The president and three other members of a Northern California school board resigned Friday after reports that they made mocking comments about parents during a public video meeting about reopening schools.
The resignation of President Lisa Brizendine of the Oakley Union Elementary School District was confirmed by Fox Superintendent Greg Hetrick to Fox News.
The other members – Kim Beede, Erica Ippolito and Richie Masadas – who make up the rest of the board, resigned later Friday, reports FOX 2 of the Bay.
MOTHER OF CALIFORNIA Answers ‘hearty’ mockery of parents by school board members on hot microphone
Hetrick on Thursday apologized for what he described as the “really inappropriate remarks” of the board members, which were made during a virtual meeting on Wednesday. A group has released a video of the meeting showing board members complaining about parents wanting teachers to return to classrooms.
“The comments made are not in line with our vision and are certainly not what any of us as leaders stand for. I know we have lost confidence in the community. I will not make excuses for what happened or why that did not happen, “Hetrick told Fox News in a statement.
KEEP SCHOOLS CLOSED HURTS MINORITY, CHILDREN WITH LOW INCOME, STUDY FINDS
He continued: “I was and am committed to working together to improve the Oakley Union Elementary School District students, staff and the entire school community.”
Hetrick made no further comment on Brizendine’s resignation.
The recorded meeting of Wednesday night was posted on social media and shows board members apparently believing that the meeting is private. Brizendine seems to be mocking parents who ‘want their babysitters back’.
“They forget that there are real people on the other side of the letters they are writing. … They do not know what we know behind the scenes, and it is really unfortunate that they want to choose us because they want their babysitters back. , “she said. Other board members pile up and seem to reject parents’ concerns.
“If you’re going to call me, I’m going to pick you up,” one board member heard.
Older Ashley Stalf, whose 6-year-old daughter attends school in the district, responded earlier Friday. She called the council’s comments “heartbreaking” during an appearance on “Fox & Friends”.
NATIONAL TEACHER POLL: 61% OF THE BACK FOR LEARNING OF PERSONAL IS CLEANABLE WITH IT
“We meet regularly as parents with the board and we constantly send letters and emails telling us our sadness and our quarrel over distance education,” Stalf told Steve Doocy.
“It seems like late that they were joking with us, that we were just complaining and had nothing better to do.”
Stalf said parents are now wondering what teachers and councilors are saying privately about them.
“What are their true intentions, if you feel so free that they can talk, you know, on a microphone that may or may not be hot, what is really being said behind closed doors?” says Stalf.
The video spread online after it was posted by an account called ‘Reopen California Schools’, which asked board members to resign online.
The president of the Contra Costa County Board of Education is likely to appoint interim board members until there is a new election or nomination, reports FOX 2.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Parents across the U.S. are pushing for their children to re-learn from teachers in classrooms, as some students have the option of completing an entire school year without entering a classroom, in addition to the months they lost at the end of the school year 2019-2020. .
Meanwhile, the White House is investigating the shift in language surrounding President Biden’s 100-day quest to return students to classrooms amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Fox News’ Evie Fordham contributed to this report.