Six months ago, five Tucson High Magnet School employees met with Tucson Unified School District Superintendent H.T. Sanchez, handing him a signed wrongful conduct and discrimination complaint detailing allegations of student safety and discrimination.
Since then not much has happened, although the original copy of the complaint went missing and they had to provide another. They also recently found out that a TUSD attorney was assigned to investigate the complaint—going against their request that their allegations be investigated by an outside independent entity.
The Tucson Weekly was recently provided a copy of a letter dated March 4, 2014 and addressed to TUSD legal counsel Nancy Woll from the employees on their concerns that the district was not using an independent investigator due to the conflict that exists as a TUSD attorney and why it had taken so long to address their complaints. The employees met with the Weekly on Monday, March 10 to talk about their allegations, but asked for anonymity due to fears of retaliation by the TUSD administration and Tucson High Principal Clarice Clash, a focus of most of the complaint.
Each month since handing over that complaint, according to those employees, has been fraught with worry, especially when they were told the first complaint provided to Sanchez went missing. They said they also found themselves in the position of having to check on the complaint’s status almost weekly until they were finally told recently that Woll was starting an investigation.
“On top of enduring the intolerable treatment that brought us to file our complaint six months ago, the unjust treatment which we have experienced since then has compounded the situation and the old saying, ‘it has added insult to injury’ is vividly applicable,” they wrote to Woll in the March 4 letter.
The bulk of the allegations focus on what they consider “deteriorating management of discipline.” In their letter to Woll, they wrote that their allegations given to Sanchez in August 2013, mapped out a contrast with how Latino students are disciplined compared to how African-American students are disciplined, with it seeming as if African-American students are provided special treatment and penalized less. They also said that a big part of the problem are cuts made to security staff, particularly liaisons.
According to the employees, the issues started in the 2012-2013 school year under former Superintendent John Pedicone and during Clash’s first year as principal of the district’s largest high school. Sanchez was hired in July 2013, and the employees said they thought the new superintendent would react swiftly to address their concerns. During their first meeting, Sanchez promised an investigation and said he’d provide more security staff the next day, but that never happened.
In their letter to Woll: “Dr. Sanchez promised immediate action and even stated he would have extra security staff on the campus the very following day. The actions he promised did not come to fruition the following day or any day thereafter. We should have realized much earlier than now that our complaint was not going to be treated with any serious and professional regard.”
Listed in their letter, the employees listed the following allegations they said were detailed in their complaint given to Sanchez:
“the blatant tolerance for discipline infractions which has taken place under the current administration—beginning with last school year and continuing up to the present;
“resulting false appearance in data that disciplinary infractions have decreased at THMS;
“the elimination of the liaison position and function (resulting in further erosion in dealing with discipline on the campus);
“the divisive actions taken by the administration which have resulted in an intimidated and splintered faculty and staff;
“the irregular and unprofessional hiring and employment practices which have been imposed, which manifest favoritism and perpetuate discriminatory practices;
“the retaliatory actions taken against any employee who questions any of these decisions.”
The Weekly called TUSD seeking comment and left a message for TUSD Chief Legal Counsel Julie Tolleson and Clash. Neither have returned our calls as of press time. However, Cara Rene, TUSD director of communications and media relations, responded by email the district can’t comment because it is an open investigation.
During the 2012-1013 school year, those working as liaisons—who work with teachers and school administration identfying at-risk students and security issues within the school and the school’s perimeter—were brought to TUSD administration and told by Pedicone that the district would eliminate liaisons due to liability issues when a former liaison was caught in a compromising situation with a 15-year-old student in 2012.
The employees told the Weekly that they were later told by Clash that it was due to funding issues. The small group of former liaisons who work at the high school now are called hall monitors and they no longer have the same powers or ability to handle discipline issues. Funding concerns, they said, make little sense, when the school administration is reportedly spending about $2,500 a week to pay teachers to walk to the halls during the lunch break.
However, these changes, due to funding or liability, have created an unsafe campus that has created safety and security issues that have spilled into the surrounding neighborhoods, as well as the Roskruge Middle School campus. Most troubling, they said, is what they see as an obvious change in policy in how students are disciplined.
“There is a blatant pattern of African-American students being disciplined less harshly,” one employee said, “while that’s not the case with Hispanic students.” While the employees said they are unsure if the preferences are due to the fact that Clash is herself African-American, but the preferences seen between student discipline are also seen with staff hiring, they allege.
“It has created a hostile work environment, and morale is at an all-time low, not just with support staff, but teachers, too,” one person said. “No matter. What we stated in our complaint to Sanchez is an ongoing violation of state and federal mandates, as well as the (desegregation) unitary status plan.”
The liaison program was created in the 1990s to deal with a large gang problem at the high school, and it was successful, they said. Now, with the liaison and cuts in other security staff, changes in discipline, which also includes allegations that staff are told to not call the Tucson Police Department when issues come up, although one employee said TPD response is actually higher because now police are responding to issues off campus and have to come on campus to talk to the administration.
