On Friday, the majority members of the Governing Board packed an Emergency Meeting with friends and relatives to play their parts in the continuing Sunnyside saga. Board President Louie Gonzales’s daughter cried, while Superintendent Manuel Isquierdo asked for the Board to buy out his contract.
The Emergency Meeting was conveniently scheduled at a time when reform Board members Daniel Hernandez and Buck Crouch were unavailable.
In the most dramatic fashion, Isquierdo, who had been accused of overstating graduation rates by Crouch, played the race card. He said Crouch had insulted him and accused Crouch of being a racist.
However, residents say it was Isquierdo who was insulting and possibly racist with his comments. As reported by KOLD News, Isquierdo said that residents might replace the current Board with members who would have them “go back to their pencils and papers. The old south-side way of doing things.”
Isquierdo comments not only outraged residents, but Buck Crouch sent KOLD’s reporter; Sonu Wasu a statement:
When I heard that the superintendent and his board of three were accusing me of being a racist, I thought it was a joke, that even they could not sink that low. But alas, they have and are apparently filing a civil rights violation lawsuit against me. If I were racist, would I choose to live in the Sunnyside school district? Would I be a member and current president of the Kino Rotary Club of South Tucson? The majority of people I choose to associate with are of one or more minority groups.
I am prejudice against bigots and idiots, but not against any racial or ethnic group.
It is interesting that they made this attack at a special board meeting after verifying that I am out of state at my grandson’s graduation and Daniel Hernandez is out of state on business.
Recall candidate Mike Polak also issued a statement:
I now see Dr. Isquierdo is playing the Race card. He should be ashamed of himself for insulting the Hispanics who come from multiracial families. I’m a father of two sons who are both Mexican American and I have a daughter who is Filipino and two Filipino sons. I have a daughter in law who is from Mexico. I have three grandchildren and another on the way that has a Hispanic heritage. For Dr. Isquierdo to say I would not represent the Hispanic community because I am white or not Hispanic is just wrong. The proper education of children has nothing to do with race; Children from all ethnicities deserve a good education. Dr. Isquierdo is part of the problem and needs to resign and make a public apology for his insults to everyone in the community.
I have copied the quote of Dr. Isquierdo below from the article.
“If Mr. Polack, Mr. Crouch and Mr. Giffin sit on that board, it does not represent a Latino community and I’m not afraid to say it,” Isquierdo said.
Former Sunnyside Governing Board member and current Recall Election candidate, Eric Giffin, responded in an email to the AZDI:
Dr. Isquierdo’s remarks on racism are totally out of line, In reality I have served on the Sunnyside Governing Board for 12 years. Members of this community saw fit to honor me by induction to the Sunnyside Alumni Hall of Fame. Every decision I have ever made as a board member was to benefit OUR students, ALL students of the Sunnyside School District. My 50 years as a member of the Sunnyside community and lifetime member of Tucson’s South side and my public service has been to benefit all students equally, regardless of ethnicity.
Long time Sunnyside supporter and current Recall Election candidate, Beki Quintero, responded by email to the AZDI:
The Sunnyside School district is now in a financial crisis and a buyout at this time will place an enormous hardship on the district which will affect the students, teachers and community. Anyone who supports this buyout truly does not have the best interest of the students or community at heart.
KOLD reported:
Gina Franco, a parent whose son is graduating from the STAR Academy held up a poster in support of the new graduates, and wiped tears from her eyes as Isquierdo broke down.
“Don’t leave us. What you have started has just begun, please don’t leave us,” Franco pleaded.
According to KOLD, Franco pleaded with Isquierdo. What they failed to report was that Franco is Gonzales’s daughter.
“I feel Mr. Crouch was reckless, uninhibited toward his board members who happen to be Latino, he was disrespectful to a Latino superintendent. I have earned the right to be in this chair,” Isquierdo told KOLD News.
One supporter of the Recall Election said, “And we earned the right to recall this corrupt and reckless Board. Let’s hope the voters see this three-ring circus act for what it is, and we can finally get rid of this superintendent.”
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