Nearly 30 protesters that were outside of the Morgan Hill
Unified School District office this morning plan to return late
this afternoon.
Nearly 30 parents, children and citizens of Morgan Hill gathered early this morning outside the Morgan Hill Unified School District office to protest their unhappiness with the system and they plan to return this afternoon.
In a designated marked off section with caution tape and roadblocks, parents armed with signs that read “Enough is enough,” “Our kids come first” or “Last year my son had 5 teachers in 6 months” marched in a circle in protest.
Although no chants were heard, demonstrators and their colorful signs marched for several hours in the early morning heat in the blocked off parking lot of the district office. A man stood guard next to a police officer to only let in select vehicles of employees.
Parents were angry after learning that Paradise Valley Elementary fourth grade teacher Katie Hendricks was informed Wednesday she was let go. On Thursday, in tears, she told her students the news that she would no longer be their teacher.
When students came home crying, parents turned to action. Through email, phone calls and meetings this past weekend, they organized today’s protest. Some parents pulled their kids out of school for the day with some of their children marching alongside them.
“I had no opportunity to prepare my child for the impending changes,” said Paige River, who has a daughter in Hendricks the fourth grade class at Paradise Valley.
Although she and her husband chose not to remove their daughter from school today like many other protesters, they both took off of work for the demonstration.
“For an adult leader, to be in a classroom, crying hysterically because she’s discharged with the duty of informing those children is completely unacceptable to me,” she said.
She said her daughter came home upset and crying last Thursday afternoon, so she filed a written complaint with the district and attempted to speak with Principal Phil Duncan.
“Parents are very upset,” said Rivera. “All the parents that were in the office (at Paradise Valley) on Friday were pissed. We wanted to talk to Mr. Duncan and were blown off.”
Another parent, LaRay Ourricariet, who has a child in the fourth grade at Paradise Valley, said parents did not receive a letter home until Monday after school.
“There’s a disconnect. At this point, the district is getting worse and worse,” she said. “We need to do whatever we can to make a point. We can’t continue to use this excuse that students will bounce back. Frankly, we’re tired of it.”
Ourricariet also filed a written complaint with the district last Friday.
Josette Hatcher, who took her daughter out of Paradise Valley today said she is protesting for more stability from the district.
“Just try to make a point to them, to show them that this is not OK. And that we as parents have our duty to stand up for our children,” said Hatcher.
Brenda Cayme, who ran unsuccessfully for the school board last year, came to support the protest, even though her children were not directly affected by the five dismissed teachers.
“I would like better leadership in this school district and to make sure our kids are put first,” said Cayme. “With all these changes, they’re not realizing that it affects the kids. I understand that some of that was not under their control. But as leaders in this school district, they should have had some contingency.”
Armando Benavides, an attorney who also ran for the school board last year, does not have any children in the district, but came out to support those that did.
“I’ve been working with the parents,” he said. “I’m here to just give them some support.”
School Resource officer Sara Alanis was present at the scene to maintain the peace and “make sure that this is a civil protest and that they are allowed to express their First Amendment Rights,” she said.
She said the district marked off the designated section for protesters early this morning. She said there were no problems or issues with the demonstrators.
Robert Bruno, a parent protester who removed both of his daughters at Paradise Valley and brought them with him to the demonstration, said activists ended the morning rally before noon and will resume again at 4:30 p.m.
Hendricks’ website that was working Monday night is now no longer in use, said Bruno.