One incident they shared concerned the parents of a student injured during an altercation were told police were not called. They were allegedly encouraged to call police from their home. However, the frustrated parents stayed and called from campus. The other issue in their allegations is that discipline infractions and issues are no longer documented in the district’s Mojave computer system. The quandary is that this is making it seem like there are less discipline issues, especially with African-American students—showing less TPD calls and less discipline problems overall.
The employees said the numbers now reported to TUSD administration look like a huge change has occurred, when it hasn’t. For example, discipline figures reported in 2009-2010 for everything from lunch detentions to full suspensions came in at 3,117 and for 2012-2013 they were reported at less than 1,200 students disciplined.
“Our main concern is for the safety of all students,” an employee said. “Right now there’s so much finger-pointing going on.”
This article appears in Mar 13-19, 2014.
Dr. H.T. Sanchez stood before the Governing Board at the Board Meeting of March 11, 2014, chastising the media, stating several times that it was time to move on. It made for good amateur theater. He especially called out the Arizona Daily Star for their coverage of his maneuvering of the hefty consultant contract that went to his crony- Cathy Mincberg- all the while insisting that no crime had been committed. Crime or not, he does not see that cronyism in Tucson does not fly as it might in Texas. As the Star reported on this issue last weekend, Sanchez changed his story from what he had initially stated, which I suppose should give us all the confidence that it is “time to move on.” NOT! We all know how much credibility is given to those who manipulate information and change their story to accommodate themselves.
As Sanchez continued with his “Superintendent’s Report,” he announced that an internal investigation would be conducted by the Legal Department on the procurement process which resulted in Mincberg’s just under $100,000 contract. The Chief Legal Counsel, who heads up the legal department, reports directly to Sanchez and the Governing Board. Does anyone else see a conflict in having a subordinate investigate their boss? Does anyone see a conflict in the TUSD legal department- with the job of legally defending the District- examining any matter in a unbiased manner? NOT! Could one ever expect that the Legal Department could actually find and report that something illegal has occurred ? At the end of his presentation , Sanchez’ solid three (Kristel Foster, Adelita Grijalva, and Cam Juarez) affirmed their unwavering support for their single candidate selectee. So many of us expected so much more than a rubber-stamp Board majority.
Now that we know what we know, it is no wonder that Sanchez lost the complaint that was submitted to him six months ago; lost or ignored the outcome is the same- which is the total sum of nothing; except continued harm to employees and students. It appears that Sanchez is too busy politicizing his administrative ploys to pay attention to anything else.
Ms. Herreras, thank you for exposing what is going on at Tucson High. Many in the community know that our flagship is gradually being allowed to sink. It is an intolerable situation. Employees, thank you for your courage. Community, we all need to pay attention! We have a “smooth operator” playing games with OUR school district. Sanchez says to “buy out of the noise” but his desire for silence will go unsatisfied. It is not time for any of us to “move on” or be silenced! It is time for us to stay on each and every issue and make whatever level of noise is needed to expose and correct problems.
The community must ensure that these five “whistleblowers” are not fired!
I am a former Campus Monitor Liaison at Tucson High of 8 1/2 years, 13 1/2 total with TUSD. I went to the board and Pedicone in Sept of 2012 and asked why the postion was being eliminated when it was so successful. I asked that Pedicone meet with my three co-workers and myself and explain this decision, he did. A little less than a week later I was called in by Clash and told that I had embarrassed her with my actions. Then over a month later, after Thanksgiving I was called in again by Clash and accused of accessing pornographic pictures on a school computer- I DID NOT. In mid- December I was given a choice- resign or be terminated, I resigned. Retaliation- yes, help from the district? No, from either assitant superintendant Morado or Pedicone. I was never told the time I was suposed to have accessed the photos or the name of the person from the district who was supposed to have “alerted” Clash. I am of Hispanic descent(my father is white) like most who have been targeted by Clash. Sad to say I am glad to be out of THS and TUSD, I miss my friends and the children but the smell from the rotting corpse that is TUSD is just to overwhelming for me to ever consider going back, as I had originally planned. TUSD Truth is correct, the flagship of TUSD is sinking and Clash is firing all the torpedoes.
Is Clash the first African American principal at Tucson High School? Are the five “whistle-blowers” Hispanic? Have any of the five “whistle-blowers” ever worked under the supervision of an African-American?
These questions are vital ones that the article’s author, whose name appears to be Hispanic, SHOULD have addressed; interviews with the persons involved would have been the time to ask these type of questions. The answers would certainly explain some of the “whistle-blowers” reactions to Clash
My comment above should have included another topic. What are the current enrollments population of both Hispanic and African American students? Have the percentage numbers of these two minority groups change in the past 2-5 years? Would suspensions of different ethnic groups been a reflection of changing statistics? Have comparisons of the aforementioned ethnic groups as opposed to whites, Native, Asian et al been cited?
I am wondering if the author of this article did any research in these subjects?
“It has created a hostile work environment, and morale is at an all-time low, not just with support staff, but teachers, too,” one person said. “No matter. What we stated in our complaint to Sanchez is an ongoing violation of state and federal mandates, …”
There is no protection for whistleblowers in Pima County, you are already beginning to find that their legal counsel knows a lot more about creating an ongoing hostile work environment for whistleblowers, losing evidence and complaints, and drafting whatever position statement against those wronged that will get them a minimum investigation (if any at all) from a state or federal investigatory agency.
