Keely Anderson: Snide comment at City Schools meeting example of bullying

As a parent in Modesto City Schools, I watched the board meeting video of our teachers who spoke for my children on March 2. I watched their nervous faces and I heard their voices shake as they voiced their concerns. As teachers filed out at 7 p.m., I heard a board member, on her open microphone, say, “Yeah, because they are so concerned.”

But what has prompted this letter is that our superintendent (Pam Able) agreed (47:50). Is it your opinion, Superintendent Able and board members, that these teachers weren’t sincere because they left at 7 p.m. to be with their families, eat dinner and get ready for another day’s work?

My children talk of bullying at their sites on occasion and now I see why; it comes straight from the top. I teach my children to stand up when mean things are said. How are they to believe this when the very person in charge of our schools had the opportunity to correct an inappropriate comment, but instead joined in with disrespecting our teachers? I’m sure it was hard for them to speak. If this was a lapse in judgment, then I would hope to see an apology.

This story was originally published March 16, 2015 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Keely Anderson: Snide comment at City Schools meeting example of bullying."