Some Parents Want SRVUSD School Board Members Recalled

DANVILLE, CA — Some parents in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District say they are not happy with the district's decision to continue classroom learning virtually and now have taken efforts to recall board members.

President Susan Ordway and board members Ken Mintz and Rachel Hurd have each been sent Notices of Intent to Recall by the community, according to a news release contributed by the SRVUSD parent community. Contra Costa County’s Elections Office will ultimately review and approve the recall petitions so signatures can be collected.

“We do not believe science supports a continued forced remote learning environment,” said Rachel Bailey, a concerned parent of three children in the district. “A majority of our country is back to in-person learning in some form, including parts of California and even private schools within San Ramon Valley with no major outbreaks. Our children are suffering in an isolated remote environment. There has to be a more balanced approach to education during this time.”

On Dec. 15, 2020, the SRVUSD Board of Education voted to approve the recommendation of staff to postpone the Jan. 5, 2021 start of in-person instruction until Contra Costa County moves back into the red tier. Some parents said they blindsided by this sudden reversal, since class schedules and teacher assignments had just been released the prior day, on Dec. 14.

These parents said they were previously assured that since SRVUSD had already conducted two phases of bringing students back into the classroom during the fall semester, schools could continue with the third and final phase of re-opening starting Jan. 5, even if Contra Costa County moved back into the purple tier. The phased re-opening was in compliance with health guidelines set forth by both the state and county last fall.

Shortly after the De. 15 vote, some parents said they learned that the California Teachers Association, writing on behalf of the San Ramon Valley Education Association (SRVEA), the local teacher’s union for the district, sent letter dated Dec. 8 demanding the board change the vote, plans and decision made by the community by confirming the district would continue with the 3 rd and final phase of re-opening until the county reaches the red tier.

"Parents suspect the actions of SRVEA appear to be tied to the larger agenda the California’s Teacher Union (CTA) is pushing with Gov. Gavin Newsom to not allow schools to reopen when the county is in the purple tier," the news release read.

On Dec. 19, 2020, the SRVUSD board and Superintendent, Dr. John Malloy, received a letter from district parent and attorney, Kathleen DeLaney, alleging the board violated the Brown Act at the Dec. 15 meeting and demanded that the district take action to cure or correct this violation.

DeLaney’s letter alleges that the SRVUSD Board’s vote to reverse the previous decision to reopen schools under a hybrid model on Jan.5, 2021 was done so without sufficient notice to its
constituents.

"On a more personal note, I am sincerely disappointed with the board's underhanded actions," DeLaney said in her letter to the board. "The district has been reassuring parents and students for months that it will proceed with reopening schools on Jan 5, 2021. Then, without any notice, it reverses this decision. Do you really want this to be your legacy?"

Meanwhile, Patch reached out to the San Ramon Valley School District regarding the effort by some parents to recall board members. We received the following response:

"We have heard that this effort was being initiated. As we deal with this pandemic, we understand that there are strong and different views on how to proceed. Yet no matter how the community reacts to the situation, our district is committed to continuing to work with our elected board of education members to do what is needed to provide a quality learning experience for our students."- Superintendent Dr. John Malloy