Worse yet, many legal counsel within those state and federal agencies have worked side by side with the institution’s legal counsel and it is assured that justice and legal protection will be denied to the victims sooner or later. No one is looking out for them on either side.
If the institution or it’s counsel had any concern that the laws may actually be upheld, the complaint would have been looked into asap and not been “lost”. The whistleblowers should be aware that legal counsel has already chosen a course of action, six months ago, and that the hostile work environment and retaliation is their counsel’s response.
This type of misconduct is occurring at many TUSD high schools. As a teacher, I’m tired of having the finger pointed at me while serving under a fascist regime. My principal has made it clear to the staff that she would rather have mediocre teachers who don’t question than strong teachers who do question. How long will we let this stifling culture exist in education?!
In a partial response to Bess- your implication is troubling and a total cop out. It has been very obvious to many at Tucson High that for the very same violation, one group of students (African American students) has received different and much less stringent disciplinary consequences (or none) in comparison to their Latino counterparts under the current Tucson High administration. Do not blame the victims, please!! One has to question why she was moved out of her last high school on the east side.
I’m not taking sides here because I don’t have nearly enough of the facts, but I feel THMS Badger’s response to Bess Jones was the cop out. Ms. Jones raised some of the same questions I had, and the questions are legitimate.
I have a feeling that there is indeed some fire behind all this smoke, but the insurgents could be doing a much better job of making their case. Teachers claim to teach “critical thinking.” Under Common Core they’ll be expected to do more of that. Here’s a chance for our educators to demonstrate their own analytical skills in a fight that might be well worth fighting.
The allegations could be rooted in fact or merely in the subjective interpretations of a few. Subjectivity can’t be completely eliminated, but so far it’s mainly a he-said, she-said argument. Someone should see if numbers can help tell a story.
I am a retired African American teacher that worked at Tucson High for 18 years. I watched as the past principal Abel Morado systematically reduce the number of African American teachers, counselors, support and security staff while increasing the number of Hispanic staff. I observed the all Hispanic liaisons at Tucson High treat the Hispanic students better for YEARS calling them “Mijo” and protecting their favorites.
The current principal was not responsible for the loss of the liaison position. That position was cut district wide and affected most high schools. In fact, TUSD was not responsible for the loss of the liaison position. It was the State Dept. of Education that came down and said that was position was illegal.
I do not know what the current condition of that campus is but I do not like the implication that because Clash is African American those students are now treated better. It appears to be merely perception not based on statistics or facts.
The current board policy set in the Rights and Responsibility hand book sets the matrix for discipline and not the school. So there has been a district wide change in the way TUSD applies discipline that is not unique to Tucson High. All schools are boasting on how discipline and incidents have decreased on their campus and we all know that is not true they are just documenting it differently if at all. I will agree that all schools are in need of more security. I recently was a substitute teacher at an east side school and saw many violations and at least one fight.
One additional note Tucson High is now a “B” performing school under the new administration.
As an inspiring student to become a teacher, I am a graduate of the TUSD system and
write this comment with very much concern. First, it appears to me that Clash is at “Clash”
with integrity issues and is not being bi-partison in this matter, as for the comment made
by a previous reader that posted a comment and called the security staff that brought this
matter to the attention of all of us, “whistle blowers” is a blatant “Bigot” It appears to me
that this person is “Black in Race” and is on the side of Clash.On the National Political Spe-
trum, I see a patttern of favortism giving “blacks” a free pass in many issues that involves
‘Politics” ever since the incumbent “Commander in Chief was elected. The incumbent Presi-
dent ran to unite our Country and made many more promises, instead He has
divided all of Us even more. There is a Big issue of Dirty and Nasty Politics at My beloved
Alma Mater Tucson High Magnet School and I wish the worst for all The “Dirty Politcal Rats”
in this life and in the Next if the “Rats do not embrace the “Truth”. If these comments seem to harsh for any reader, no apologies, I will speak my mind and The “Truth”. Sanchez is a “Politcal Rat” Himelf. ……… Peace. Resolve this Now! before someone gets Hurt!
The safety of our children is the most important thing. I doubt very many administrators have the time or desire to deal with student issues like bullying, fights, drugs on a daily basis. Most likely their concentration is in keeping the population count up in order to keep funding and it seems fueling their own personal agendas. We should have designated employees to deal with discipline and security. So bring back those who took care of that and took the time to talk and listen to students. I remember the Liaisons calling parents to notify them of problems they had noticed their son/daughter having, as well as investigating any threat or parent concern. Discipline should be based on the behavior of the student not the race. Tucson High did have a very good and effective African-American principal in the past. So, Bess Jones your questions would certainly explain some of your reactions to the “whistle blowers” since your name appears to be non-Hispanic.
Isn’t this sweet. This school district (like Tucson) is being run like a rural Mexican village. Guess the local Hispanics are not getting along with the black TUSD students.
There may be a new principal with a different skin tone since I worked at Tucson High, but the same kind of shit is happening. The difference is that under Abel Morado, everyone who worked there was required to pledge their allegiance to Raza Studies. If you didn’t, he and his cronies retaliated against you.
