SAISD Fails Students, Teachers, and Parents as the Valedictorian’s Speech Scolded the Administration
SAISD Board of Trustees Mission Statement:
To transform SAISD into a national model urban school
district where every child graduates and is educated so that he or she is
prepared to be a contributing member of the community.
Source: www.saisd.net
This past week Sam Houston High School conducted their graduation ceremony for the class of 2020. It was on this long hot day that our Valedictorian, Merit Scholar, and Drum Major, Peyton GoGo, gave a speech that would change our Eastside Community, jaws dropped across the community. In his speech, he acknowledged that Sam Houston High had stepped up during this covid crisis and wondered if this support would continue after this crisis was over? After all, it had taken a pandemic crisis for our school to support its students. Gogo, standing at the podium, made it clear what he felt during his four years at Sam Houston High- that the top administration had failed to connect with the students (you may see the graduation speech below). Administration’s jaws dropped as they listened to this speech describing how each of those ‘administrators’ had failed each child during their time at Sam Houston High. The fact is that what you do at night will one day come to the light of day, and Peyton GoGo picked the perfect day to reveal the truth about what our administration is really doing at Sam Houston. Nothing. At least, not for the students.
Peyton Gogo’s Speech begins at minute :39 , Sam Houston High School Graduation 2020; YT
It was this speech that stories began to unfold as former students came forward stating that they were so glad that someone had finally found the courage to speak up. These students said that they had taken AP and Dual credit classes and that it wasn’t enough to prepare them for college. They also felt that the school’s principal, Diop, had never taken the time to see that they were struggling or to even find a way to help them. Instead, their days were filled with chaotic episodes that interfered with their learning. When students can see that teachers must step up and step in for the school administration they started feeling those ‘extra duties’ of those teachers was a disruption to the class as they were not principals, not administrators, not board members, but teachers. There were many instances where school administration was absent. All administration should NOT be in a position they are not ready to start serving day ONE, it should not take a student to direct administration to be better, what about these graduates who didn’t have that help? Remember this at the ballot box.
Here are a few examples of when school administrators were ABSENT:
* FIGHT CLUB: Students decided to run out onto the football field to become a part of the ‘fight club’ (parents and those driving by stopped to try to help the chaos)
*SEIZURES/FAINTING: Multiple accounts show days where teachers had students who had a seizure in their classroom due to taking some type of illegal substance (substance unknown)
*SUPPLIES/TEXTBOOKS: Teachers missing multiple textbooks, supplies after requesting them since the inception of the 2019-2020 school year but did not receive.
Note: We have spoken to many teachers, who affirm the above, who wish to remain anonymous and not lose their job as a teacher.
All this seems like it came out of a scary movie, but instead, it’s the learning environment that has been created for our students and teachers. “These were the hardest days to get through”, one student said because they had trouble trying to figure out what their teachers were teaching with no textbooks or supplies to refer to. Some students found a way to push through, others said “We give up”. We will not forget these students and teachers, we will remember how one student stated, “We bravely walked through those doors to take on another day together.”
Parents and Community Members, it’s time for us to demand that our current administration resign from Sam Houston High School. As we’re currently living in a world of protest, we must act and make SAISD accountable for our students. It’s time for all to rise and let us choose a better leader for Sam Houston High School. That leader is not ‘Principal Diop’, he duped us all. I know some of you feel that because our school is being remodeled that he’s doing an excellent job, but anyone can redo a building, can you rebuild a child? We need to fight for leadership like Diop fought to get a shower built in his office with our tax dollars. We need to fight for leaders that will take value in both our students and teachers as well.
The heart of Sam Houston has had too many bypasses done by SAISD, it is time for us to rebuild this broken heart. As parents and community members, we must define what it means to be “The Pride of Eastside,” for we have all made too many sacrifices to allow Sam Houston to be left behind. It’s time to gear up so that we can go to war to fight for our children’s education, for it’s our job to ensure their futures.
Let us remember that our children should never be defined “At Risk” because they’re all at “Potential”. Let us rise up and act so we can save our beloved Sam Houston High School home of the Cherokees and Hurricanes.
Vote at the ballot for SAISD Board Members that will fight for your children’s future.
Email SAISD Superintendent Pedro Martinez and demand answers on your child’s education. Email your SAISD District 2 Board Member, Alicia Perry and voice your concerns on how she should and can make this better along with the administration.
If you are outside of District 2 and are concerned of your child’s education within SAISD it would be wise, as a parent, to have direct contact and understanding from a board member. Email them today and demand that our community high school looks for a new principal who will not be absent from school.
SAISD School Board Trustees Contact Information:
Patti Radle – District 5 – President SAISD
Email: PRADLE1@saisd.net, Mail: 1202 Tampico St., San Antonio, TX 78207, Phone: 225-6913
Arthur V. Valdez – District 4 – Vice President SAISD, Email: AVALDEZ1@saisd.net
Debra Guerrero – District 3 – Secretary SAISD, Email: dguerrero1@saisd.net
Steve Lecholop – District 1 – Trustee SAISD, Email: SLECHOLOP1@saisd.net
Alicia M. Perry – District 2- Trustee SAISD, Email: aperry2@saisd.net
Christina Martinez – District 6 – Trustee SAISD, Email: CMartinez6@saisd.net
Ed Garza – District 7 – Trustee SAISD – Former Mayor of SA, Email: EGARZA8@saisd.net Phone: 355-8565
Pedro Martinez – Superintendent SAISD, Email: PMartinez@saisd.net
