Schools

Sheila Silver Reinstated to AVPA

The popular drama teacher's job at the high school has been reinstated, but March 15 layoffs could still threaten her position.

Culver City High School student Sierra Parsons passionately addressed the board of education Tuesday night in response to the decision to reinstate Academy of Visual and Performing Arts Creative Director Sheila Silver: “We thank you for your decision. We have clearly shown how much she means to us as our teacher, muse and human being.”

After an impromptu grass-roots movement composed of parents and students swept through Culver City during the last two weeks in support of Silver, the school board took a second look at its decision not to bring her back for the 2011-2012 school year, voting 3 to 2 recently to reinstate her. According to the board members at the Tuesday meeting, they were flooded with e-mails in support of the popular teacher.

“I am very grateful to the school board, Patti Jaffe and Leslie Lockhart for having invited me in to speak with them about my non-rehire,” Silver wrote in an e-mail to Patch. “They took the time to listen to me, look at evidence and reconsider the reasons that had been presented that led to their initial vote.”

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Earlier this month, she had received notice from the high school that she would not be returning in the fall. That decision, later approved by the school board, triggered a protest by students and teachers.

Silver received raucous applause at the meeting Tuesday night, as well as a standing ovation from parents and students who supported her returning to the school.

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“Thank you for taking a look at Ms. Silver and what she brings to the students,” Liz Kinnon said at the meeting. “She really has mastered the fine arts of teaching.”

Not everyone was as thrilled as the majority of the crowd at Tuesday night’s meeting. 

“I am now the most unpopular person in the room,” Janet Chabola said. “I came to address the process. A site decision has been made, and that decision has been overruled and the person was completely humiliated. You have to honor how the process was made.”

Per David Mielke, however, Silver is not in the clear yet. If the Culver City Unified School District does cut high school teachers, and if Silver is less senior than other teachers in danger of layoffs, then her position could still be eliminated.

But for now, Silver is working on the AVPA’s latest show, entitled Urinetown, and is excited for its debut March 10.

“Urinetown is going to be wonderful!  We are having so much fun working on the antics of this show,” Silver said. “For as serious and important as was, we could not be doing anything that is so irreverently juxtaposed.

 “A talented cast, dedicated crew, wonderful artistic team, I couldn't ask for more. It is the largest collaboration of our year and it had indeed kept me focused on what we are here to do with our students.”

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