At one point, Raza Studies teacher Curtis Acosta got pissed off at one counselor and decided to tell all the students in his classes that the counselors were racists and told them to write to write letters of outrage to their parents. The counselors met with Acosta, who did not have the decency to offer an apology. After I objected to this in an email to the staff, I was immediately suspended for three weeks. When I returned I was told that if I told anyone else about Acosta’s actions, I would be terminated. Acosta, who should have been fired, was not even suspended or (to the best of my knowledge) disciplined at all. I sought the help of district administration only to be ignored. I met with Employee Relations guy Shannon Roberts and Marcia McGaskill, the EEO officer for the district. Each one promised to help, but did nothing. Before I left TUSD for good this past fall due to hostile work conditions, I sought help from Dr. Sanchez. He did not respond. I then contacted Assistant Superintendent Adrian Vega’s office. His secretary told me I would have to see Dr. Morado, who by then had been promoted to Assistant Superintendent. I explained that Dr. Morado was part of the problem. She just said, “Sorry, you have to talk to Dr. Morado”.
TUSD is simply awful. It will not get better until the “three amigos” on the board are voted out or recalled and a real leader comes in and cleans out the corruption in the central administration.
It’s true that under Morado there was a huge slant in the other direction. We had many conversations with him simply asking the boys soccer coach to coach in English, he refused to address this in any way.
As a veteran Tucson High teacher, I am saddened by the fact that the only way to get any help with the crisis at our school is through the press. A lot of us have tried to go through the district with our concerns and found that no one wanted to listen to us.
The leadership vacuum at our school is a ticking time bomb. While others may argue that Dr. Clash’s cronyism is a sign of chauvinism, I would argue that it is a sign of someone confronted with challenges so far over her head that she is simply grasping for the familiar.
We had our first real faculty meeting in three years recently. The room was filled with angry teachers. There is no tardy policy at the school and no phone number to call in an emergency that gets answered on a consistent basis. Teachers need these simple things to do our jobs.
Is it to much to ask to say we need a principal who is willing to consult with us? Many of us are ready and willing to help an administration succeed. But we can’t do it if our offers of help are ignored.
Clearly, Dr. Clash has to go. Please send us someone who cares more about education than their own self -image.
As THS Alumni ’11, I can attest on behalf of the liasions. Having liasions on campus was like having family who protected you or helped you get your head on straight. They all served as mediators and mentors not just as security. It’s really disheartening to see that they are labeled as “hall monitors” when in reality, they brought so much more to the THS community. Abel Morado, as well as other THS staff know the worth of the THS liasions simply because they made life easier. I sincerely hope that the voices of these staff members are heard and not suppressed as they have been for these past 6 months. THS (and other high schools) could benefit from the knowledge that these people carry within, but unfortunately, they are just hall monitors.
It is shameful for anyone in a position to lead teachers and support staff to abuse their power! Regardless of race! If past or present superintendents are failing principals, teachers, laisons, monitors, and suppor staff then WE tax payers should become involved, so that our children are attending schools fully staffed by staff by adults who have their best interest at heart! So, perhaps in the future AZ does not rank as one of the worst states for raising children!
If your kid has disciplinary problems at Tucson High, or any TUSD school, the main issue isn’t how the “punishment” is netted out (I would guess it is to help the student so that he/she can function in society), but the main issue is that the child has a conduct issue. I can see some parents blaming the principle, saying, “well, the black kids get away with a lot, my kid always gets punished it’s not fair.”
No, it is not fair to other students that your child is disrupting schoolwork and activities. And if the principle “goes easy” on some black students, then they just continue on thinking their behavior is OK, and it gets them in trouble down the line when there isn’t a friendly principle to help them avoid dealing with the issues.
I think there is an attitude among some in Tucson, who want to blame everything on racism.
Behavioral problems: racism
Education achievement problems: racism
Kids get bored in class: the curriculum is racist
With all the finger pointing, it would be hard for a sense of community to develop at Tucson High.
After working for TUSD for 13 years, then being fired along with the entire faculty and staff for our school “underperforming.” (and as it turned out we were NOT underperforming, it was a political move on the part of an assistant superintendent), no amount of corruption surprises me.
Though our firing was unwarranted, unethical, and the result of a corrupt alliance between the asst. supt. and the principal of another school, God protected me and I wound up in a much better situation.
TW, please do not abandon these whistle blowers or close the comments section at TUSD counsel’s request. This retaliation against TUSD whistle blowers requires the public to take a closer look at TUSD’s legal counsel, counsel is aware that allowing a hostile work environment to persist is wrong (and unlawful), what excuse could they have for allowing the complaint to be “lost” and failing to take proactive and responsible action? Negligence to perform one’s legal duty to protect and uphold the law is an injustice to the entire staff, students, school reputation and taxpayers. Upholding the law is the best shield against class action and ill public perception.
There is a similar situation at Pueblo HS! HT met with their staff recently!
