By ANDREW SPRINGMEYER
On Jan. 15, 1997, Randy Okamura removed me from the Fremont Union High School District Board of Trustees. While I know that I attended the Oct. 28, 1996, meeting of the board, Mr. Okamura chooses to ignore that. But disagreeing with the Fremont Union High School District Board or the district administration has proven to be an unhealthy position.
Instead, I wish to thank the citizens residing in the Fremont Union High School District that elected me as trustee to the Board of Education in November of 1994. It was an interesting experience. While I would have liked to have served my full term with and for the interest of all constituents within the district, it has proven increasingly difficult to do so, especially during these troubled contract negotiations where the district is now at impasse with the Fremont Education Association (teacher's union).
I hope, for the interest of all constituents within the district, that it is understood most board business was conducted in agreement. It was a small percentage of items where there was disagreement. Some of those items included impasse in labor negotiations, the question of indiscretion in the conduct of some coaching staff, discretion exercised by the administration in implementation of policy, the question of indiscretion in the hiring practices of the district administration, equity of educational resource allocations within our school sites, and so on. I found myself consistently at odds with four other board members on these issues as we addressed them.
I believe, retrospectively, that my being at odds with the other four members on these issues probably delayed consideration and resolution of any of these issues. That is not in the interest of any constituency within the district.
In closing, I would like to offer one other personal observation and important note of gratitude. I can tell you, as a single-parent father for over 13 years now, that there is only one group of people that have consistently helped me raise my children. If you have children, this same group helped raise your children. If you have no children, this same group helped raise the society around you. This same group helped raise you to who you are today. They are our teachers. Perhaps none of us can remember and recognize each of our teachers as individuals. Perhaps only a few teachers stand out in our memory as either pillars or poison. But collectively, they do shape us. And for the most part, I thank you, all teachers, for what you have done for my children and the people around us. I deeply regret that I, as a boardmember, could not have done something for you, as teachers, in return for so much that you give to us all. Thank you!
Andrew Springmeyer is a former trustee of the Fremont Union High School District.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, February 5, 1997.
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