An Open Letter from Newhall School District Teachers

“Four out of six of us could have been impacted by the budget constraints in question in these false ads, but none of us lost our jobs during Christy’s tenure on the School Board, thanks to her advocacy.” -Marisa Cohen, Tina Daucher, Katherine George, Hilary Hall, Janel Motter, and Melanie Musella, Newhall School District teachers saddened by false attacks on Christy Smith.

We are a bipartisan group of Newhall School District teachers condemning Mike Garcia for peddling false attacks against Christy Smith, who has been a strong education advocate for teachers, students, and families her entire career. Recent ads allege Smith voted to fire teachers and gave herself a pay raise. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, and there must be an end to these deceptive lies.

The facts are very simple: no teachers lost their jobs, and there were ultimately more Newhall School District teachers when Smith left the board than when she started.

Additionally, Mike Garcia will tell you Smith gave herself a pay raise during this difficult fiscal time, which is false. The truth is that Smith received a stipend while on the Newhall School Board, which started at $250 per month and increased by $30 over the next nine years only when teachers and staff also were able to receive pay increases.

Normally, we wouldn’t wade into politics. We’re most comfortable in a classroom and believe our true calling in life is helping our students achieve their full potential. We felt we had to speak up when Mike Garcia and his allies manipulated our personal struggles and that of our fellow teachers for political gain.

Instead of helping us deal with the issues at hand — the challenges associated with distance learning, need for resources so our neighborhood schools could weather this pandemic, and childcare support for working parents — Mike Garcia is focused only on his reelection and will stop at nothing, even using the most tired tactic of deceit, to win. We call for these lies to stop.

We can speak to Christy Smith’s longstanding reputation as a community leader and public education advocate. While she led the school board, she always looked out for teachers, students, and their families. We know that, when elected, she will continue to work with leaders across the aisle to do what’s best for our community.

Signed,

Marisa Cohen, Tina Daucher, Katherine George, Hilary Hall, Janel Motter, and Melanie Musella

Newhall School District Teachers