[Opinion Editorial by Mary Ford]
The Piru Charter Petition was approved 5-2 by the California Advisory Commission on Charter Schools at a hearing on April 6, 2010 in Sacramento. The Commission Chair, Beth Hunkapiller, explained that the legal duty of the Advisory Commission is to determine if the charter petition meets the sixteen required elements. The petition must contain an appropriate educational plan and a budget that is balanced. The charter petitioners and administrators of the Fillmore Unified School District then gave their presentations. Both presentations were followed by questions from the commissioners. Questions to the petitioners were mainly about enrollment and the budget. Questions to the Fillmore District administrators mainly focused on their denial of the charter. Superintendent Sweeney responded to many of the questions by saying, “Ask the parents; they will tell you.” It seems that Mr. Sweeney was oblivious to the fact that the commissioners wanted the superintendent’s professional assessment. In continuingly suggesting that the parents be asked their questions, he embarrassed himself. About fifty people, mostly opponents of the charter, addressed the commission during the public comment portion of the meeting. After public deliberation, the vote was taken. Except for the public comments, all proceedings were bilingual. The last step in converting Piru School to Piru Charter School will be the approval of the California Department of Education in May.

It is unfortunate that many Piru parents do not understand that they are being offered a wonderful gift. Piru Charter School will still be their school. It will be a better school with good programs and more money to spend for their children’s education. The petitioners are dedicated, wonderful teachers. Piru Charter petitioners are great with curriculum. When they began, Piru was a very low performing school. With a team of talented educators, they designed a curriculum for Piru that resulted in students succeeding and API scores soaring. The team that put together the Piru charter is the same group that developed alternative strategies that finally helped these students. There is no question that Piru Charter School will be a success.

The Fillmore Unified School District has waged an unrelenting mendacious campaign spearheaded by the top administrators to disparage the Piru Charter. They have loosed their purse strings, and unbridled their morals in order to accomplish a defeat of the charter. They have unabashedly done character assassinations against many of the Charter petitioners as well as anyone associated with the Piru Charter in general. A desperate attempt has been made to retain financial resources that would be diverted to Piru if the charter were approved. Fillmore Unified School District serves fewer than 4,000 students. A few efficient administrators should be sufficient to administer a small district. However, in addition to a superintendent, our district employs, at handsome salaries, three assistant superintendents, five directors, and five coordinators. This money would be far better spent on the children’s education. This overstaffing would have to cease if the charter were approved. Teachers who are in favor of the charter dare not voice their approval. They have seen the petitioners treated unethically even to the point of prodding parents to file complaints against good teachers. Fillmore Unified seems entirely unconcerned about whether their actions are illegal or immoral. Recently, a couple administrators who publicly spoke against the charter were rewarded with promotions. Positions that should have been advertised and interviewed for were given to them. Their lack of qualifications was seemingly not a consideration. How much of the exchequer of the Fillmore Unified School District has been spent in order to fight this charter proposal?

The commissioners were given evidence of some Piru parents not wanting a Charter School. They say they like the school the way it is. They call it the “status quo”. What is the status quo? Piru was failing by State standards. Piru charter petitioners came to the school and with a talented, dedicated team of teachers, and a good educational plan, raised the scores. Then, unfortunately, Piru discontinued and dismantled the good programs and plan that were put in place by this team, the same team that has proposed the charter. Piru is now back to the previous, failing state. I guess, this is what is meant by “status quo”. The school is also in serious disrepair. Is this the preferred and favored “status quo”? Teachers spend their own money on supplies for the students. Why would parents choose that for their children? Seemingly, a mass, public brain washing has occurred in Piru. The phenomenon has been both interesting and tragic. These parents have become frightened about the possibility of Piru School becoming a charter school. They distrust anyone who wants it. They maliciously slander the petitioners. Parents in favor of the charter report that some of their relatives and long time friends no longer speak to them. Fillmore administrators could have prevented this. To begin the healing of the division created, the California Advisory Commission admonished Fillmore Unified District Administration “to listen, give, and check their egos at the door.” It will take time, but the new Piru Charter School will bring peace through its success.

In considering their response to the Piru Charter Petition, The commissioners based their decision on the merits of the petition, not on the drama of the opponents of the petition. Commission Chair Hunkapiller explained that the requirements had been met, and they could not say no because of fear. The petitioners have endured a great deal to offer the children of Piru the gift of a superior education. The commission did a blessed service in approving the Piru Charter.