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Parents Ask: Is the Adelanto School District a Sinking Ship? 

(Statement from Doreen Diaz, Coordinator of the Desert Trails Parent Union) 

“When we heard the test scores dropped once again for Desert Trails Elementary, we almost couldn’t believe it. Unfortunately, this reinforces what parents in Adelanto have been saying for a while now – under the current district and school leadership, the ship is sinking and Desert Trails students are most at risk. 

“Here is a snapshot of the sinking ship that is the Adelanto School District: 

•  In the past few months, all three top administrators have abandoned ship – including School Superintendent Darin Brawley, who resigned just last week for 'another opportunity,' as well as two of his top deputies who have also voluntarily left their posts; 

•  *Led by Adelanto Board Member Jermaine Wright – who dared a judge to handcuff him and lock him up – the School Board members openly defied a court order that required the district to adopt the parents’ plan for nonprofit charter conversion (Listen to the statement here.); and 

•  The district continues to borrow boatloads of money against its reserves just to stay afloat – and no one has a plan for how they will pay for continued court fights and actual improvements for our kid’s education. 

“To make a bad situation worse, this week California state-wide school scores were released, and, sadly, both English-Language Arts (ELA) and Math scores dropped significantly. Desert Trail’s ELA dropped from 36% in 2011 to 32% in 2012, while Math scores dropped even further, from 44% in 2011 to 36% in 2012. 

“As audience members and movie critics celebrate the soon-to-be released film ‘Won’t Back Down,’ we parents in Adelanto are encouraged that the nation is speaking out about the urgent need for parent empowerment as a key element to making overdue improvements in our country’s educational system. But we are increasingly concerned that changes won’t come soon enough, particularly for those us with children enrolled at Desert Trails Elementary. 

“Desert Trail’s students deserve much better. The current leadership has shown time and time again they cannot course correct and right the ship. New leadership is needed.” 

**Transcript - Adelanto Board Member Jermaine Wright: “And if I’m found in contempt of court, I brought my own handcuffs, take me away. I don’t care anymore.”