Condescending apology
Where do school board members like Los Alamitos Unified School Board President, Marlys Davidson get the kind of attitude toward community members where she responded, “F**k You” to a concerned parent? Even her so-called apology referred to EVERY “ … community member who gets up to speak THEIR TRUTH . . .” is a condescending attitude.
It demonstrates her prejudice, inability, and lack of a true “willingness TO LEARN from one another’s perspective.”
I remember when I was an elected member of a public school board and attended State School Board Association meetings where workshops were conducted on “How to make parents and the community FEEL like they are being heard.”
Not to actually listen and learn from the free flow of ideas, which is “the powerful story of our nation” but to just make people feel like you value their suggestions without ever implementing any.
The real issue isn’t resignation vs. forgiveness but a sincere contrite heart.
If Mrs. Davidson was just flustered by a parent’s comments about her fellow board member, Scott Fayette’s remarks, then why did she say, “Oh my God, here we go,” just before the next parent even had a chance to utter a single word?
This is evidence that her empty apology to the parents is not only insincere but indicative of her true distain for anyone with a differing opinion.
The focus of her apology in paragraph after paragraph is to her community, her students, administrators, staff, fellow Board members, Dr. Pulver, the Cabinet, her family, and her friends and not to the two parents she offended. The only thing she’s probably sorry about, is that she got caught on the hot mic.
The School Board’s By-Laws hold parents/speakers at board meetings to a much higher standard. I wonder what Mrs. Davidson’s reaction would have been if a parent had said, “F**k You” to her.
Would she forgive the parent? Would she have considered it a threat? Would she have the parent banned from attending or speaking at any further board meetings? Would she have called for the FBI to investigate the parent?
Would the parent end up with the FBI storming their door at 6:00 a.m. with guns drawn and arresting them as domestic terrorists?
Mrs. Davidson’s “F**k You” has been heard on local, national, and international News broadcasts to London and Australia. NOW is the time for Mrs. Davidson to show her real respect for this community and resign.
Hope K. Horning
Seal Beach
Disappointed in Davidson coverage
I’m disappointed to see all of the coverage of the people who are angry with Marlys Davidson for saying f- you, as if they are a majority.
They are not; they are just loud and made posters. If you talk to people in town, there are more people who are glad that someone finally said something; people who are surprised that the Board has made it through so many months without saying anything while people yell at them during public comment, people threaten their safety so seriously that the police advise making the board meeting virtual, and attack them when they are out in public or even at home.
Not to mention, Mrs. Davidson is only human. Maybe she was having a difficult day and hearing someone attack the character of her fellow board member was the last straw, so a bad word accidentally slipped. Hasn’t everyone had a day like that?
It’s not like she said it to a student. She was Teacher of the Year in our district–she was beloved by all. When she retired from teaching, she decided to run for school board as a service to the community because our schools needed someone on the Board with actual experience teaching (and parenting) in our district, someone with extensive knowledge of what students and teachers need in the classroom, and as a school board member has the ability to get those resources to them. I am grateful that we finally have a school board member who was a teacher in our very district and who makes logical decisions based on experience in the real world of education.
I get that saying bad words is unbecoming of a leader, but we accepted it from President #45, so why not now?
It’s been said, “To err is human; to forgive, divine.” (Alexander Pope) It’s often asked, “What Would Jesus Do?” In the Bible, Jesus said, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14-15) and “Don’t judge other people, and you will not be judged. You will be judged in the same way that you judge others. And the forgiveness you give to others will be given to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2)
I am grateful for Marlys Davidson’s heartfelt letter of apology for saying a bad word. I know she means it, I know she’s learned from it, and I know she will continue to work hard on behalf of our students, educators, and community as the President of the Los Alamitos USD School Board.
We all err. Maybe we can all try to forgive, too. Who are we to judge?
Sincerely,
Olaina Anderson
Los Alamitos USD parent
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