I got this submission from a reader in a local school district (the name of the reader was removed to protect the children of the person submitting:

Recently my daughter made me aware of conditions in her classroom. These learning conditions are unacceptable for any child attending public school. Apparently, her third grade classroom this year was infested with termites. I came to learn of this when we saw a home “tented” for termites, and I explained to her what that was. She then replied with “We had so many termites in our classroom, there were parts of the floor (she was in a raised portable) that we couldn’t even sit on!” She then went on to tell me that the teacher wanted to have the class find out if these were wood eating termites, so on the suggestion of the class, they left out a piece of wood for several weeks to see if the termites would attack and try and eat it. Like good, industrious termites, they did indeed begin to attack the wood.

Do we really have classroom conditions that are so bad that they’ve become laughable science experiments? Yes, indeed we do.

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According to the ed code, and the Department of Education - based on the Williams vs. The State of California Case:

Pursuant to California Education Code Section 35186, you are hereby notified that:

There should be sufficient textbooks and instructional materials. That means each pupil, including English learners, must have a textbook or instructional materials, or both, to use in class and to take home.

School facilities must be clean, safe, and maintained in good repair. (emphasis added)

There should be no teacher vacancies or misassignments.

Misassignment means the placement of a certificated employee in a teaching or services position for which the employee does not hold a legally recognized certificate or credential or the placement of a certificated employee in a teaching or services position that the employee is not otherwise authorized by statute to hold.

Teacher vacancy means a position to which a single designated certificated employee has not been assigned at the beginning of the year for an entire year or, if the position is for a one-semester course, a position to which a single designated certificated employee has not been assigned at the beginning of a semester for an entire semester.

A complaint form may be obtained at the school office, district office, or downloaded from the school’s Web site at (Web site address). You may also download a copy of the California Department of Education complaint form from the following Web site: http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/ce/wc/index.asp.