New Haven parents initiate recall action against three school board members over teachers strike
'This is not a playground for disagreements'
Fed up with a teachers strike that’s almost three weeks old, a group of parents have launched a move to recall three New Haven school board members, saying their lack of leadership has prolonged a nightmare that has kept droves of students away from classrooms and jeopardized their grades.
“We have witnessed a total and complete lack of willingness and ability of this board to lead us through these difficult times,” Colleen Weaver, one of the parents leading the effort, told board members at Tuesday’s meeting.
“Teachers in this school district deserve more from this board of education and administration. The students deserve more from all of us,” said Weaver, who along with other parents notified New Haven Unified School District board members Jeff Wang and Lance Nishihira of their intent to recall them. Board President Sharan Kaur was served notice at another location where she had teleconferenced into the meeting, the parents said.
Weaver and another parent, Erika Viray Santos, filed paperwork initiating the recall effort Wednesday with the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.
“The board of education has successfully driven a wedge between the district and the teachers and parents and students of this community. This is not a playground for disagreements. The choices they have made are affecting the lives of our children,” Weaver told the board.
She and other parents who spoke about the recall were backed by many people in an overflowing meeting room who cheered and yelled in support.
In a Thursday afternoon interview, Weaver said a move to recall all five members likely would fizzle, so the group focused on the three up for re-election in 2020.
She hopes the other two members, Sarabjit Kaur Cheema and Linda Canlas, will take advantage of “a second chance at doing what they said they were going to do, which is work CONTINUE READING: New Haven parents initiate recall action against three school board members over teachers strike – The Mercury News
