On Tuesday night, over 100 residents filled the Sisson School Cafeteria in the small town of Mt. Shasta, hoping to convince the school board to reinstate Marx, but they were unsuccessful.
In March, the board voted not to reelect Marx, meaning her contract was not renewed. She was still in her probationary period.
The topic was placed on Tuesday night’s agenda after a local parent group, MSUSD On Notice, requested that the board reconsider its initial decision.
Mt. Shasta Union Elementary has 465 students in grades K-8, and Sisson School has nearly 300 students in grades 4-8, according to data from the California Department of Education.
Parents in the district claim there was a conflict of interest in the board’s March vote since Board Trustee Mona Gutierrez has a grandson who was in Marx’s class and had behavioral issues. He was later transferred out of her classroom.
Marx said Tuesday night that Gutierrez has slandered her in the community.
Gutierrez did not respond to a request for comment.
“One of the main goals, I would think, of the school board is to attract and retain qualified teachers, especially in the environment where we've got teacher shortages,” parent Kerry O’Brien said in an interview. “It just feels like it’s not in the best interest of that community, with more of a conflict of interest due to a personal situation.”
At the meeting, Tom Gauthier, an attorney with Lozano Smith, which represents the district, discussed the allegation of a conflict of interest.
“The board is well aware of the conflict of interest rules, has carefully considered them based on the facts that happened on the ground and has determined that none of the board members have a conflict of interest, so that issue has been put to rest,” he said. In response, the crowd booed.
Over a dozen parents spoke in Marx’s favor on Tuesday night, praising her teaching style and how she’s helped their kids.
Tessa Clure, a city councilor, said Marx was her son’s first teacher.
“She was an immediate advocate for [my son] and our family. When a person loves your child the way you do, they are going above the requirement of a teacher. Courtney has become a beloved safe place, and I’m very proud of our community for showing up tonight,” she said.
An online petition seeking to reinstate Marx had gathered over 500 signatures as of Tuesday night.
“Her kindness and devotion create a safe and loving environment where our children feel safe, loved, and celebrated,” the petition, which was started by parent Jasmine Priddy, reads. “She has a unique ability to connect with each child on a personal level, understanding their needs and empowering them to reach their full potential.”
But after the board came out of closed session, there was no reportable action, meaning the decision to not renew Marx’s contract stands.
Mount Shasta Elementary School Principal Richard Belzer, Superintendent Tami Beall and Board President Nancy Swift all declined to comment via email before the meeting. Under California law, individuals cannot disclose confidential information from a closed session.
According to California state law, school districts don’t have to give a reason why they choose not to continue with a probationary teacher.
In an email, board member Robert Winston said non-reelections are not uncommon.
“I have served on the Mt. Shasta school board for more than 11 years. We have chosen to non-reelect probationary teachers on a number of occasions, often for district financial reasons, such as over-staffing,” he wrote. “One should not infer anything else from such action. It is often not due to any dissatisfaction with a teacher's performance.”
However, according to the California Teachers Association Legal Department, if a probationary employee is terminated due to economic circumstances, that would be considered a layoff, rather than a non-reelection.
After Tuesday night’s decision, a statement released by the parent group MSUSD On Notice said they were disappointed and asked that “the superintendent’s conduct be scrutinized.”
Marx, meanwhile, said she’s unsure if she’ll return to the district to finish out the year or whether she’ll continue her 20-year teaching career.
“My disappointment is so deep and the hurt is so deep that based on this experience, I don’t know if I really want to teach again. And that’s a really tough reality for me because I’ve been doing it for so long and love it so much. But if this can happen at this point in my career, it’s painful,” she said.
