Elementary school board members in California were caught making disparaging remarks about parents during a meeting they thought was closed to the public.
“They don’t know what goes on behind the scenes,” Oakley Union Elementary School District board member Lisa Brizendine said during the virtual meeting held Wednesday. “It’s really unfortunate they want to pick on us. They want their babysitters back.”
Another board member, Kim Beede, asked during the meeting, “Are we alone?” before saying, “B—-, if you’re going to call me out, I’m going to f— you up!” regarding pushback she ostensibly received over a social media post.
Another member also suggested parents want their children back in school so they could smoke marijuana, which prompted laughs from other members.
BREAKING: Oakley, CA school board members caught on tape mocking parents who desperately need their kids back in the classroom.
“Are we alone?” one says. “Bitch, if you’re going to call me out, I’m going to f*** you up!” Another adds, “They want their babysitters back.”
1/3 pic.twitter.com/zMuFlqs4Gy
— Reopen California Schools (@ReopenCASchools) February 18, 2021
Here is the original video from a quick acting parent who recorded this. Derogatory comments start around min 4:50.https://t.co/Rj5YQrzcZH
— Reopen California Schools (@ReopenCASchools) February 18, 2021
The hot mic situation has already prompted outrage from parents in the Northern California school district, with an online petition calling for the school board members to be recalled or to resign.
BILL DE BLASIO CALLS ON SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO REOPEN
“Before the start of the meeting the board members were speaking to each other as parents logged on. They did not realize they were being broadcast and that the public could hear them. During that time board members decided to speak in a VERY disrespectful way about parents in the school district, including using profanity, speaking about parents using marijuana, and that parents just wanted their babysitters back,” the Change.org petition states.
The petition received more than 800 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.
“A recall would cost the district money that should be going to the kids. I am asking that the board members to resign immediately due to their egregious behavior,” the petition continued.
The incident comes as teachers unions continue to resist getting educators back in classrooms out of fear it could intensify the spread of the coronavirus.
However, various studies conducted in the United States and abroad have found children are at low risk of spreading the virus.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who implemented school shutdowns in his city, has also called for schools across the country to reopen, saying children are suffering from closures.
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“This whole country has got to reopen our schools,” the mayor said on MSNBC Thursday morning. “You know, enough is enough. Our kids need it, and they’re suffering.”
“Let’s be clear, it’s not just academic loss,” he added. “Our kids are suffering emotionally. And if they’re not in school, it’s bad for them. It’s bad for their emotional development. For a lot of kids it’s very, very painful to not have that chance to go to school. And we’ve got to pay more attention to that.”
Superintendent Greg Hetrick told the Washington Examiner he pledges “to work collaboratively with stakeholders and community members to begin doing the important work that is needed to rebuild community trust in our district” following the incident.
“Last night at the Oakley Union Elementary School District Regular Board Meeting there were unfortunate and truly inappropriate comments made that were heard by many. These comments are not typical and more importantly they are not what the community should expect from our school district,” he added.
