Re: 'How to take the schools back' [Village News, Forrest letter, 10/12/23]

Ms. Forrest, the fact that you have to ask what’s wrong with the schools, tells me you are part of the problem. That, and the smarter-than-thou attitude.

I didn’t include my background because I wasn’t sure I’d get a typical response from a teacher who wholly supports the union or works for them.

Here goes.

Sandra, I was a fully accredited secondary education teacher literally before you were born. My mother was a teacher. My sister was a teacher. My best friend was a teacher. In the mid 70s, I saw the schools taken over by your party of far left radicals with their indoctrination agendas. I turned down a job and decided to just substitute and not join the left “team.”

I substituted on and off for 14 years in three states and over 20 schools. I saw what worked and what didn't.

No, Sandra, I didn’t fall from the turnip truck yesterday. Maybe you should do some research outside of your small pond.

So let’s go through your letter. Ascertaining someone is a parent doesn’t require the T.S.A.

Of course you want to be warned, so you can modify your agenda.

Don’t call Bobby, Megan, because the school is secretly helping “him” transition to a new gender. Suspend the war on boys and whites as oppressors. Don’t tout socialism as the only fair government. No mention of American imperialism, etc. etc. You know, clean it up for the day.

Yes Sandra, I have done research.

The heaviest flak is when you’re over the target. The last time I visited a “campus” was when I taught there.

I don’t know why you put “proposal” in quotes? Does it scare you? You say find out what can and can’t be controlled locally. Tell it to Temecula!

Now we come to the heart of the letter/matter. You say your (school’s) hands are tied by the established (public?) and legal requirements you say “unions do not set school policy or instructional protocol.”

No, the state hired a middle school teacher to “establish public and legal requirements.”

My eye, the unions tell the state what’s best for them…I mean what’s best for the students “to reach their full potential.”

Maybe you should do your homework/research to discover the solid proof. We had the unions supporting the mask mandates, school closures, the inoculation of teachers and kids, and parents investigated by the FBI. Solid proof, maybe you’ll have to turn in your cheerleader outfit.

You say private, charter, or voucher type schools are not required to follow state and federal mandates. That’s why they work! And thank God, oops that word is banned isn’t it? But, no books can be banned now, especially a child’s book on how to provide oral sex in the neighborhood. P.S. approved by our school board. Maybe I should discuss it with them.

I’m sure they’ll change their minds.

It’s interesting to note you don’t mention the horrendous scores in academics that keep falling while administrators salaries keep rising, not to mention the obscene golden parachute our esteemed superintendent got at the town’s expense.

Yes, I have spoken to many administrators and almost all were a terrible disappointment. They were more interested in their careers than their jobs.

And finally, you suggest I volunteer to mentor students. I have, for 14 years. I tried to teach the kids the truth, countering union sponsored training of Critical Race Theory, (communism adapted to America), and Common Core (Communism tailored for American schools). Yes, I substituted in California for years.

By the way, I wrote a book for substitute teachers, approved by the NY Teachers union. It was sold in Barnes & Noble in eight states for 10 years. I still sell it and meet with former and current teachers, and they are all disgusted with the schools you’re so proud of.

So please put down the pom poms and sell it to someone who doesn't know about the closed board meetings that were supposed to be open, or the microphones turned off so parents couldn’t speak.

Do your homework.

J. Schembri