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Parents at Haddon Avenue Elementary School in Pacoima, Calif. recently organized their own protest at one of the best teachers in the school being laid off. In the words of Esmeralda Medina, one of the parents organizing the protest:

“They [the school district] are taking away our best teachers, simply because they don’t have seniority. By doing this, they are demonstrating that what matters here is the union, and that they don’t care about the education and the quality of education they are offering our children.”

As well as organizing the protest, the parents also contacted the television network Univision to come out to the school and cover the protest firsthand.

You can see the Univision news coverage video here, as well as Spanish and English transcriptions.

A great example of parents teaching us about the power of organizing!

http://univision34.univision.com/videos/video/2012-09-22/pacoima-alberto...

Madres de Pacoima nos dan lección de union

Un grupo de madres de Pacoima nos dan una lección sobre como proteger la educación de los niños ante el despido de uno de los mejores maestros de su escuela, y Antonio Valverde nos tiene este reporte.

Chants: ¡Nuestros hijos merecen la mejor educación!
¿Qué queremos? ¡Buenos maestros!

Antonio Valverde (AV) voice over: Con fervor y pasión estas madres dan a conocer sus reclamos.

Esmeralda Medina: Nos están removiendo los mejores maestros, nada más por el simple hecho de que no tiene señoría. Aquí lo que nos están demostrando de que lo que importa es la unión, y no les está importando la educación y la calidad que se esta ofreciendo a nuestros hijos.

Chant: Aquí tienen a sus padres para ver por ellos.

AV: La indignación de estos padres es por el despido del maestro, Alberto Barragán. Este es el que ha logrado elevados resultados en recientes evaluaciones.

Nancy Vargas (NV): En matemáticas ha sido un de los más efectivos, en inglés también ha sido más efectivo. Y si miramos al maestro que se va a quedar en su lugar, ha sido menos efectivo en matemáticas y en inglés.

AV: Can you tell me anything about Maestro Barragan? Why is he being let go?
Principal: I would be happy to send it to you.

AV voice over: Tratamos de hablar con la directora de la escuela, pero declino hacer comentarios. Un representante del sindicato vía telefónica, nos confirmó que a la hora de despedir maestros, la señoría cuenta más que las evaluaciones.

Alberto Barragán (AB): La manera que seleccionen los profesores que van a quedar, debe de ser los que son más effective?

AV: efectivos

AB: efectivos. Y no los que protege el sindicato.

Chants: puede la unión de maestros

AV voice over: El sindicato dice que es la responsabilidad del distrito asegurarse de que hay suficientes fondos para no despedir a los maestros. Los padres responsabilizan también a los administradores y a los malos educadores.

Esmeralda Medina: Este maestro se ha enfocado mucho en el aprendizaje, y ha traído buenas estrategias que han funcionado. Cosa que los maestros no están de acuerdo, por que ha venido con ideas frescas.

AV voice over: La formula para lograr buenos resultados, dice éste maestro, es combinar conocimientos, valores, y dedicación.

Mothers in Pacoima teach us a lesson on unity

A group of mothers in Pacoima teach us a lesson on how to protect a child’s education in light of one of the best teachers at their school being laid off. Antonio Valverde has this report.

Chants: Our children deserve the best education!
What do we want? Good teachers!

Antonio Valverde (AV) voice over: These mothers, fervently and passionately made their complaints known.

Esmeralda Medina: They are taking away our best teachers, simply because they don’t have seniority. By doing this, they are demonstrating that what matters here is the union, and that they don’t care about the education and the quality of education they are offering our children.

Chant: We are their parents and we are here to look after them.

AV voice over: These parents are outraged because Alberto Barragan was laid-off. He is a teacher that has achieved higher results in recent evaluations.

Nancy Vargas (NV): In math, he has been the most effective, as well as in English. And if we look at the teacher who will take his place, we see that he has been less effective in math and English.

AV: Can you tell me anything about Mr. Barragan? Why is he being let go?
Principal: I would be happy to send it to you.

AV voice over: We tried speaking with the principal of the school, but she declined to give any comment. A union representative confirmed through a telephone call that when it is time to lay off teachers, seniority counts more than evaluations.

Alberto Barragan (AB): The way it should be decided which teachers will stay should be based on which ones are the most “effective”?

AV: Effective

AB: Effective, and not the ones that the union protects.

Chants: The teachers union can…

AV voice over: The union says that it is the district’s responsibility to make sure there are sufficient funds so that teachers will not be laid off. Parents are also holding accountable the administrators and bad educators.
Esmeralda Medina: This teacher has focused a lot on learning and he has brought good strategies that are working, it is something that other teachers do not agree with, because he has come in with fresh ideas.

AV: This teacher says that the formula for attaining better results is to combine knowledge with values and dedication.