Parents across the nation who want their children to return to in-person learning have complained of unresponsive school boards that stonewall, dissemble and postpone. Then send as much to members of California’s Oakley Union Elementary School Board: they let parents know exactly what they were thinking. They just didn’t know it was being done.
The superintendent of the school district in the Bay Area is apologizing, according to KGO-TV, after board members left the cameras and microphones on after they thought it was over at a virtual meeting on Wednesday.
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Board member Kim Beede was heard addressing parents who wrote her emails or shared online imploring her to reopen schools in perhaps the most disturbing part of the discussion and pondering what would happen if they said it to her face.
Are we alone, are we? “At the Webex conference, she asked the other board members.
When they said they were, Beede said, “B—-If you’re going to call me out, I’m going to f—you up!” ”
“I’m so sorry! This is just me,’ she said as other members of the board chuckled.
Others protested, if not in such profane language, about the criticism they were getting from parents.
“According to KCRA-TV, “They want to pick us, they want their babysitters back,” said board president Lisa Brizendine.
WARNING: The following tweets and videos contain language that is offensive to some viewers.
BREAKING: Oakley, CA school board members caught on tape mocking parents who desperately need their kids back in the classroom.
“Are we alone?” one says. “Bitch, if you’re going to call me out, I’m going to f*** you up!” Another adds, “They want their babysitters back.”
1/3 pic.twitter.com/zMuFlqs4Gy
— Reopen California Schools (@ReopenCASchools) February 18, 2021
Another member of the board suggested that parents wanted children back in school so that they could use marijuana.
My brother had a medical marijuana distribution service and he distributed medical marijuana to parents when their children were in kindergarten,” said board member Richie Masadas with a laugh.”
A third board member insinuates that parents just want their kids in school so they can smoke pot during the day.
2/3 pic.twitter.com/TixJ8kJyX9
— Reopen California Schools (@ReopenCASchools) February 18, 2021
Beede realized the hot-mic error at the conclusion of the eight-minute video. “Right now, we have a meeting open to the public,” she said. Seconds later, the video cuts off.
When they were shared on social media, the clips drew uproar.
I was surprised to learn that the district portrays our children in this way,” said KGO parent Jennifer Cardinale.”
I felt the members of the board were my child’s advocates as well and had her best interests at heart. It really has me worried after last night’s incident that they don’t,’ said parent Ashley Stalf.
On Thursday, the superintendent apologised.
“There were unfortunate and truly inappropriate comments made by many at the Oakley Union Elementary School District Regular Board Meeting last night,” Greg Hetrick said in a statement. “These remarks are not typical and, more importantly, they are not what our school district should expect from the community.”
“He continued, “The remarks made were not in line with our vision and certainly are not what all of us stand for as leaders. “I know we’ve lost trust in the group.
I’m not going to make excuses for what happened or why it happened. I’m the superintendent here. I am accountable and responsible, and I am sincerely sorry for what has taken place.
That sounds nice, but the whole time Hetrick was on the call and didn’t speak up when a board member dismissed parents who wanted their children back in school and said, “B—If you’re going to call me out, I’m going to f-you up.” That might have been a moment that, no matter who was watching, called for intervention.
“For him to sit there and not speak up, was shocking to me,”
Parents were unsurprisingly furious at how they were described. Cardinale said, “We want our kids to have a good education and we want our kids to learn from the best, and we feel that way here in Oakley.”
No wonder, then, that as of Friday morning, a petition calling for the school board and Hetrick to resign already had over 4,100 signatures. (According to the East Bay Times, Brizendine resigned as board president on Thursday.)
At least you can say this, though: in Oakley, parents had to hear a frank, truthful assessment from their school board about reopening.
