Fillmore Unified School District

by Richard Durborow
The Charter School Founding Group would like to take this opportunity to express their disappointment in what was supposed to have been an objective and professional hearing on the merits of the sixteen major points of the Charter School Petition, which was submitted to the Fillmore Unified School District on September 16. We knew when we entered the Piru Cafeteria that evening to find that our seating had been taken away, that it was going to be a less than business-like session. The side door of the cafeteria was locked in front of us, as we stood outside with our guests, Jessica Norman of EXED, the accounting firm many charter schools employ, and Yvette King-Berg, Vice President of the California Charter Schools Association. We presented the message we had, all thirteen of us, from where we were made to stand in a small corner, despite that fact that one of our staff was very pregnant, another had just given birth, and another was ill.

The evening began with other troubling issues. Those handing out the cards to speak included the two staff members who have most hotly opposed the charter idea for over the last eighteen months. They have gone around Piru, making their opposition known, and this intimidated some of the parents who had come to speak in favor of the charter from filling out a card. The practice of sharing minutes by members of the audience was introduced, although this had not been brought up ahead of time in scheduling the meeting. State of California Migrant Funds had been used to provide a bus for parents, who were encouraged, en route, to voice opposition. Although it was announced that speakers expressing redundancies would be hurried, this did not happen, during an orchestrated confrontation, which lasted four and a half hours.

One parent who drives her children to Piru was repeatedly harassed by Board Member Prado about the fact that she resided in Fillmore, despite the fact that all of the FUSD Board members live in Fillmore, and none of the FUSD Management or Administrative team lives within the small town of Piru. Speakers were allowed to publicly slander Piru Staff by name, using words such as “lies.” Even a local principal jumped into this name-calling.
The comments generally pursued three themes. Three Piru Staff members continued to express their frustration at not being included in the charter writing, despite the fact that one of these members had indicated a desire to stay neutral last spring and the other two had voiced continued and heated opposition to the charter idea all throughout last year. Three classified members expressed their frustration at being left out of, what is by law, a teacher directed process. Several staff members from other FUSD schools expressed their concern, worried that Piru Elementary teachers not wanting to teach at the Charter School would flood their school. Since only five teachers at Piru Elementary have not signed the charter, this does not seem likely. Finally, a number of community members presented concerns that reflected the misinformation that has been actively spread throughout the community, which we hope to clear up below.

• Piru Charter School is a conversion charter school, which legally requires the signature of the majority of the permanent teaching staff. The teachers have filed the petition, and will work to include parents and the community during the approval year. This plan was chosen to minimize FUSD opposition and possible retribution towards staff members involved. District harassment, as expected, has been intense. The Petition was submitted to the FUSD Board of Education on September 16th, just days after it was finished being written. According to the California Charter School Association, it is the responsibility of the District to translate it, along with other Board meeting documents, such as minutes, agendas, etc., and make those available to the public.

• During the campaign for the last school bond, the Piru Community was promised that funds from this school bond would be spent to improve the buildings and grounds of Piru. To date, other than general maintenance and repair projects, the demolition of several old buildings, and a separate technology grant, few funds have been spent on Piru Elementary. Several of the classrooms need improvements that could be made immediately from the FUSD leftover bond funds, which approximate two million dollars. There is no need for students to be running daily on a grass field full of treacherous holes. The District claims that the State has not provided promised funds, but this did not stop them from redoing sports fields in Fillmore. The Charter School will apply for funds and make sure they are spent on Piru students.

• Piru Charter School will apply for and will continue to serve the migrant community.

• Piru Charter School will apply for and continue to have an after school Bridges Program.

• All current Piru Elementary students are guaranteed enrollment at Piru Charter School.

• Piru Charter School has budgeted funds for a .25 band teacher. Regarding band instruments, Proposition 39 legally requires that if the District equips other elementary schools with band instruments, they must similarly equip Piru School students with the same. It is the desire of the PCS founders to expand the music program, along with all the arts programs, as we educate the whole child.

• Special needs students at Piru Charter School will be served just as they are now.

• Although Piru Elementary has shown extraordinary academic progress during the last three years, a great part of this was due to the educational leadership that the District removed at the end of last year. Under this prior leadership, Piru followed an educational approach that differed greatly from what was being done at other schools in the District. At Piru, students stayed in their classrooms, with their teacher, for grade level core instruction in language arts using the State-adopted, standards-based reading program, while at other schools, many students were pulled out of class during this grade level ‘core instruction’ time to receive instruction in programs that were not standards-based.

• There is significant research to support the switch to Charter School organization for underperforming schools. Charter School reorganization is recommended by the State of California for underperforming schools.

• Piru Charter School will be a FREE PUBLIC School. By bypassing district office expenditures, it is the goal of the charter petitioners to provide more funds directly to the children of Piru. The board will be composed of LOCAL PIRU community members, parents, teachers and classified staff.

The charter school ended as Superintendent Sweeney, who had been texting constantly during the meeting, read an obviously prepared and already typed speech about what he had viewed “that evening.”

In closing, on the day after the Charter School hearing, Piru parents were sent home a letter letting them know that despite tremendous progress, Piru Elementary would remain an underperforming school until it had met all test score requirements two years in a row. Parents were informed that because Piru Elementary will thus continue to be an underperforming school, parents have the right to transfer to another district elementary school, which is performing better. Since all other district elementary schools are also underperforming, that option is not a possibility. Students thus have the legal option to transfer to another district. However, other districts have refused to accept FUSD students. Parents have no other viable schooling options. Piru Charter School is offering the Fillmore Community a new schooling option. Please join with the staff, parents, and community members supporting the charter option to make it the best school for Piru students and the surrounding community.

A Parent Support Group (PCS Parents) has been formed, community outreaches are being planned, and field trips to visit other successful charter schools for interested parents are being arranged. Parents may contact pirucharterschool@earthlink.net for more information. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 555, Piru, CA 93040.