Bill Tiffany wants to help the San Benito High School Board of
Trustees work with teachers, parents and students to make decisions
that are important to the high school.
Bill Tiffany wants to help the San Benito High School Board of Trustees work with teachers, parents and students to make decisions that are important to the high school.
Tiffany, who is a graduate of San Benito High School, feels open communication is vital at the school.
“I know that many teachers feel that their voice is not really listened to,” Tiffany said. “I think the Board should as much as possible try to involve parents, students and certainly teachers in the decision-making process as much as possible. I want to open lines of communication as much as possible to make sure their point of views are fully considered before decisions are made.”
Tiffany is vying for one of three open seats on Nov. 5 against incumbents Sylvia Sims DeLay, Ken Kovanda and Judy Rider, and challengers Stefani Fowler and Jan Joseph. He has been on the Southside District School Board for more than 12 years, but with his current term ending this year, he decided to not run again.
Earlier this year, when Tiffany did legal consultation with a Hollister family whose daughter was effected by the school’s zero tolerance policy, he thought about running for the school Board to help make changes.
But it wasn’t until after he was contacted by a representative of the San Benito chapter of the Teacher’s Association and asked to run that Tiffany made up his mind, he said. Since then the Teacher’s Association has endorsed Tiffany.
“Putting all that together made me decide to give it a try,” he said. “Being involved in that one (zero tolerance) case and subsequent to that one case I believe that that (zero tolerance) policy and certainly the way it was implemented should be examined.”
Tiffany does not necessarily disagree with having a zero tolerance approach to disciplinary measures, but he believes the consequences should fit the violation.
“To me there should be a significant difference for some students caught with a weapon on campus compared with a student that is found coming to an after-game dance with alcohol on their breath,” he said. “Saying that we have zero tolerance, I’m not sure that’s so bad. The consequences are what should be re-examined. We need to use a common sense approach in decision making and as much as possible listen to and take into consideration different points of views in the decision-making process.”
Tiffany has two daughters that have graduated from SBHS and a third is a senior this year.
Another important issue Tiffany wants to accomplish is to help lower the high turnover rate of teachers.
“I think the administration should bend over backwards to retain good teachers,” he said. “If there’s changes that can be made to reduce that turnover rate with respect to good teachers, I think that’s important.”
Tiffany is endorsed by the:
– San Benito High School Teachers’ Association
– Hollister Elementary Schools Teachers’ Association
– Future Farmers of America Boosters
– League of United Latin American Citizens
– SBHS California Schools Employees’ Association
– Parents and Students for Educational Justice.
