Twin Rivers teacher claims retaliation for going public
After he alleged mistreatment of students, district investigation accused him of hostile campus environment
Seven days after Twin Rivers Unified School District teacher Mohamed Bashamak shared allegations that district officials retaliated against him for whistle-blowing over their treatment of students and instructors, the two-time Teacher of the Year received a letter from the district stating it had just concluded an investigation—and determined that he was the one responsible for a hostile work environment on campus.
The letter also informed Bashamak that the district is planning “corrective action” against him.
Bashamak says the district’s investigation is just the latest effort to punish him for standing up to its leadership on issues of student mistreatment and poor academic standards—in this case because he agreed to be interviewed for a March 24 story in SN&R.
The district maintains that the investigation into Bashamak started some 14 months prior to him going public. Bashamak responds that since the district is mandated to complete such investigations within 30 days, the timing stretches credulity.
“They are getting back at me for speaking up and going all the way,” Bashamak said last week. “It’s become a story outside their control.”
Voicing concerns
Bashamak says most of his problems at the Twin Rivers independent study campus called Keema High School began when he challenged its principal Robert Pope on how math was being taught there. Bashamak is a veteran math instructor who’s received glowing reviews from students and parents.
The mother of one student eventually told Bashamak—and later told SN&R—that Pope had revealed privileged, CONTINUE READING: Twin Rivers teacher claims retaliation for going public • Sacramento News & Review
