Written by Brandon Lee Romo
Four members of the Oakley Union Elementary School Board in the San Francisco Bay Area have resigned following their disrespectful comments about parents at a virtual board meeting. The board members did not realize the virtual meeting was being broadcasted live to the public and were caught on a hot mic. A recording of the meeting was then anonymously posted on Youtube.
Former-board member Kim Beede was filmed saying “B*tch, if you’re gonna call me out, I’m gonna f**k you up. Sorry! That’s just me,” referring to a social media post by a parent that supported children returning to school. Former-board president Lisa Brizendine then chimed in by saying “It’s very unfortunate that they want to pick on us because they want their babysitters back.”
Former-board member Richie Masadas then claimed that parents just wanted their kids back in school in order for them to go back to smoking marijuana in their homes.
These remarks were not only unprofessional and downright disrespectful, but they were made by those who should be working the hardest to get children back in school.
Distance learning, especially for those who are young, has proven to be difficult and damaging. Many students look to school as a way to escape a variety of different stresses. And parents want their kids to go back to school not so they can “smoke marijuana,” but because they believe it is the best thing for their kids and they need to return to work themselves.
Officials like the previous Oakely Elementary board members, as well as teacher’s unions, have acted as major roadblocks in the reopening of schools throughout the country. Countless teachers unions have presented unreasonable and unrelated demands that they want to be met before they will allow teachers to return. The Chicago teachers union has been one of the most notable. Last month they put out an interpretive dance video titled “The Moment We’re Safe,” which was met with much criticism.
Photo via Daily Mail
