.
I am a teacher and I am also a parent of an elementary child (in TUSD) and know that beginning the school year with a substitute teacher is a horrible way for children to start off the school year. Cesar, last week marked the 9th week of school- that is two full months and 1 week. (I won’t count this week because we are on break.) Students who- on the 9th week of school- continue to have substitutes are being cheated. Most substitutes are not highly qualified so what children are receiving as education at Ochoa does not compare to a school like Hughes or Sewell. Don’t you get it? The students at Ochoa have now had a series of substitutes under a long-term situation. You are a sell-out to tolerate this for your children much less anyone else’s children and it shows your lack of understanding of what must happen EDUCATIONALLY.
You claim that the Plaintiffs and Special Master are outdated. That is a direct quote from HT Sanchez’ attacks on them. What a coincidence. At least get your own material. And here is the thing- they are much more current on the issues through real experience and expertise than a novice who parrots everything that Sanchez utters.
I have friends in many schools, including Ochoa, and some of the teachers are beginning to question the lack of morality that you, Flagg and the new principal are demonstrating. They do not like using the parents and the students for political reasons as they have been directed to do. Many of the people at 1010 see right through the relationship that HT Sanchez has developed with you and Brian Flagg. Who funds Casa Maria Cesar and to whom do you and Brian Flagg owe your lively-hood and housing? Ah! Richard Elias makes sure that you get a big chunk of money from tax-based County coffers. And who is he connected to? Of course! Raul Grijalva the guy who handed his seat over to him. And who is he connected to? Someone by the name of Adelita Grijalva. And …..who does she support without question- HT Sanchez. Well, you can see that if you follow the money those who line your pockets can all be easily revealed.
You say, “Since Sanchez started in the summer of 2013 a lot has changed.” Yes, TUSD is more compartmentalized (one department does not know what other departments are doing); it is less transparent; it is less inclusive; retribution for speaking out against the Sanchez regime is the highest many have experienced; TUSD’s very low value of employees is obvious (an example is its failure to pay employees with the excuse of technical glitches); it plays much more political favoritism to those who go along with Sanchez; the organizational structure makes no sense; he has pitted what should be natural allies against one another; and- well the list could go on and on.
You are also wrong that the District is fighting for your kids (at Ochoa) and I doubt that you would be giving Sanchez such credit if you and Brian were not some of his chosen few who he meets with to pump up. It is a screaming shame that you are supporting the head of an institution that does such disfavor to students who most need support. The district is NOT fighting for us and our kids. The District- in the name of Sanchez- is, of course, supporting YOU- and in return you use his exact attacks as he uses YOU as his pawn. Wake up.
(I am not one of Sanchez’ pawns and do not agree with his tactics but will not risk the retribution that I have seen take place for speaking out. I thank my friend for allowing me to use her email.)
What does Casa Maria think about the recently proposed grade configuration changes? The District budgets approximately $1.5 million to retrieve students who choose to go charters or out of district from the NE side. The plaintiff’s objections are specified in the agenda notes from the meeting held Oct. 20 (although they were not available before the meeting, and were not necessarily accurately represented during the meeting) I’d just like to hear your take on it…..