African American supporters, teachers rally before Modesto City Schools board meeting

Lime green T-shirts filled the usually blue and gold grounds of Gregori High as a rally joining irate teachers and about 500 outraged community members marched before the Modesto City Schools board meeting.

Tuesday’s meeting, moved to Gregori to accommodate crowds that overflowed the boardroom on Locust Street, included a lengthy period of public comment.

The protest flier called on teachers and community members to tell the board to “Stop bullying behavior.” Teachers wore lime green Modesto Teachers Association T-shirts emblazoned with “Play by the rules” and “Notice: Bullying is against district policy.”

Gregori students joined with teachers. “My mom’s a teacher, and I support her,” said senior Odalys Caro.

“Our teachers support us, so we support them,” said Hayoung Oh, also a Gregori senior.

Shackleford Elementary teacher Joe Tornberg said the Salida-area campus was too far for his school’s families to come, calling the switch to the larger location “an undue burden.” He came, he said, to send the message that he wants the contract signed.

“I want them to settle this,” he said. “If we have the money to do it, let’s get more people out there,” he added, saying lower class sizes and better pay need to happen.

“I think the turnout is fantastic. We stand in solidarity and demand a fair contract settlement,” said MTA President Doug Burton. “I think our coalition – well, our T-shirts – speak for themselves.”

The MTA and the district have not come to terms on a contract for the 2015-16 school year. The core issue is teacher pay, with the district standing firm on an offer of 4 percent more and teachers moving from an initial request of 12 percent to what members say is a final stand seeking 7.3 percent.

That number is the percent increase given to a single, top-tier administrator. Other managers and support staff have agreed to a 4 percent pay hike, but teachers say that singular raise is symbolic of district disrespect.

Disrespect of another kind brought African American community groups and supporters to the meeting, protesting comments by the board president; higher discipline numbers for African American children, especially boys; and what they called a districtwide pattern of implicit bias.

“I think it’s great. This is what we’re supposed to do, stand together,” said Sebastian Jones, who works with Advocates for Justice and the NAACP.

“It’s historic, having five community groups coming together to speak with one voice,” said Jacq Wilson, co-founder of school mentoring group Advocates for Justice. The rally brought together members of his organization; the NAACP; the Modesto Police Clergy Counsel; and the Dr. Parker Committee, a Modesto City Schools group formed years ago to address high rates of suspensions, expulsions and dropouts for African American youths.

As the husband of a teacher, Wilson said, he shared the MTA’s cause for a raise and a contract even though some of the services for which his group is asking compete for the same dollars.

“We’re asking them to keep kids in school. Teachers are forced to deal with the problem without the training they need,” he said. Greater training is one of the extras his group has asked the district to fund.

“You know, the vast majority of teachers don’t do this for the money, they do this for the students,” he said.

The comments that outraged community groups were by board President Steve Grenbeaux, who at a Jan. 19 meeting yelled, “Sit down!” as an African American speaker turned, leaning on his cane, and walked back toward the podium.

In a widely viewed video of the meeting, as the speaker walks back toward his seat, Grenbeaux shouts at his retreating back that there are “at least six Christians” sitting on the dais. Grenbeaux said later he was responding to a comment by the man, Mack Wilson – Jacq Wilson’s father – suggesting board members did not have God in their hearts. Later in the evening when Wilson spoke again, Grenbeaux said that “as one Vietnam veteran to the other,” he apologized if he had insulted him.

Wilson said it was an insult, but he rose above the exchange. Audience members, however, were incensed and fliers for Tuesday’s rally referenced the incident in calling on the community to show solidarity against bullying by those in positions of power.

Before gaveling in the meeting Tuesday, Grenbeaux read a statement about the incident.

“I can’t overstate enough my regret for my actions and would like to offer my sincere apology,” he said. “Like Mr. Wilson, my faith is very important to me. I am a work in progress and am dedicated to re-earning people’s trust and building positive relationships with all community groups,” he concluded.

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 7:40 PM with the headline "African American supporters, teachers rally before Modesto City Schools board meeting."