CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi's largest teachers' union is angry about recent statements made by CCISD coordinator for reading instruction and library media services Dr. Cynthia Hernandez.
The president of the Corpus Christi chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, Dr. Nancy Vera, said Hernandez's comments were like a slap in the face, especially during Public Schools Week, when students, teachers and staff should be celebrated.
"That's what it should be about," Vera said. " 'We are proud of teachers,' 'we care about the students' and no one -- no one has the right to tell us that we are not doing our job. How dare they.''
At Monday's CCISD school board meeting, Hernandez attributed low reading performance to teacher and administrator ineffectiveness.
"I'm not their supervisor . . . of the teachers," she said in an impassioned speech during the meeting. "I'm not the supervisor of the principals. And they're gonna be all mad at me because I'm saying this, but. . . . "
Hernandez, who also is CCISD superintendent Dr. Roland Hernandez's wife, then trailed off.
That reaction sparked the ire of the teachers union, who said it was "appalled" by Cynthia Hernandez's remarks, and demanded she issue an apology to CCISD employees.
