JUSTICE FOR HILDA NOW!
#BringBackHilda
On July 11, 2019, Hilda Rodriguez-Guzman, a SEIU Local 99 Member and dedicated education worker, was unjustly let go right before the new school year from her job at The Accelerated Schools (TAS).
Hilda was among the first group of parents to enroll their child in TAS when the school first opened its doors. Her oldest daughter, Kristina, started there in kindergarten and her other two children followed suit when they came of age. When Kristina reached the 8th grade, Hilda and a group of parents successfully petitioned the TAS Board of Directors to expand their program to what is now the Wallis Annenberg High School. Her daughter and her peers were the first graduating class.
She believed so much in the ideals of TAS that when the opportunity arose, she went to work there as a Student Health Services Coordinator. She was a key resource for students on campus, treating minor school-related injuries, reaching out to and coordinating with parents if their child was feeling ill or suffered a serious injury, and supporting the general well-being of all TAS students. Until she was let go, it was a job she dedicated 10 years to with pride, care and love for the young learners she served.
For her, being the school’s go-to person for student health has been more than just a job. A life-long resident of South Los Angeles, she wanted to serve her community and improve the health disparities and education of students. And as a parent of former TAS students, Hilda has built strong bonds with students and parents. TAS students need their new RN and a strong health advocate with deep ties to the community like Hilda.
We believe Hilda was terminated by TAS management in retaliation for her advocacy work on behalf of employees and students. We condemn retaliation against any employee for protected union activities. Parents, community, students, and staff are demanding TAS reinstate Hilda’s job. Join the call!
Sign the Petition to Reinstate Hilda at TAS
[contact-form-7 id=”32602″ title=”Save Hilda Petition”]
What Hilda Means to You
We asked you what Hilda means to you. This is what some petition signers wrote:
Hilda has been instrumental by sharing her negative experiences and allowing folks to see firsthand the major flaws in current law. She’s been a great example to thousands of young Latina women on speaking up for what’s right and not being intimidated by corporations or deep pocketed privatizers. Thanks for not being intimidated and silenced! #Adelante
She is a great person, Ms. Rodriguez wants nothing but the best for the community she serves. She truly believed that children and families are entitled to high quality services like those who live in suburbs. Mrs. Rodriguez has always been an advocate for equality and justice for all. She deserves to get her position back, she was not only an employer but an advocate for those who fear to speak up, she is the voice for many!!!
Hilda has been an amazing person and has helped not just our children but the community itself.
Hilda has been integral in the profession of our communities students. I truly believe that not having her around would a disservice to them and their families.
She’s a great mom a great person and she always tries to help other people.
Her activism has helped bring change to the schools in a positive way.
Porque es una pieza fundamental para la escuela y para los niños creo que tanto los padres y los niños se sienten en confíanza cuando ella está y porque ella a ayudado a esta escuela desde que se fundó
Hilda is a great support and help for all the Student and Parent at TAS and the community. She has always fought for what’s right and fair. She’s on top of all the injustice we have see in our School. Let’s keep Hilda at TAS!
Hilda is the voice of the students.
I’ve known Hilda Guzman basically my whole life. I was a TAS Student 1st to 12th grade and for as long as i can remember I’ve always had Hilda in life. I’m great friends, even best friends with her daughter who is more like a sister to me. Hilda was a great school nurse as well as a friend I’m sure.
She is a wonderful person who has a great impact on everybody she comes across.
Hilda has always put students, the community and schools ahead of herself, she needs to go back now!!!
She’s like a second mom
Her tireless efforts in advocating for students and parents is unprecedented. I greatly appreciate all her guidance. We need more people like Hilda!
Hilda is a wonderful person dedicated to making a difference. She has a huge heart always ready to give a hand to anyone in need. She is a role model and deserves better. Please bring back Hilda!
She has always been so welcoming and extremely helpful. She listens and always finds alternatives to help the community and parents here at TAS
I was a student at TAS few years after it first opened. I met Hilda as a friends mom who always help out students and parents. Now she is like family. Her willingness to help is what most know her by. She doesn’t let you fall or fail.