We are a group of THMS teachers and are so proud of the those who have so bravely exposed the problems on our campus and at central administration (1010). We speak without identity because of our fear of retaliation from our administration and from 1010. Some significant things have happened since Ms. Herreras’ article was published. We are thankful for her reporting.
1.On Tuesday, March 11th Sanchez announced that an investigation by the TUSD Legal Department would be conducted, as requested by the Board President. The investigation would look into the consultant that was awarded a contract and who was linked to Sanchez. We have followed the reporting by the Arizona Daily Star and are also thankful for their investigative reporting. Sanchez made contact with a consultant shortly after he learned that he would be the next TUSD superintendent. This was before he had a contract. He proposed to the consultant, that they work together and use the same template that they had already used while he was interim supt. in his small Texas school district. If this is not blatant pre-selection; what is?
2.The day following the Board meeting, the Arizona Daily Star wrote about the investigation that was conducted by the TUSD Legal Department and included a copy of the report. The TUSD Legal Department concluded that there were no legal violations. However, the report did not mention that public confidence has been violated by a superintendent who insists he did nothing wrong, apparently not understanding that integrity counts for something in Tucson. The comments that were posted on the article were very critical about the process of having the Legal Department, which reports to Sanchez, conduct the investigation. The comments said that the investigation could not possibly be objective. (The Legal Department is conducting the investigation on our campus. We all have a lot to say but not to the Legal Department!) It took a very short period of time for the Legal Department to conduct the investigation that was announced on March 11th, while the complaints filed by the Tucson High Magnet employees have reportedly been ignored for more than six months. The priorities are upside down in TUSD. The Arizona Daily Star article is at: http://azstarnet.com/news/local/education/planning-contract-legal-tusd-finds/article_a30dde3f-0906-5088-bb14-81b7f9eabf5a.html
3. On Wednesday, March 12th Sanchez visited the Tucson High campus. He met with the principal. Within minutes after he arrived most of us were aware of his visit. (With so much paranoia on the campus, people are communicating more.) The principal was obviously shaken by the meeting.
4. Later in he week she said that another meeting was scheduled for her by Sanchez at 1010 and that she was worried. She told some that she would have to “get political”.
5. She did meet with Sanchez and she took someone with her, who was not recognized right away. We learned from friends at 1010 that the person who escorted the THMS principal to her meeting with Sanchez is somewhat of an influential person in the corporate community. Her name is Daisy Jenkins. Teachers and staff at THMS want to know why a principal is allowed to have someone like Jenkins attend a meeting that was scheduled for the two of them. Non administrators, such as teachers and staff are not allowed to bring outside representatives with us to our meetings with management. Have all of the principals/administrators who have been called into Sanchez’ office to discuss concerns been allowed the same privilege? We looked Jenkins up and found the following: http://www.unitedwaytucson.org/daisy-m-jenkins-bio
THMS has had very negative press over the last two weeks which has finally exposed a severe weakness in our leadership. Why would this principal be allowed to make the situation “political” and bring someone of influence with her to a meeting with the supt.? Is this another…”it is who you know that counts?”
We are disgusted with the situation at Tucson High and with what is being modeled at 1010.
Community stay alert!
The former Mexican-American principal and the the current Black-American principal are both accused of the same thing? Maybe it is time for an Asian-American principal.
Somebody ought to ask Special Master Hawley how his desegregation plan…with its emphasis on promoting racial and ethnic consciousness…is working out. So long as race and ethnicity …rather than student learning… is the prime focus for TUSD this crap will continue. The only changes will be in which groups are being favored and which are out of favor.
And the TUSD voyeurs have arrived!
HumanBean, there is actually a formal complaint that has been filed against the current principal and if you read the article, it was filed more than six months ago. As far as I know, there was no formal e complaint filed against Morado comparable to the one which is written about in the TW. And whether there was or was not, is irrelevant, we want the current situation dealt with and it is chicken-manure to use a claim that has never been made before (against Morado) to defend the current principal’s obvious inability to manage the school. Teachers and staff have lost confidence in her; fights have escalated; bullying has increased; a fire was started on the campus, teachers and staff do not feel safe or supported and student safety has been compromised. (And these are just the things that have made it to the media.) . Ouch! Would anyone believe the current principal is doing a stellar job? Sure, Morado was not perfect as a principal, although, in hindsight- he is greatly appreciated. the bottom line is he did run a tight ship and the campus was safe. In the last couple of weeks Tucson High has been in the news for mostly negative reasons. Do you think that maybe the current leadership has something to do with that? Most of us do believe that there is a leadership vacuum at THMS. The indicators have all become public.
To suggest that it is time for an Asian American to be the principal just minimizes and dehumanizes minorities. Your lack of awareness is mind-boggling. HB- live up to your handle and become a real human; have some human integrity and compassion.
As for Marty- your hatred comes through much too often on TW comments and it is only a match to your ignorance. Have you taken half an hour to an hour to read the TUSD desegregation plan? If so,you must have missed the fact that student learning is a significant portion of the plan? For what it is worth, I have only recently read the plan, which should be required reading for everyone who works directly with students. Having read it, I now know that the plan is NOT being implemented at THMS and can only guess that THMS is not an exception to the rule. This is a court ordered plan that is being ignored by the TUSD administration. It is a plan that was stipulated by the TUSD Governing Board, along with the plaintiffs. Marty, try doing some level of research before spewing your hatred and ignorance.
