My response to interrogation:
Dr. S,
Monday morning I really enjoyed your Monday email. Thank you for all the encouragement, quotes, praise, and uplifting messages you write for us.
Since enrolling Diego in Stephenville without withdrawing him; I have had
no communication with Mrs. B or his teachers except for a sweet email
I received from Mrs. E in which I replied and stated that moving
Diego had nothing to do with his teachers especially Mrs. E which
is a statement I stand firmly by.
Moving Diego was never something we wanted to do.
On Monday afternoon after having read all the encouraging quotes, praise, and uplifting messages you wrote for us Mrs. A caught me in the
hall and asked to speak with me in the office. When I walked into the
office you were sitting there with a legal pad, and several printed
emails (my correspondence) acting in the capacity of a concerned parent and a pen in your hand. *** please see conclusion of your Monday morning
message***
In "all investigations" in the past we have heard that you gave this
directive,"This is an investigation. You may not speak to anyone about
this. About what was said in this room. To anyone! That's a directive."
As you, Mrs. A and I know; I too was given that directive Monday
afternoon.
Is that directive an ethical directive? Is that directive a moral directive? Is that directive a legal directive?
Dr. S you do not have the authority to infringe upon my rights of
freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Below is the #1 duty you
gave us on Monday.
1. No fear get out of your comfort zone.
I am out of my comfort zone. I am NOT afraid of you and I will not be
intimidated by you. The meeting I was called into was intimidating and
hostile and I continuously feared losing my job. You were not there as an advocate for my concerns as a parent, but to interrogate me and instill fear in me if I did not answer your questions and "obey" your directives.
Below is another quote you provided for us on Monday morning:
The brave may not live forever
But the cautious do not live at all.
Did you really mean that? I was not very brave in that meeting because I
did not follow your #1 directive for the day which was "No fear." I feel
that the tone of the questing, the mood and the intimidation made it
difficult for me to be brave.
Let's reverse this. What would you say to your daughter if she came home and told you the same had happened to her? Well could she tell you or would that be disobeying your directives and what would those consequences be?
It's a problematic conundrum isn't it?
Or as a teacher what would happen to ANY teacher if they called a child
they have authority over and did as you did to me? What would happen to me if I did that? Would that be ethical, moral or legal?
If that seems so grossly unjust and intimidating on a young child
(student) please consider the plethora of feelings and emotions in a "very talented, professional and intelligent" educator. Those are the
words you have used to describe teachers among many more. But to put it plainly teachers leave that office or room feeling freighted, scared, intimidated and in fear that their job (paying the bills) are in dire jeopardy.
Have you considered how my immediate supervisor, Mrs. A felt to
witness you interrogate me in that manner and subject me to answering
questions I did NOT want to answer?
Below is another excellent quote you provided us with on Monday morning:
We can not solve our problems with the same thinking we used to create
them.
Do you really think "your method" of interrogation and intimidation
solves more problems than it creates? I do not think so. I left that
office feeling violated, interrogated, forced to answer question I did
not want to answer, intimidated and filled with fear of my ability to
provide for my family.
Below is another excellent quote you provided us with on Monday morning:
2. Focus I challenge you to focus only on those things that matter
most.
Unfortunately in that meeting I did not focus on the things that matter
most because I was in fear.
Below is another excellent quote you provided us with on Monday morning:
True leaders don't create followers...
They create more leaders...
I believe this and thanks to you, I am going to be more of a leader
and I will not be fearful and I will not be intimidated and I will not
answer questions I do not want to answer and I will not meet with you
again unless my association attorney is present and I WILL request that
all future meetings with you of an "investigation" manner be audio
recorded and I WILL request that I be given a twenty four hour notice
prior to being summoned to being interrogated in a hostile, intimidating
and fearful manner in order to have my association attorney present.
Below is another excellent quote you provided us with on Monday morning:
Stand up for what is right even if you are standing alone.
I think you dotted the "I" and crossed the "t" with this one. I am
standing up for what is right and I know I am NOT alone. I like you and I will shake your hand, look you in the eye, smile at you and give you a
high five, but I will not be intimidated by you.
Below is another excellent quote you provided us with on Monday morning:
In Conclusion: Remember, the most important thing in life is family. As you journey boldly into the new year with no fear...
Family and no fear.. That states it all. My children are my number one
priority and you are right to remind us all of this. I am unapologetic
when it comes to doing what is best for my children and there will be "no
fear."
Below is another excellent quote you provided us with on Monday morning:
³It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a
great deal more to stand up to your friends.²
Do you seriously think I enjoyed taking Diego away from school? From his peers? You did not even ask me how he was doing? What his feelings were. How we felt? I like Mrs. B. She is not my enemy, but I put family first as you stated in your "Monday morning directives."
Below is another excellent quote you provided us with on Monday morning:
³When a defining moment comes along, you can do one of two things.
Define the moment, or let the moment define you.²
I will not allow "this" moment to define Mrs. E or myself. I
still contend that it is grossly evident that she has an assignment that
is taxing beyond what one educator should be required or expected to do.
In conclusion, I am disappointed and saddened by all that has transpired.
I truly fear for Mrs. E and the students in that classroom. Not
because of the teacher, but because of the makeup. When Serena and I met with Mrs. B I asked, "are your students ability grouped?" She said,
"No. We did ability group in the past, but not this year."
Please look at the data. The students were ability grouped last year. I know because my daughter was in the middle level.
Dr. S if I had any doubts about sending Diego to Stephenville you
absolved me of that with each interrogatory question you asked me on Monday afternoon with the tone and mood I found disturbingly foreign. My professional and personal evaluation of this "thing at the intermediate" (your phrase) is that the interrogation you subjected me to on Monday afternoon during my day of instruction and my planning period was a
retaliatory action by YOU for enrolling my son Elijah Cipriano Diego Rivera in Stephenville ISD without WITHDRAWING. Furthermore, I fully believe that I am being subjected to adverse actions by you for contacting board members in regard to "this thing at the intermediate" acting in the capacity of a concerned
parent for the academic well being of my son Elijah Cipriano Diego
Rivera.
I have copied this to the board members and asked that they request a copy of the interrogation transcript. You wrote a great deal and asked a lot of questions. I also ask that they request a copy of the
interrogation I am certain Mrs. E was subjected to as well. Since you included Mrs. A in my personal matter in "my capacity as a parent" I feel obligated to copy this email to her as well. I wish she had not been pulled into my personal matter.
In closing I find myself asking, "What would Rachel Scott do?" Dr.
S thank you for the training because I know that I know that she
would not tolerate "bullying" of any kind by anyone. I also know that she
would not hesitate to stand up to a perceived threat and I too now gain
hope in her example. In the spirit of Rachel's Challenge I can extend a
caring word and thank you for the inspiring words and quotes you have
blessed me with in order to communicate how I am feeling inside as a parent and as a teacher. As a parent I feel confident that I am loved. My role as a teacher; well you saw my presentation about the bilingual summer school program and I have been successful as a kindergarten teacher. My role as a teacher in your district was
challenged on Monday and I left Mrs. A's office feeling violated,
but I am resilient. I am hopeful and faithful to follow your words of
wisdom and to live by the directives you so carefully chose for us in
your Monday morning message.
Sincerely with "No fear and family first"
Cipriano Rivera
