Letters to the editor: Stockton Unified School District needs transparency
I have been following the foibles of the Stockton Unified School District since an incident occurred about 15 years ago.
Franklin High School was found to have recruited football players from American Somoa. The Sac-Joaquin Section determined those players were ineligible.
The SUSD Board of Trustees disagreed and allowed the players to play in a game. The CIF prevailed and the football players, school and district suffered.
Let's fast forward to today.
The Grand Jury released two scathing reports about the performance of the SUSD Board. The reports contain a long list of failures which upset parents of students in the district.
Parents wanted to meet with the board to discuss the issues. Some weasel of a parliamentarian came up with the idea that it should be a “Town Hall” meeting. They couldn't have a quorum (majority) present or it would be considered an actual board meeting. So just three board members attended… plus the current - interim – temporary – latest in a long list of superintendents.
Here's the best part. The three board members and the supe would not speak, but would instead “listen attentively.” This didn't sit well with the parents in attendance.
Here's an idea. Make a list of all the findings presented in the grand jury reports. Schedule a night time meeting, or several meetings, if necessary, to openly address each item. Have the full board, the superintendent and all department heads in attendance.
Report what action is being taken by the board on each item on the list. After each item, allow public response and questions. Broadcast the meeting on YouTube, rather than the city TV channel that is only available to cable subscribers. This kind of transparency would allow the parents of the district, and all voters in general, to decide how they’re going to vote in the next election.
A quick final thought. What's the difference between the SUSD School Board and a kindergarten class? The kindergarten class has adult supervision. Old joke? Yes, but it somehow seems appropriate. Please vote in the November election.
Thom. H. Magnuson, Stockton
This article originally appeared on The Record: Letters to the editor (Aug. 21, 2022)