For as long as the current principal has been in place she has blamed Morado for one thing after another. We thought that her attacks on him would stop after the first six months but they have continued. This is someone who lacks professional behavior and is incapable of owning up to her own failures. She will continue to blame Morado for the current issues and she will undoubtedly blame those who have spoken up by formalizing their complaints.
Take a look inward. Enough said.
No advanced teaching degrees are required to surmise that TUSD’s legal dept. will ever find any legal, ethical or policy violations within TUSD. This self-policing followed by their assurance does the opposite of building public confidence. We look forward to hearing more from the whistleblowers in monthly follow-up articles and on local news and talk shows. The only assurance whistleblowers have is bringing the retaliation to light as the legal community has professional experts that specialize in destroying the lives of people of conscience.
What is TUSD’s WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION POLICY?
I am a parent of children who graduated from THMS and an uncle of several nephews and nieces who are currently Badgers. After reading this article and posts many of us are very concerned and outraged.
First and most importantly, the focus of the complaint according to the article is the safety of our young person’s on the campus of Tucson High. Discriminatory actions would only add to a volatile environment.
This is not about race or gender; it is about alleged actions of an administrator.
Using common sense, these complainants would not have brought their concerns to the Superintendent unless they had evidence, facts and/or witnesses to their allegations.
Several other factors lend to this viewpoint.
One is the issue of retaliation as stated in the article by the complainants and by teachers in subsequent postings. No reasonable person would take a series of severe allegations to the Superintendent unless they had substantial evidence.
Two, TUSD Legal has been directed to investigate this matter.
Just to place this into perspective, who signs the paychecks for the TUSD Legal department? They are there to “protect” TUSD and in particular their boss, Dr. Sanchez. So, after six months, they get the nod and not an unbiased, independent investigator. Typical TUSD maneuvering.
Bottom line it seems that this is not a group of unhappy employees, but instead persons who really care for our kids.
To remind everyone, years ago after another school shooting in another state, a news crew went to different schools to check on their security. I recall that report stating that Tucson High was a fortress. Our kids were protected. It seems it is not the case anymore.
It seems that nothing was done until a fight in a THMS classroom was aired on the local news report. Within a week of this fight, there was a fire in an empty classroom at THMS.
There are also allegations of discipline data tampering. Why would someone do this? A simple answer could be so that the individual could state that discipline issues have been diminished on the campus. According to the allegations, discipline issues are not being addressed, overlooked and minimized. Is it possible that someone looking for a promotion?
Dr. Sanchez has been on a public relations campaign stating that he is here for the students.
Yet, he did not feel it was important to address an issue that these persons brought to him concerning the safety of our students.
Maybe if Dr. Sanchez had implemented the discipline methodology written in the USP that TUSD, the Fishers, and the Mendoza’s signed and agreed to, this kind of problems may be reduced or eliminated. Instead, Dr. Sanchez seems more comfortable finger pointing at the USP Plaintiffs instead of working with the court ordered mandate. Dr. Sanchez knew when he was hired that TUSD had worked on, negotiated and agreed to the USP. If he didn’t like it, he should not have taken the job.
As taxpayers, we should be looking at a Superintendant who obviously is more concerned with politics than our kids and our community. We also have to look at members of the Governing Board who seem to have forgotten that the Superintendent works for them and consistently turn a blind eye to this politician.
As parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts it is our right to find out what is going on at THMS. It is time to ask some tough questions.
We must put aside our apathetic tendencies and if even a small portion of the allegations are true, demand the removal of the principal, the Superintendant and not vote for certain Board Members who by their actions minimize the safety of our kids.
It is time to send a message, our kids come first.
Teach4theloveofit,
My post was pure sarcasm; it’s regrettable that you took it as a literal suggestion to hire an Asian-American to fix the situation.
Bad leadership is bad leadership. Race was injected into this topic by the “whistle blowers”, without any published evidence to back them up. (If that evidence exists, let’s see it!)
Let’s not miss the forest for the trees.
For the Safety of our kids,
I could just hug you! Your well articulated post is filled with passion and focus on what must take place at Tucson High. I hope that you will organize the parents at Tucson High so that it is made clear that parents are holding the administration accountable. If the leadership is not changed THMS will lose many good teachers. The current principal keeps telling those who are gullible that she is getting rid of the old TEA guard. What she wants are young teachers who will not question all of the very questionable things she is doing.
So please, get the parents involved!
In the fall of 2012, then-superintendent John Pedicone sent out an email to all district employees urging anyone who feels that they have been the victim of retaliation to contact district EEO officer Marcia McGaskill. I filed a formal complaint against Abel Morado at that time. McGaskill listened, took notes, and seemed to sympathize with what happened to me. She said she would investigate and get back to me within a couple weeks. Months went by without a word from her. I politely inquired. Still nothing. I sent her a slightly agitated email asking her what’s going on. She then responded that a “response will be forthcoming”. Finally, I received a letter from her stating that my claim had no merit, even though she failed to take the investigative measures that she had promised to take–that she should have taken. She also informed me that she had turned my documentation over to the legal department. Needless to say, these actions resulted in further retaliation against me.
