TVEA Spotlight

Good Evening and Happy Summer 2021 to all:

There are two topics I would like to update the board on tonight from the TVEA perspective.

# 1 Impacts of the California State Budget on TVUSD and TVEA

The California Legislature approved the 2021-2022 State Budget yesterday June 14th. While there are further details to be addressed with Governor Newsom such as the legislatures proposal to pledge$2.8 billion dollars to reduce STRS and PERS pension rates, this is a plentiful and record budget for Public Education.

The TVUSD and TVEA Ad Hoc Budget Joint Committee met on May 27th to discuss the Governor’s May Revision. At that time, TVUSD was immersed in developing a its own 2021-22 Budget, which you will conduct a Public Hearing on tonight.

Back at the January 2021 Board Priorities Workshop, the TVUSD Cabinet shared with the Governing Board eight (8) Recommended District Priorities. One of those was to “Prioritize Staff and Remain Fair and Competitive” in Compensation.

While TVEA and TVUSD were not able to address 2021-22 Compensation in negotiations as the 20-21 school year evaporated, we look forward to reconvening the negotiating teams.

I want the board to know that TVEA has and will continue to share with membership that based on the Governor’s May Revision and ensuing final budget that is our expectation there will be Positive, On-Schedule Compensation in 2021-22.

Temecula Valley Unified TVEA Bargaining Unit Members rank at the bottom in the San Gorgonio Region of more than 30 school districts in terms of percentage salary growth since the inception of LCFF.

While there seems to be a district belief in an allure to TVUSD and perhaps Temecula as a whole, a continued growing gap in potential earnings in conjunction with escalating local housing costs will encourage high quality candidates to look elsewhere.

#2 Illegal Classroom Videotaping

I would like to address the incident which occurred at Temecula Valley High on May 18th, the date of the last Governing Board Meeting. It appears a student illegally videotaped a teacher without his permission per California Education Code 51512. This video was posted on social media by a local pastor who accused the teacher of promoting what is referred to as “Critical Race Theory”. While the school principal and TVUSD have supported the actions of the teacher during the recorded video and gave no credence to this allegation, it does not appear the person who did the illegal videotaping has been identified, nor disciplined as suggested by Education Code 51512.

I mention this tonight as this sort of incident is not likely to disappear, but rather proliferate.

We need to send a clear message across the district to students and parents that illegal videotaping will not be tolerated, and students will be appropriately disciplined as stated in California Education Code. A teacher must be able to interject an occasional life experience into their lesson to provide context and make it real for students who likely have not had a similar scope of life experiences. TVUSD should take a strong stand against such inaccurate social media allegations with an order to “Cease and Desist”. This applies in particular when it is done in conjunction with utilizing an illegally gathered video.

Thank you.