Letter to the Editor - April 9, 2009

I have been a teacher in the Hesperia Unified School District since 1991.  I currently teach Chemistry and Physics at Sultana High School.  Our three daughters attended schools in our district.  We have been more than satisfied with the quality of their education.

Our Superintendent Mark McKinney is the first Superintendent who is not distant, who noticeably cares about the well being of every teacher and every student in every classroom.  I can call, email, or see him in his office any time I want to.  And he responds.

I never had serious issues with the school board in all my 18 years in the district.  However, my opinion is that the current school board presided by Dr. Kirk and now by Lee Rogers is the first board that demonstrates that they actually care about what was going on in every classroom, and the first board that gave open access to any employee to talk to them.  They have been a blessing to every student in our district.

I have known Dr. Kirk since I was hired at Hesperia High School 18 years ago.  He was chairperson of the science department both there and at Sultana HS.  He gave excellent leadership.  In the 90’s, he pioneered teaching our staff how to use email and how to do research online, when this was a new thing to most of us.  He was very popular among students.  He is the only teacher I know of that was voted “Teacher of the Year” at his site two different times.  Dr. Kirk helped build Sultana into a great school, ranked #2 in the entire High Desert.  He is compassionate, and a man of integrity.  I know he has prayed personally for my children.

So I was disturbed to find out there is an effort to recall Dr. Kirk.  And there has been an effort to get Mr McKinney fired.  I just do not understand this.  Dr. Kirk has given excellent leadership to our district.  Our School Board is doing double duty to bring our District through California’s financial crisis, meeting extra days and at times until midnight.  Many times I have driven past the District Office after hours and seen Mr. McKinney’s office lights on and his car alone in the parking lot.  Thank you, Dr Kirk and the School Board, and thank you, Mr. McKinney, for your dedication.

Furthermore, a recall election, from what I hear, would cost the district an additional $200,000.  A recall election financially would mean that three additional employees would get laid off.  That could be one custodian, one cafeteria worker, one teacher, making our schools less kept up, making lunch lines longer, making class sizes bigger.  A recall effort would be a wrong done to our students.