Hilda has meant support and hope for all our community, On a personal level she has been an admirable friend she is always willing to help everyone with any needs they may have.. I will continue to support her!
Hilda has for many years taken care of the health care needs of the students at TAS. She is invested in our schools and the community. We want her job to be reinstated!
She is an example of what kids should look up to when getting involved with the community. We need more people like Hilda. Never give up!
I was a student at TAS few years after it first opened. I met Hilda as a friends mom who always help out students and parents. Now she is like family. Her willingness to help is what most know her by. She doesn’t let you fall or fail.
For Mrs. Guzman, education in our community is very important. She wants our schools to provide better education, more teachers, better health programs. She is representing our community. Don’t punish her.
Hilda has been instrumental by sharing her negative experiences and allowing folks to see firsthand the major flaws in current law. She’s been a great example to thousands of young Latina women on speaking up for what’s right and not being intimidated by corporations or deep pocketed privatizers. Thanks for not being intimidated and silenced! #Adelante
She has been very helpful and supportive, she is a fundamental part of the school.
She is a champion for charter school accountability.
Hilda is a strong advocate for ALL students.
She truly cares about our children, their education, rights and safety. She is not afraid to tell the truth.
Hilda was very important to the students at TAS. She was a sweet lady that had always helped me when I was sick or injured. She meant a lot to TAS and I don’t know why they had let her go. But the school needs her back. Coming from a student it’s unfair what you guys did to her.
I’ve known Hilda since I was in middle school and she was a very caring school nurse. I am a Wallis Annenberg HS alumni and she dedicated her time and effort for the students. It hurts me to find out what the school has been doing to all the employees that have señority working for WAHS/ TAS.
I support you on this fight, my first thought were unbelievable but then I wasn’t surprised that they did this to you. For years TAS have gotten rid of good people. Good employees the ones that actually care about our school/children our community. Especially the ones that unveiled us. We see you as a supporter. TAS sees you and fears you as a threat and we aren’t going to allow them!! We need you Hilda Rodriguez-Guzman Bring Hilda back!!! Give her job back!!
Ms Hilda is a warm an loving person. She has helped the community in many ways .We need Ms. Hilda back to continue to see progress and continue to see the changes within our community to better
Hilda has been a gift send from God. Hilda has helped me with advice, resources , phone number and addresses to places where I can help advocate for my son who is in the Autism spectrum. It is very hard for a parent to know where to find the right help. Thanks to her guidance I feel I’m on the right path. It is a shame that the school system the school district instead of praising her efforts punished her for doing what every one should be doing helping one another . These kids are the future it is in our hands to do everything we can to make it a better one. Thank you so much Hilda.
Hilda has been a good employee, she has help my community in may ways and is always advocating for the students and families. Hilda additionally served as a union representative while i was employed with the accelerated schools. Unfortunately she was let go of her position and i know this will have a negative impact on our children and community.
She is my friend mother and she means a lot to her and the community please give her the job back
I worked with Hilda years ago and saw firsthand her integrity and commitment to helping people. She is a powerful advocate.
Amiga inteligente valiente y fuerte que lucha por una mejor education para los niños y para una mejor comunidad poq pone Todo su corazon en ello.
My mother has been instrumental in advocating for me as a student with disabilities.Unfortunately, she had to fight TAS hard to get me the much needed services & supports. Because of my mother’s activism I was able to attend & graduate from college this spring with a Bachelors of Science in Speech & Language Pathology from the University of The Pacific.
