Hello. My name is Gary Tenorio jr and I am writing regarding an issue with our local elementary and middle school. Recently our school district hired a new school principal for Santo Domingo elementary and middle school. From the get go there have been issues with her. She has a very bullying nature and overall unpleasant attitude. There have been times where she disciplines not just individual students but whole grades based on her past military experience. Meaning she uses tactics she learned in the military that are meant for grown adults not children. She commands respect from students to staff but never reciprocates. She has on more than one occasion made staff and teachers cry while disciplining them in front of their classes and other students. She seems to target staff members she personally doesn’t like. One teacher in particular, who has a disability and is a great teacher. Not only is this teacher an asset to the school, but the community as well. The principal seems to go out of her way to make this certain teachers day hell.  One morning in particular the students tried to greet Ms. Miles the principal with a good morning, which she promptly responded “Don’t say good morning, just do your work.” On another occasion she held up an entire lunch, making the students get up and sit back down repeatedly because 2 students wouldn’t settle down. She punished the entire 3rd grade to discipline 2 students. She is very intimidating to everyone at the school and uses that to her advantage. She has created an environment of fear and intimidation. Students and staff do not want to attend because of this behavior. Several parents including myself have tried reaching out not only to the school, but the district superintendent as well with no response. On several occasions I was told “The superintendent is headed into a meeting”. Or “He’ll give you a call back.”  I have never gotten a response. I believe the superintendent is dodging this very serious issue because Ms. Miles the principal and him are close personal friends. Ms. Miles has also dodged meetings with the teachers union and has never met with them since her hire in December. During the teachers valentines party planning, Ms. Miles wasn’t allowing time for the teachers to plan activities for their students. Her reasoning was she has never been married or had any children, so the concept was new to her. How is caring and compassion a new concept to a human being? She says she relies on her military experience to lead. I was in the military too, but I don’t run my household with intimidation. I understand that our children have to be respectful and responsible when they are away from home but they shouldn’t have to be afraid to go to school. How are we supposed to teach our children to be respectful and responsible with this toxic atmosphere? The school system is supposed to teach our children that bullying is wrong. That if something bad is happening, to let an adult know. How can they do that if the person they’re supposed to be felt safe and secure with is also the same person who’s creating this situation? With today’s issues with mental health and suicides from children to adults, I would think the school district would want to intervene or at least investigate. There are multiple teachers and staff who are planning on leaving the school after the year is through. We are about to lose the very essence of what used to make our school great. I am hoping that this letter finds someone who will help shed some light on this issue since the district won’t. The district has dropped the ball on this issue. It needs to be addressed before we lose great teachers and staff. After all they are the ones who make the school run day in and day out. 
Help me bring this to light. No change happens without action. Good Teachers are hard enough to come by let alone teachers in general. Staff members such as education assistants, custodians, kitchen staff make the school run. What happens if we lose them too? Let’s be the voice for our children. Let’s stand with our school staff and help them be heard.