Teachers’ Union Learns About Boundaries
By now everyone knows about Kelley Williams-Bolar, the Ohio mom jailed for falsifying residency records so her daughters could attend school in a different district. Governments can be arbitrary about boundaries and jurisdictions even when common sense might argue for flexibility.
One wouldn’t expect a teachers’ union to run into that kind of problem, but in California the Azusa Educators Association found a building for its new headquarters, made an offer, and had it accepted. The union won’t be moving in, though, because the building is zoned for retail and the city won’t approve the sale.
“We can’t find anything else,” said union president Meg Savella. “We have gone to multiple places and they are either too expensive, it doesn’t meet zoning, or doesn’t meet our needs. I would be willing to be somewhere else, however, there isn’t anywhere else (in Azusa).”
A city director said he won’t make an exception because “soon enough everyone wants to do it and you have lost that retail direction.”
“It is a frustration we are trying to do something to better the community, invest in the community, but they are saying we would rather have vacant buildings,” Savella said.
We support the Azusa Educators Association’s bid to abide in the building of their choosing. In return perhaps they’ll lend their “Let Us In!” sign to Kelly Williams-Bolar and other parents in her situation.
