The Nishino administration has created distrust among teachers
and the MHUSD community with its heavy-handed, non-collaborative
and contract and policy-violating seventh-grade textbook
change.
A growing chorus of Morgan Hill Unified School District employees are voicing concerns about the administration of Superintendent Alan Nishino – specifically, his top-down, closed-door style of management.
We’re concerned that administrators changed the seventh-grade math textbook with an out-of-sequence adoption that failed to properly seek teacher input – a violation of the teachers’ contract – and failed to properly notify trustees of the sale of the old textbooks – a violation of board policy.
“The teachers have always been the most-involved professionals on selection of materials,” Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers President Donna Foster told reporter Marilyn Dubil. “This time the process was not followed … only 11 persons had been contacted out of approximately 30 people.”
It makes common sense to find out from teachers if a textbook is effective, and if not, which one to buy as a replacement.
Frankly, we don’t for one minute buy Assistant Superintendent Michael Johnson’s claim that the same logic that justified an emergency purchase of a calculus textbook for Sobrato High School’s first senior class applies to the non-emergency purchase of seventh-grade algebra textbooks.
Foster is right when she says that the situations are not the same. One was a purchase of a textbook for students who had none; the other was a purchase to replace a textbook that administrators didn’t know if teachers deemed inadequate. Apples and oranges, Mr. Johnson.
The district’s contract with the teachers union specifies the procedure for making curriculum changes. Board policy specifies the proper way to notify trustees of the sale of textbooks. As taxpayers and parents, we’re disturbed that the teachers’ contract and board policy were ignored.
If there’s a problem with the board policy or a provision of the teachers’ contract, administrators need to present their case to trustees to have the rules changed and negotiate with the teachers’ union to have the contract changed. They must not ignore contracts, clauses, policies and procedures that don’t suit them.
It’s best for everyone – teachers, administrators, taxpayers, parents and, most importantly, students – if decisions are made in the most collaborative manner possible.
It’s absolutely vital that important changes – like the upcoming discussions about whether to move sixth graders from elementary to middle schools – are made following the procedures in place, in compliance with union contracts and board policy, and after ample input from all concerned community members.
That’s why we’re glad that trustee Shelle Thomas has voiced her concerns about the process used with the seventh-grade math textbook.
“… I look to professionals to tell me what is best in teach students,” Thomas said. “I don’t think we’ve allowed that conversation to take place … and that’s my concern.”
Kudos for Thomas for speaking up.
The Nishino administration has created distrust among teachers and the MHUSD community with its heavy-handed, non-collaborative and contract- and policy-violating seventh-grade textbook change. It has an opportunity to restore trust and a collaborative spirit with the upcoming discussions about moving sixth graders to middle school.
Let’s hope they get this one right.
