Some San Pasqual Teachers Unhappy Over Contracts, Student Nutrition and Busing

By Sarah Reynolds, The Sun, Yuma, Ariz.

Aug. 30–Some teachers in the San Pasqual Unified School District are voicing concerns about contract negotiations, lack of student activities, busing and student nutrition.

“We have a lot of teacher unhappiness at the school,” said Susan Shooter, a special education teacher at San Pasqual Elementary School. “We don’t feel valued as professionals. That’s kind of the bottom line for everybody.”

Specific complaints include: *Contract negotiations with the district administration that have gone on for the past two school years. Teachers are still working on their 2005-06 school year contract, which means they have had no pay raises or benefit increases since that time. *Classroom breakfasts. Students eat breakfast in the classroom, which teachers say cuts down on preparation time and gives students less nutritious options because there are no cooking facilities. *Decreases in art, music, drama and physical education programs at the elementary school to focus on standardized testing areas such as language arts and math. Teachers say they are not given time to provide liberal arts instruction and PE time has been cut in half over the past two years. *Busing. Students in elementary, middle and high school all ride the same buses and some students will sit in them for as long as 30 minutes with no air conditioning while buses load.

They expressed their complaints to parents in an informal protest Wednesday night at the elementary school open house.

More than 10 teachers came to the open house wearing black San Pasqual Teachers’ Association shirts, to signify solidarity. They also put up signs on a fence directly across the road from the cafeteria with slogans such as, “Do students really come first??”"Student Breakfast: Sugar + Fat,” and “Should All Students Ride the Same Bus.”

Superintendent Suzanne Smith said teachers received a 5 percent raise in the 2005-06 school year. They have not gotten a pay increase since because they are still negotiating a new contract.

Negotiations between the teachers’ union and the district attorney have been ongoing for over a year.

Smith said the Breakfast in the Classroom program is funded through a California state grant. While it does not include hot cafeteria food and students can eat sugared cereals, Smith said they have to abide by nutrition guidelines stated in the grant.

“It ensures all kids have food,” Smith said.

As for the busing situation, Smith said they have purchased new buses with air conditioning but it is not available on all transportation vehicles.

She added that teachers can teach music, art and drama outside their contract time for additional pay.

Principal Dawn Ponce told parents at the elementary open house that liberal arts would be integrated into the school day.

Shooter said increased emphasis on language and math basics due to federal testing have taken attention off other subjects.

“My personal opinion is, we have to teach to the test,” Shooter said.

Smith said they have tried to keep artistic options open for students but meeting federal No Child Left Behind standards requires focus on math and reading. The district is currently in a state of mandated improvement due to failing to meet federal standards in the past.

Smith said they may have gotten scores high enough to rise out of improvement this year, though official adequate yearly progress data has not been released.

“There’s a change here. I know change is difficult at times,” Smith said.

Sarah Reynolds can be reached at sreynolds@yumasun.com or 539-6847.

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