Teachers union delays reading Avila's e-mails
ONTARIO -- The Ontario-Montclair Teachers Association president will have to wait almost two weeks to publicly read what he says are demeaning e-mails sent by school board member Paul Avila.
Rick McClure, president of the teachers union, decided not to read the e-mails as he had intended during the public comment period of Thursday night's board meeting because Avila had left the room.
McClure described the e-mails as "extremely rude, disrespectful and demeaning to teachers and frankly, downright bizarre."
"It's important that the public have the opportunity to know that we have a school board member who writes that way and says things like that," McClure said before the meeting.
On Aug. 17, Avila sent two e-mails, one to the union and the second to the other candidates in the Nov. 2 election. Avila is up for re-election.
The e-mails were sent by Avila after he and other school board candidates were invited by the teachers' union to meet with them for the purpose of endorsements.
Thursday, Avila excused himself prior to public comments.
"I received emergency information that one of my horses is out into the yard, so I have to leave," Avila said before leaving the meeting.
Board President Steve Garcia on Thursday changed the agenda order, moving public comments -- usually at the start of the meeting -- until after board members made their own comments.
Superintendent James Hammond said the board changed the sequence of the public comments in order to minimize any potential disruptions.
After Avila left, McClure said, "I will say in response to one thing (Avila) insinuated in the e-mails which is that he cares about kids, and we don't. And that is something I want to be real clear about -- there is nobody, I mean nobody, that cares more about kids than teachers.
"With that I will see you all at the next meeting" (Sept. 16).
Avila was asked via e-mail for a response to McClure's statements. Avila's wife, MaryAnne, wrote in an e-mail Thursday night that she had no comment.
School board candidate Sandra Escamilla said she disagrees with the language used in the e-mails sent to the candidates.
"That is not the way a school district official should be speaking. They should be only concerned with the well-being of our students," Escamilla said.
"To me he's showing disrespect and dishonor to the children and their parents by talking like that."
Ontario-Montclair School District letter in question
The following has not been altered in any way:
Subject: Fwd: Interviews with the Ontario Montclair Teachers Association
Dear Candidates/Incumbents,
Please excuse' the sincere emphatic language " They can (Executive Officers) all kiss my privileged royal Butt on bothcheeks!!
Anyone, whether it be a non-incumbent candidates or a incumbent candidates whomever seeks and falls prey to a conflict interest, dishonorable conduct, and betrayal of public trust disserves the curse of infinite bathroom flushes and the omision from the purging by bathroom tissue for absolution. An elected trustee must not be beholdened to two quasi masters (Selfseving Special interest Unions vs Public:
Parents/children)!! Got it??
Con mucho lagrimas de sonrisa
With great ecstasy and agony of wrong doing from con-artist evidoers.
Emiliano Zapata's Ghost, aka. . .
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