Speak Up: SUSD Governing Board member wants to bring curriculum and textbook advisory committees under board’s authority

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Should Scottsdale Unified transfer its curriculum and textbook committees from superintendent’s office purview to the district’s Governing Board?

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Committees designed to advise Scottsdale Unified School District officials on curriculum and textbook choices could soon be moved out from under the authority of the superintendent’s office and placed under the governing board’s purview if Board Member Amy Carney has her way, J. Graber reports. The story sparked a debate on the Scottsdale Independent’s Facebook page between a math teacher who serves on a committee and a grassroots coalition of SUSD parents, teachers and community members:

• “We applaud Board Member Carney’s efforts to bring more transparency to the district, and to ensure that parents are included on committees. Board members control the budget and should absolutely be notified when the district plans to form a committee that intends to spend tax dollars.” — Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity
• “I’m on that math committee. There are parents there.” — Michael Topczewski
• “There were no parents on the recent social sciences committee, and board members only learned about the committee after it was underway. That committee resulted in the district spending $674,000 on curriculum that will be used for seven-plus years. Do you feel that voters should expect their elected board members to have information that is critical to manage the district's budget?” — Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity
• “I’m on the math one and the article said they didn't know about the math committee. I can’t speak to the social studies committee; I wasn't on it. But the math one was publicized enough we had parents involved. Most have stopped coming because it’s a long boring process, but they came to the first several. I absolutely believe the board should know when these committees are being formed, but they get the same emails the parents do, so how did they not know? Do they not read emails? I’m not trying to start a fight with people who are my bosses, and yes I would have figured the superintendent let them know also, but it’s all public record, so I don’t know how they don’t know.” — Michael Topczewski
• “Amy Carney has publicly stated several times that the board was not informed ahead of time. The district even admits that when a committee is launched, they only tell select parents’ groups and post it on the website. They have not historically sent an email to all parents or the governing board.” — Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity

 Additional comments on the issue

•  “The board is made up of elected volunteers. Sometimes they have background in education and sometimes they don’t. We have even had board members who didn’t really support public education. The superintendent is a career educator. This is a terrible idea.” — José Velarde via Facebook
• “If the curriculum committees are published on the district’s public website, why can’t this board member, Amy Carney, not read that information there? Also, as a retired teacher, I am puzzled as to how every member of our public feels they know more about a subject and its curriculum than those who have worked hard to earn degrees in that subject?” — Linda Edwards via Nextdoor