Canceled Classes in Teachers’ Sickout

As a teacher who did not participate in the reported “sickout” at Santa Ana High School on March 17 and who was on campus for the entire school day, I wish to inform parents of the students that the district statement that “no classes were canceled” is incorrect. In fact the entire third period was canceled, in effect canceling about 100 classes.

The time normally scheduled for the third period was called “second period” by the administration, and this “second period” was followed by “fourth period.” The prolongation of second period into a two-hour period occurred with no advance notice to teachers or students.

There was simply an announcement over the intercom at the end of the normal second period that students and teachers were to remain in their classes until they were notified otherwise. Forcing the students to stay in their classes for two hours without a break was unconscionable.

The statement that the personnel brought in from central administration from Santa Ana and surrounding areas acted as substitute “teachers” must be qualified. Several of them simply policed the halls grimly guarding gates which are not normally closed.

I hope that the readiness of surrounding districts to lend their highly paid administrative personnel in a time of mild difficulty will lead to cooperation in situations when there is a need to deliver real help to students, such as when classes are overcrowded, when there are insufficient substitute teachers, or when a couple of extra classrooms are needed.

LOUIS M. SELLIER

Irvine