This is the game that TUSD plays. They get you to confide in someone within the district, then use the information that is gleaned from that confidence against you.
Frankly, I’m just glad that I’m out of the district for good and that I wasn’t framed like Targeted Hispanic, whom I know and vouch for.
TUSD is a cesspool of hidden agendas and divisive politics. You cannot trust school administrators nor can you trust anyone in the district office. You certainly cannot trust the Board majority. And, sadly, there is absolutely no evidence that things are moving in a better direction.
Thank you Schmackie! The sad truth is the Students lose. The 8 1/2 years I worked and the 3 years I coached at THMS were some of the best of my life. I miss those students, I have bumped into enough of them outside of THMS to know I made a difference.
I am a once and future activist against the personnel practices of TUSD.
I am perplexed by the accusations leveled at Dr. Clash concerning disciplinary practices relative to African American students at Tucson High.
I am an advocate of equal treatment in the discipline of all students when they have done wrong.
If you look at the records regarding discipline for the last 5 years I’m sure that you will find African American students receiving harsher discipline than other groups. This includes suspensions and expulsions.
TUSD has fewer African American Principals than they had 20 years ago. Now, certain racist staff are attempting to reduce that number.
Here’s a fact that most people may not be aware of: When an African American is appointed to a position of authority they know (we know) that they are always under the microscope and someone is plotting to get their job or plotting their overthrow.
Dr Clash is no fool. You don’t earn a PhD behind your name by being stupid.
In conclusion, TUSD was a much better district when Congressman Grijalva and Tom Castillo were on the Governing Board.
epgeorge,
It is true that the TUSD statistics show that African American students are disciplined at a disproportionate rate, but dealing with the problem in anything less than an honest manner does not solve the problem. It sounds as though very valid questions have been raised about the THMS principal. Without regard to race, those questions must be addressed. Whether Dr. Clash is a fool or not is yet to be seen. Hanging a PhD on one’s name does not prevent one from being foolish. Plenty of PhDs have proven so. TUSD should have several African American principals and it is unfortunate that Clash has clashed with so many on her campus. I am African American and in my opinion this is not about her race; it is about her arrogance; her taking short cuts; her lack of respect for the faculty and staff; her making it a race issue by calling on the African American community to come out in her support; her forcing people to take HER side or they are on the “OUT”; and in her using poor judgment for more than a year and a half. It is an insult to use race as an escape from being held accountable.
Yes, when Raul and Tom were Board members there was intelligence on the board that is absent at this time. Note, neither of them have PhDs.
These comments are funny people need to look at facts. People do you know how racist these comments are and have become. You have started asking for African American students to be suspended. Funny I thought if you do something wrong you get a punishment. According to the rules set in place in the students rights and responbiblty handbook. People look at the numbers in TUSD African American Students have the high suspension rate. TUSD has 6% of black kids and they have the high rate. Whatever they are doing to keep students in school of all races is cool with me. And if they are not doing away with black kids I am cool with that. Also the suspension will be higher amongst the Hispanic students there are more of them. Tucson High has 3000 students and about 2000 of them are Hispanic. Please stop being racist towards one of if not the best Princpals in TUSD right now. Also the Liason when I was there played favors with and there favors where all Hispanic students. Now that they are gone there some of them have been very bitter because it hit there pockets.
Nomorehate, the rate for each group is based on the size of each group- it does not matter the size of the group. But here is the bottom line, if one kid is punished for a violation and another kid is not punished for exactly the same violation- something is wrong. If the kid that did not get any consequences is purple and the kid who did receive punishment is green- then the green kid was treated differently in a negative way. If this is repeated- it is discrimination based on being green. These people spoke out and your hate seems to be aimed at them. They seem to be fighting the same thing you are- HATE. If there were problems when you were at THMS, you or your parents should have also complained. Racist institutions do not self-fix. Deal with your own hate before you preach at others. I have dealt with many principals and the principal at Tucson High is not anywhere near what you describe. Confidence in her is at the bottom of the barrel- because of her actions. Just her actions. Let’s try to focus on that. There is nothing funny about what is happening.
Following the findings of employer retaliation against Rose Hemway in August 2012, what changes have been implemented to protect whistle-blowers seeking to have the laws upheld? The Public certainly expects better accountability from the largest District in Metropolitan Tucson. Instead of making Improvement, serious and professional regard has passed like Water under the bridge. Minutes seem like hours when neither the board, management, nor legal counsel have acted to remove those who perpetuate an unlawful climate of fear and retaliation.
“It has created a hostile work environment, and morale is at an all-time low”
– Trust and accountability must come from the top down, as leadership by example with fairness and respect for the law Prevails in the task of restoring Public faith in the District.
