Downtown College Prep Teachers Issue Vote of No Confidence in CEO After School Closure
Unionized teachers at Downtown College Prep (DCP), a charter school system in San Jose, have issued a vote of no confidence in CEO Pete Settelmayer following his announcement of budget cuts and the closure of DCP Alum Rock High School earlier this year. The school closure, which will affect 205 students, has been met with concerns from educators about transparency and the prioritization of student and family needs.
The vote of no confidence was issued at Tuesday’s board of directors meeting by South Bay Educators United (SBEU), the union representing teachers at the four DCP campuses. The union cited Settelmayer’s lack of transparency and respect for the students and families affected by the closure as reasons for their vote.
According to SBEU Co-President Sal Williams, traditional public schools take longer to close, with a process built in to engage the community and ensure their voices are heard. However, the closure of DCP Alum Rock High School was announced and finalized within five weeks, leaving families and students feeling abruptly informed.
Williams, who teaches English at DCP El Primero High School, expressed his love for working with his students and his commitment to the DCP mission. However, he donated all of his DCP clothing after the closure of Alum Rock was announced, stating that he was embarrassed to be part of the community due to the harm caused by the closure.
DCP has stated that students at Alum Rock High School will be transferred to El Primero High School and offered transportation from DCP Alum Rock Middle School. The charter also said it will help students find a new school if they choose not to attend El Primero and is actively reaching out to other charter schools to extend their enrollment deadlines. However, Williams pointed out that El Primero is an entirely different community on another side of town and might not be accessible or a good fit for former DCP Alum Rock students.
As for staff, DCP has said it is committed to help find new opportunities for employees who will lose their jobs when DCP Alum Rock closes. However, only four out of the 14 teachers at Alum Rock High School have found positions elsewhere in DCP.
The closure has taken its toll on teachers like John Benoit, an engineering teacher at Alum Rock High and treasurer of SBEU. Benoit said it’s difficult to have conversations with his students without getting emotional, as 60% of his classes are juniors who will be affected by the closure.
DCP is examining the way it makes decisions and focusing more on site-leadership and collaboration to address the concerns raised by the vote of no confidence. However, the challenges posed by the closure of DCP Alum Rock High School continue to impact students, families, and staff.
