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Monday, May 7, 2012

School District Whistleblower Levels Charge

Teacher Accuses Administration:
Emeryville School Cheats Students:
Minimum Phys Ed Standards Unmet 

An Emeryville school teacher informed the Tattler recently that the School District is cheating elementary school children out of State mandated minimum requirements for physical education.  The teacher, who wished to remain unidentified due to fear of reprisals, told the Tattler that California law requires a minimum of 200 minutes of PE instruction per every 10 days of school for students in 1st through 6th grade however the school, Anna Yates Elementary, is only providing 60 minutes every 10 days for most children.  A high level school administrator, who also spoke to the Tattler and also wished to remain anonymous, denied the charges but promised to "look into the matter".

Student Injured By Incompetence
The teacher noted a recent injury to a student came as a result of an unqualified instructor providing the "paltry amount" of PE students do get.  The teacher alleges the "classified" or non-credentialed instructor, had students running backward on the asphalt, something any credentialed teacher would know not to do.  One child fell backwards and fractured his arm during the dangerous exercise.

The teacher said in an e-mail that the School District was "very out of compliance" with State mandated minimums for PE and indicated the District may be trying to adjust the numbers as reported to the State to fit the requirements.

The teacher also said that the administration at the school has a lackadaisical attitude and doesn't take State mandates seriously.  The attitude was summed up with a hubris filled paraphrase attributed to the administration by the teacher, "We're a small district and special and we don't have to follow the same rules as everybody else."

The administration rebuffed the charges of not meeting State law according to the complainant teacher who added the administration official played down calls to meet State minimum requirements.  When the teacher informed the administrator that PE instruction was sub standard at the school, the response was, "We've always done it that way."

The State requires an accurate accounting of the number of minutes of instruction for public schools and the District risks fines or worse from Sacramento if these charges are substantiated.  The Tattler will continue to investigate and report as this story unfolds.

The School Board Monday, promised to address the issue at a future meeting.

3 comments:

  1. I am so sick and tired of hearing about the incompetence and corruption in our city schools. From JL Handy to Josh Simon to Ruth Atkins they are all the same and all belong in prison. Crooked bureaucrats using our tax money to feather their own nests. Disgusting.

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    1. FYI Ruth Atkin has never been a school board member and of the three public officials you named, only one, JL Handy, was ever proved to be corrupt in the classical sense... he raided the School District's coffers for his own financial benefit (and his mistress' benefit). Other than that, I know of no other examples of this classic type of corruption you speak of at the District.

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  2. There isn't really any corruption at Emery, just boat loads of incompetence.

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