Much of the Tucson Unified District Governing Board meeting on Tuesday night focused on the controversy surrounding the court-appointed Special Master’s recommendation that a handful of schools be demagnetized as a result of their failure to attract students. The meeting turned contentious when Cam Juarez accused fellow board member Michael Hicks of making misrepresentations about district administrators’ roles in a coordinated campaign against Special Master Willis Hawley.
Turns out, Juarez was off base once again, and Hicks was accurately representing the actions of the administration when he claimed that a principal was encouraging parents to undermine the desegregation plaintiffs and the Special Master though a petition campaign.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the district’s attorney responded to questions about the highly questionable campaign. “I don’t think our people should ever push people to sign petitions – period.” Hicks responded, “They’re doing it. And the problem I have with some of this; is that now again, we are feeding in to it. And we’re pissing people off. We are heading for a fight and we’re going to lose. We are going to lose because of our arrogance.”
Juarez challenged Hicks and stated in an accusatory manner that he had problems with his questions and comments. Juarez questioned Hicks’ evidence and sources, and warned him that “it would be better if we had the facts and some evidence if we’re going to say our principals or staff are pushing these petitions …” Juarez fumbled until finally concluding, “I am a little concerned with comments like that because I haven’t heard that our principals or staff are doing that. I want to make sure we’re careful in making those kinds of statements.”
The fact is that Hicks was referring to a flier clearly signed by Safford principal Mr. Steven Gabaldon and Ilse Billings, Safford’s International Baccalaureate Coordinator, in which the two urge parents to stop “this alarming proposal from the special master.”
“If you wish for the court to represent you as a TUSD/Safford parent we will have a petition to sign,” reads the flier. “You can also choose to write a letter to the representative of the plaintiffs saying that you wish for Safford to keep its magnet status and funding. We will provide you with some light refreshments.”
After the exchange, board member Mark Stegeman asked the attorney, “When we have been in conflict with the Special Master, how often do we win?” The attorney answered that the Special Master always wins. Stegeman responded, “It doesn’t take much reading between the lines to see how the court feels about this, and I think it is a fair question to ask at this point: who is really is running up the litigations costs? I am concerned and I think the court expressed a similar concern about where the litigiousness comes from here.”
District Superintendent H.T. Sanchez shrunk in his seat as if hiding behind the dais as Stegeman read from a letter by plaintiff representative Sylvia Campoy:
On Wednesday, September 16th parent/teacher conferences were held at Ochoa. Again, I have received consistent descriptions of what took place. During the conference, parents were presented with two documents and one petition to sign (attached for your reference). Parents were asked to review the documents and to follow-up, as requested. Parents were also asked to sign the petition which was placed before them during the parent/teacher conference, which requests the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) provide legal representation to parents (the petitions remain in circulation). I also have been told that during the parent/teacher conference some parents asked their child’s teacher to explain the petition and were told, ‘to support Ochoa’ and ‘to keep Ochoa’s money’ and that they had been asked by the administration to present the documents and the petition to the parents.
Stegeman asked the attorney, “Is this an accurate account?” The attorney said she did not know. Stegeman then asked Sanchez if he knew. Sanchez said he did not know and would have to check with his staff. Stegeman asked incredulously, “You don’t know?” Before ducking back behind the dais, Sanchez said, “No.”
Sanchez, under the direction of board president Adelita Grijalva has fought all efforts to desegregate the district. To that end, the demonization of the Special Master and attack on the plaintiffs is just the latest in their long list of failed battles.