Letter to the editor:

I am writing to bring attention to a matter of utmost importance — unauthorized pay raises that were being granted to Whitewater Unified School District employee and or employees without proper board approval. As the vice president of the Whitewater Unified School District school board, it is my duty to ensure transparency, accountability, and adherence to established procedures within our educational institution.

On December 18, 2023, I and the rest of my fellow board members were made aware of this situation. Upon discovering this discrepancy I moved immediately to make sure this issue was addressed. I utilized the chain of command. I requested special meetings via email and requested that this issue be put on the closed or open agenda for our regular January meeting for discussion. I also requested more information surrounding this issue during open session of the December 18, 2023 board meeting. After more than a month with none of these requests being honored, I felt that complicit in this situation and knew that I would have to address it publicly in order to maintain the trust and confidence of our community. The decision to expose the unauthorized pay raises was not made lightly. I am the mother to 3 WUSD students-two who are either very young or have special needs. Although I feared retaliation through them, I was driven by a commitment I made when elected to uphold the principles of fairness, accountability, and responsible financial management within the school district.

The school board is entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the financial matters of the district, including salary decisions. Unauthorized pay raises not only breach established protocols but also undermine the integrity of our governance structure. It is crucial for the community to be aware of such issues, as they impact the equitable distribution of resources and the overall well-being of our educational system.

I believe in the importance of open communication with the public we serve. By shedding light on this matter, I aim to foster a culture of transparency and accountability within the Whitewater Unified School District. It is essential for the community to be informed about the decisions that impact the district’s financial health and, ultimately, the quality of education provided to our students.

I did ask for a vote for a special meeting to be called before we auto-renewed all administrator contracts. Two fellow board members –Stephanie Hicks and Christy Linse — felt that this was reasonable considering the magnitude of what happened, but the other four board members voted against pursuing investigating this issue further. Moving forward, I am committed to working collaboratively to rectify this issue. It is my hope that my fellow board members, district administrators, and the community will make the decision to choose to do the right thing even when it is hard or scary. Together, we can ensure that proper procedures are followed in all matters related to employee compensation and that any and all unauthorized pay adjustments will be repaid to the district . Our collective commitment to transparency and accountability will only strengthen the foundation of our educational community.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to the continued support and engagement of the Whitewater community as we navigate through this challenge together.

Sincerely,

Maryann Zimmerman

Vice President, Whitewater Unified School District school board