Tucson Unified School District Governing Board member Michael Hicks has called on State officials to begin a formal investigation into the alleged grade changing by administrators at Pueblo High School. Hicks’ request comes in response to a KGUN9 News report in which a teacher presented evidence of the illegal activity.
On Tuesday, Valerie Cavasos of KGUN9 News interviewed a highly qualified teacher at Pueblo High School. The teacher, Yolanda Sotelo, has 31 years of teaching experience. Ms. Sotelo alleged that Pueblo High School principal Augustine Romero changed grades and attendance records in order to increase the graduation rate.
Cavasos reported: “… printed documents shows 6 grades changed from an F to a D. Passing grades given students without her consent – a violation of state law Tittle 15.”
Hicks stated, “The law is clear. Our teachers and students deserve to be protected from staff that would violate the law simply to improve performance numbers. The officials involved need to be held accountable for robbing our students and teachers of a level playing field. In this case, it appears that administrators provided more “assistance” to only some students. Not only is cheating unethical, in this case, for a group of adults who claim to value equity, the actions certainly only favored a few administrators and cheated both kids and teachers.”
Superintendent H.T. Sanchez has stood by Pueblo High School Principal Auggie Romero, who claimed that a teacher had withheld curriculum from students and as a result, Romero could change the failing grades. Arizona law prohibits anyone but the teacher of record or the Governing Board to change a grade. Later Sanchez would claim the students were failing due to tardies.
Whatever the case may be, either case would be a violation of law.
It appears however that both men are not telling the truth. Cavasos showed emails Ms. Sotello sent to Romero repeatedly warning that the students were going to fail because they had not written the required essay and had not made up missing work necessary for them to pass.
In an appearance on the James T. Harris radio show, Hicks said of his call for an investigation, “I have never heard of someone denying curriculum. They are just making things up. This teacher, who is making the allegations, is a highly qualified teacher.”
“This District used to be a great District. It still is a good District. We have great teachers, we have great staff. I have lost faith in our Board and in our central administration leadership.”
![Sanchez [center] flanked by Tucson Mayor, District staff, and University of Arizona basketball players during Steps to Success publicity stunt.](https://arizonadailyindependent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rothschild.png)
One long-time educator told the ADI, “Under FERPA no information that can lead anyone to identify individual students can be made public. It does not matter what sort of information. If information made public leads to the identity of any student that is a FERPA violation. Parental consent for each and every student identified must be given in writing. The written notice must clearly say the parent is waiving FERPA rights. For example, if a photo of a child or several children who are identifiable appears that will probably be a FERPA violation for every child so identified unless there is written parental consent for the children involved.”
Yet, Tucson’s Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, an attorney who had been advised or stakeholders’ concerns ignored the protections and joined Sanchez in the public relations jaunt.
Harris asked Hicks if a week went by that the District did not violation the law to which Hicks responded, “I am just so frustrated with this situation. This has to stop. The only way to make this stop is elect a new Board. We have to get individuals on this Board that will make a difference.”