Heroic Whistle Blower Rose Hemway’s case should have jolted TUSD into examining their special education and employment policies. All Hemway was doing was protecting the rights of disabled students in a District that has shown less and less regard for children with special needs. She suffered greatly for doing so. It used to be that student advocates were highly regarded in TUSD. Now effort is made to discredit them and punish them. Cam Juarez keeps talking about his advocacy for those who are disabled but so far all we have seen is talk, talk, talk. Krystal Foster is so infatuated with H.T. that she has lost all sense of who she is and why she ran for office. She is not serving our community; she is serving one very ego-driven man. 5 board members and more administrators have paid little attention to what is going on at Tucson High. The complainants who have recently stood up for student safety and equal treatment must be protected. TEA, are you listening? Board Members, do you care? TUSD Legal Counsel- chase the facts, stay on course and pretend for once that you are there to serve the kids. H.T.- you can only “spin” so much crap into fairy dust at a time- you are NO wizard. You should have attended to this half a year ago. Mari Herreras, you are being demonized by H.T. and “his” people….you must be doing something really right! Hope you will do a follow-up story.
THMS got very good news today- the principal, C. Clash sent out an email informing us that she will not be returning after the end of the year. For the last week and a half, TEA has been surveying all members on our campus about our confidence in the administration. Everyone I know has absolutely no confidence in this administration and said so on their survey. The complaint that was filed brought a lot into the light and spurred TEA to get involved. For this we are all thankful. We want to make sure that Clash’s announcement does not let her off the hook. If she is found guilty of any of the allegations, she should be held accountable! We are disappointed in the lack of leadership which has been demonstrated from the supt. and his leadership team. Nothing they have done has supported our school.
I
I know Clarice Clash and her retaliation tactics all to well! She is, without a doubt, a snake in the grass who will do anything, in an attempt to gain power. She certainly (to the best of her ability) tries to hire puppets and “YES- (WO)MEN”, to follow her around like a little puppy yet she would turn on them as fast as a blink of an eye….sadly, they are often clueless…she draws in the weak with a low self-esteem! It truly is a sad display to see how she tries to manipulate people, while targeting the weak and the spineless to be her “YES- (WO)MEN”. It is nice to see that she will finally experience a BIG DOZE OF KARMA! She tries to advance or climb, by pulling others down! Sadly, her work ethic, ego, and professional tactics would/will not elevate her UNLESS she tries to pull others down. She seems to think she is an individual that people should admire. She is such a narcissist. I have seen her in action and TUSD can’t get rid of her fast enough! I can’t say she is prejudice against/for a particular “population. What I can say, is that she is against ANYONE who is NOT her…..and most definitely against anyone who is brighter than she is (which doesn’t take much) or a threat to her in any way….which is usually anyone who knows what kind of person she is. Oh, she tries to present herself in a particular way but again, if you are “on to her”, (which is quite easy to detect) she will try to take you down. And for her own giggles, she would also like to twist the knife while it’s going!
all too aware, you described what happened to me perfectly!
The comment from “all too aware” is frightening. I heard a rumor…and I really hope it is a rumor….that the individuals who filed the complaint -which surfaced many problems at THMS- are going to pay dearly for their actions. In other words R E T A L I A T I O N. I am now speaking to the complainants….if this happens- let the community know!
…If you think Nancy Woll is going to be of any assistance, you are sadly mistaken!
If you think Nancy Woll is going to be of any assistance, you are sadly mistaken!
You’re right. Nancy Woll is a huge part of the problem.
Are you listening, H.T.? When are you going to start cleaning the SHIT out of TUSD?!!
If TUSD thinks the Liaisons’ concerns are false, why are they paying 2 police officers to patrol the campus everyday?!???!!
Now Tucson High has hired an outside security company to patrol the halls during the school day!!! Uniformed security agents walk the halls, TPD the campus. What is going on? It felt more secure when the liaisons took care of issues, usually preventing problems before they started. They knew the kids, the families. Wonder how much it is costing the taxpayers now to keep the school “safe”? In the meantime, the Tucson High liaisons stand around, stripped of many of their duties. Take back our school!!
By virtue of the fact that a “rent a cop” security has been brought on the THMS campus, along with actual TPD- supports what the group of employees reported to our illustrious Superintendent Sanchez in August of 2013. How long will take Nancy Woll to complete her investigation? Has it been completed and if so, has it been buried or lost by Sanchez as the complaint was which was given to him? 1010 has lost all credibility with THMS teachers and staff through this shameful process. By now Woll must be aware, as is Sanchez, that racial tensions have been fueled over this issue. But Sanchez, the guy who brought in experts in diversity for his Strategic Planning just ignores the friction and Woll, either through incompetence or ignorance has done nothing to address the racial division. Our campus needs a great deal……….and right now- some expert mediation to resolve the racial/ethnic conflict would go a long way!
Since this story has gone “TUSD Viral” our principal has actually been pretty decent- acting more like a principal than she has for the last two years. It is too bad that it took this exposure to get her to ACT professional and decent. (It is an ACT.) Still, her favoritism, poor management and lacking leadership have taken us back at least one decade. TEA conducted a “confidence” survey one month ago. The results were given to Sanchez; most definitely, we believe that the survey showed a resounding vote of NO confidence. But like the complaint- the survey results will likely go into the buried bin. Transparency in TUSD does not have a chance with this guy at the helm. Tucson High has been damaged for a period of two years and NO one at 1010 seems to give a damn!