When the Accelerated Schools ignore the law, they endanger the health and safety of students, staff and other community members. Instead of fixing their violations, they retaliate against those who bring them to light. Hilda has been a tireless advocate on behalf of the children and should be immediately reinstated. Trading Student Safety for Independence? http://www.changethelausd.com/trading_student_safety_for_independence “As a school of CHOICE, you CHOOSE to be here and are expected to productively and respectfully resolve problems. You have options. Clearly, you are either a very satisfied customer who appreciates the roles you have as an employee, union steward, parent, and committee member, or….” – Johnathan Williams, The Accelerated Schools https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/carlpetersen/pages/2478/attachments/original/1509907326/Johnathan.jpg?1509907326
Hilda is one of the reasons TAS was able to open its doors. From the very beginning she gave her time and continues to give countless hours of her time to find ways to improve our school community. She cares deeply about all students and employees of The Accelerated Schools.
She has meant Inspiration and Hope!! She had always been very supportive to all the children in the community… Hilda is always fighting for the rights of the teachers who support our children!! Most of all Hilda is a mother, grandmother and amazing friend fighting for the education of our children!! I will continue to support her every step of the way!!
It’s difficult to say what she means just to me. But losing her will have such a huge impact, she is a matriarch and 1/4 of a base and if she were to be removed, it would cause a huge, collapse for the rest of us who stand on that platform.
She has helped me over the years with different types of situations. She is and has always been very passionate about her work and helping others. 100% GIVE HILDA HER JOB BACK.
I’ve known Hilda all my life, because she is my aunt. She has always been like a another mother for me, she leads by example and is inspiring. She’s a strong woman with a big heart and cares about her family and her community. I love her because she makes me feel loved and valued. I enjoy being around her because of her ambitious character and her great sense of humor.
Hilda is one of the few GREAT people that have made a difference in TAS. She earned my trust through the years when my children attended the nurses office.. she was very caring and always got in contact with me for any of my children’s needs. She is an exceptional human being. She deserves her place in TAS. She is irreplaceable..
Hilda has been a leader in our community & TAS forever. She is a Mother to all -providing leadership, guidance, empathy & compassion relentlessly. She is the heart, fire & backbone…the true Matriarch of the TAS family.
Hilda is an amazing person that always help all of our students.
A tireless fighter against privatization and a friend to UTLA.
Hilda has always been a very helpful person. She does what needs to be done and exceeds her responsibilities. Please bring her back!
I am a former teacher at TAS. I taught two of her children and she was a wonderful parent, as well as a valuable member of the staff and community. I was also fired for my activism and I am very sad to hear that this type of behavior is continuing. TAS needs to learn from Hilda, not fire her.
Hilda is a great example of what an active community member should be. She is well informed on different subjects in regards to education and is always willing to be of support to families in need. She always has the children’s well-being in mind. Hilda has been a motivation to me in advocating for my special needs children. It is without a doubt an honor to have her as co-chair of our ACCE Education Justice Chapter. Hilda spoke up on injustices that are taking place, she did what is right for our community. She should be praised rather than reprimanded. She maintained her employment for ten years providing health services to students without help and without complaints. Families at TAS want her back. I demand that Hilda be reinstated at TAS.
An outstanding employee, community member, and advocate for students, families, and the community.
Hilda advocates for students and teachers in her community. Hilda believes that all students should be treated equally and have an excellent education regardless where they live.
She was like a second mom, she would care for us when we were sick. She has a beautiful heart and cares a lot about others.
She is a great asset to the school ! Always very informative and helpful . When my children have been injured at school she’s alway assisted. Now we have the office workers assisting not a health professional !
I attended TAS from kindergarten to the beginning of 11th Grade and Hilda was a calming and supportive presence in the school. I often felt other staff and admin made places of the school feel uncomfortable. Holds always provided an environment for us as students to feel calm especially as a school nurse. It’s true that kids can sometimes feel physical symptoms from anxiety created by other defaults of the school, I can positively say my time at that school was less than Ideal, but Hilda is one of the few good memories and people who I can say positively impacted my school life. I’m in my Third Year at UCLA right now and when I have a big test coming up or something of the sort, I can remember having that same feeling in 1st, third or even 9th grade and know that this time it would be okay. I can only hope to someday have such a wonderful impact on any school, community and large number of students as I know Hilda was for me and my 3 siblings.