PLEASANT HILL — Two distinct pictures of the Mt. Diablo school district emerged during a board candidate's forum in Pleasant Hill on Thursday.
Incumbent April Treece described a district that faces budget challenges, but is making academic strides and has many enthusiastic employees who are serving students and parents well, guided by a superintendent who is accountable for successes as well as problems. She accused the teacher's union and incumbent Gary Eberhart, who is seeking re-election, and two challengers for two open seats in November, of spreading negative misinformation during the heated campaign.
Eberhart, Jeff Adams and Sherry Whitmarsh painted a much bleaker picture, characterizing the district as bogged down by financial bungling, filled with frustrated teachers and parents, led by a superintendent who has not been adequately held accountable. Eberhart blamed Treece and the board majority for budget cuts that he said affected classroom learning, letting Superintendent Gary McHenry off the hook too easily after management errors and for unresolved employee contracts.
All the candidates agreed that the board is fractured and not functioning well.
"One of the main reasons I'm running is this divisiveness," said attorney Jeff Adams, citing bickering among board members during a strategic planning session last spring. "They have not been able to unify. The five members have to understand that they represent children."
Treece Advertisementsaid some board members didn't want to discuss strategic planning until after the election. Eberhart fired back, "That's patently untrue."
Whitmarsh, who is running on a slate with Eberhart to defeat Treece, said communication throughout the district has to improve, with parents, district employees and board members engaged in healthy, honest, respectful dialogue about how they can effectively resolve problems.
During a packed two-hour forum at Pleasant Hill City Hall, the candidates answered questions from the public. Candidates agreed that a teacher contract including health benefits needs to be negotiated soon, but Treece said the board has to figure out budget cuts first.
Eberhart lambasted the board majority for failing to plan for more budget cuts last spring and said he would like to get the lawyer out of the bargaining and put trustees in. Adams, whose firm represents management in labor negotiations, said he has worked on the side of unions about half the time and he worries that teachers will continue to leave if a contract isn't settled soon. Whitmarsh said the district should bargain collaboratively with teachers.
"It's not us versus them," she said. "We want to treat them as an asset."
Treece said distrust between the union and district management doesn't carry over into classrooms.
"I think there is a tremendous amount of trust between the district and teachers," Treece said. "There are exciting conversations going on."
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