Crouch described the meeting as “very nice and friendly. It also lasted approximately two minutes,” he told supporters of Facebook. “If you average the three meetings this week we are probably getting close to a 4 hour average.”
A 4 hour average is miraculous for the Board. On Monday night, the Board meeting began around 4 p.m. and lasted past midnight as the old Board fought to secure a buyout of embattled Superintendent Manuel Isquierdo. It was the final act of Board members Louie Gonzales and Bobby Garcia, who had lost their seats on the Board in a recall election.
The two had been recalled due in part, to the community’s outrage about the contract Isquierdo was awarded. Few believed that Isquierdo should have been offered a contract at all.
The meeting began at 7:30 a.m. and was only expected to last 15 minutes.
“It is refreshing to already feel the difference in the school district when you walk into a building,” said Crouch after the meeting. Some of the healing has already taken place. People seem happier overall, I saw smiles everywhere.”
Crouch continued, “The appointment of Dr. Eugenia Favela as the interim superintendent has already started the healing process in the district. People trust her, respect her and know that she is committed to the children and employees of the Sunnyside School District.”
When asked about allegations of retaliation and intimidation under the Isquierdo administration, Crouch said, “The changes in Sunnyside are going to be very apparent to all who come to board meetings. I fully expect the board meetings to be much shorter, less contentious and very much more transparent. There will be norms established in the next few weeks to describe the behavioral expectations for all persons attending. The exclusion list to bar people from the meetings has been removed and will not be replaced. The only people that will be unwelcome at the board meetings will be those that pose a credible threat or that fail to respect the norms.”
For years employees of the District have worked under a cloud of fear and intimidation. Cronies of Isquierdo, Gonzales, and Garcia were given well-paying jobs with little responsibility, while low paid teachers had to scrounge for even the most basic classroom supplies.