Hello, and welcome to my new blog on Patch. Today I will be expressing my thoughts on how I believe we can do better for our children. As a candidate for District 70 state assembly, education is of great value to me. Being a former teacher and supervisor for the Long Beach School District, I believe that providing a safe and nurturing environment for our children is a top priority. Thus, we cannot let special interests get in the way of doing what’s right. This is not just common sense, it’s a moral imperative.
As you may know, the Assembly Education Committee recently rejected SB 1530; a bill proposed by State Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) designed to improve the teacher discipline process in response to the Miramonte Incident. I am very disheartened that Assembly Legislature would reject a measure aimed streamlining a process to remove teachers who engage in acts of violence and sexual abuse.
We need to rethink the way we retain teachers who are harming our children and youth, and using our tax money to continue paying their salaries while exemplary, qualified teachers are getting laid-off. We want to work with teachers who promote academic excellence and strive to work with parents in order to improve student achievement. We want our students to excel—and a positive classroom climate is conducive to their success.
More importantly, we need to restore the trust of parents and allow them to feel confident that their children’s safety is a priority. People are counting on lawmakers to do the right thing, and we must not disappoint them. Unfortunately, Assembly Legislature is sending a clear message to parents and students: that they will continue to serve their interest first-- even if it jeopardizes classroom safety.
Let us be the voice of change.
