Opinion: Dear Dr. Navarro

Dear Dr. Navarro,   

A big welcome back to Newport Mesa! I have heard nothing but good things about you.... actually great things about you.

I don't know if anyone's told you, but we've had a bit of trouble since you've been gone, and you are walking into a mess. I worried briefly that you were hired because of your last name, and what that name might means to the 11 schools that are considered failing.    

I was immediately disabused of that notion by someone who said that you were the real thing, that you knew what you were doing, not afraid to get in the middle of things, cared about children, smart, honest and unafraid.

Frankly, if you are half those things, it is cause for great celebration, because you are going to need as many terrific attributes as possible.

Some think that the 11 so-called failing schools are not the very quiet elephant in the room, and that somehow (possibly because of your last name), these schools will be magically fixed.    

If the only criteria is passing tests then they would be right, BUT if you are talking about the excellent teachers in those schools, whose heads are pounded on day after day, the teachers who come early, stay late, and love their students, the principals who have to deal with administrators who are 10 steps removed from the classroom, children who are so cute that it breaks your heart, and parents, most of whom are the dearest people on earth....then these schools are not your biggest problem.

What is your biggest problem you ask? The answer is the Culture of Fear that permeates N-MUSD. I am surprised that Cal Tech hasn't labeled what has gone on for the past five years at least a 9.2 on the Richter Scale.

Whatever blew in from South County and Beverly Hills has almost choked the life out of this district. A vote of no confidence by the teachers was visited upon the superintendent last year, which was summarily ignored, not only by the administration, but by the trustees as well. It took a lot of courage for those teachers to make that statement. Teachers are afraid...afraid of losing their jobs, afraid of harassment, afraid of involuntary transfers...just plain afraid. 

If you agree that the culture of a school becomes one third of the learning capability of the students, than you would agree that to have timid teachers who are afraid to do what they know is right and speak out does not make for better teaching or a better learning environment. 

So, Dr. Navarro, if you could bring all of your obvious talents to this one issue you would go a long way toward healing Newport-Mesa. Do what the past administration refused to do....listen to teachers, bargain fairly with the NMFT (Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers), get around , encourage the trustees to hang out in the schools ( not just do the ceremonial thing), and talk to the union, try to be a positive force for good, not just in words but in action.

Here's a possible new motto: N-MUSD-NOT JUST LOOKING GOOD, BUT BEING GOOD! 

Just Sayin...