February 20, 2014 | The Fillmore Gazette

Letters to the Editor
February 20, 2014

To the Editor:
I write to you about the Fillmore High School Site Council for two reasons. First, having served on the SSC for 10 years, I am very familiar with how it should and has been conducted. Second, and most importantly, I speak because teachers and now parents fear retribution from the school administration if they speak out.
Under the current principal, Mr. Mesfun, the School Site Council is, like the other parts of the school, being mismanaged in many ways.
California Education Code Section 52850-52863 mandates that schools which receive state and federal funding must have a School Site Council (SSC). It is designed to ensure well over $200,000 are used to support school improvement.
The principal of each school must be the leader and conduit of information between the staff and various groups. But the current principal fulfills neither of these roles. Unlike five previous principals, Mesfun leaves meetings early and does not share information.
In January Mesfun agreed to inform teachers about the available funds. He never did, although, at the February meeting he implied the teachers had been informed. No teacher has heard anything about these available funds from Mesfun; no email was ever sent.
It does not matter whether this was intentional or an overlooked event that Mesfun did not inform the teachers. The principal must be dependable enough to follow through and do what he says he will. This is just another example lack of leadership and lack of trust. But the most egregious thing is that he misled the members of the School Site Council.
Mr. Mesfun’s treatment and disregard for the School Site Council and its members is poor, but it is far better than he treats the teachers and staff at Fillmore High School.
Sincerely,
Karen Ashim, Retired Head Counselor Fillmore High School
MS Counseling & Guidance
MA School Administration

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