“Our daughter formed an instant connection with Maestra Pérez and we have watched her joy for learning blossom…Maestra Pérez deeply cares for her students; she is incredibly responsive and engaged with us as parents…We were devastated to hear of her departure.” -UCLA Lab School family

On December 31, 2021, the University of California unexpectedly released Dr. Elena Pérez from employment, abruptly ending her 6.5 year tenure as a Dual-Language Demonstration Teacher at UCLA Lab School, an innovative elementary school that is part of the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies. Parents and students were shocked to learn that Maestra Pérez would not return to school in January. The lack of respect for children, families, and the performance review process for teachers demonstrated by the university in this case are unacceptable.

• It is not acceptable to deprive Lab School children and families of this top-notch dual-language Demonstration Teacher.
• It is not acceptable to take this beloved teacher away from her kindergarten students in the middle of the school year, without notice or explanation.
• It is not acceptable to abuse the “Excellence Review” process that is contractually agreed to by the University for teaching faculty.

Add your name to demand that UCLA correct the error that resulted in Maestra Pérez losing her job and Lab School students losing an exceptional teacher.

Elena Pérez, EdD, known to her students as Maestra Pérez, has served as a devoted Demonstration Teacher & Literacy Specialist in the Dual Language program at UCLA Lab School since 2015. An expert in bilingual and early childhood education, Dr. Pérez is a dedicated educator who embodies Lab School’s mission to promote innovation and excellence in education through research, outreach, and teaching and learning. During her tenure, Dr. Pérez actively engaged in research and public engagement partnerships, in addition to demonstrating excellence and dedication in both remote and in-person teaching.

Despite Maestra Pérez’s outstanding professional performance, there was an abuse of process during her Excellence Review which led to her removal. After she received a recommendation for a continuing appointment from the Lab School principal, and a unanimous vote of support from the Academic Personnel Committee (APC), a memo was added to her review file that was not shared with APC or Dr. Pérez - a clear violation of the academic review process. Despite having no record of misconduct, Dr. Pérez was robbed of her right to due process, resulting in her dismissal midway through what had already been a tumultuous school year for her young students due to the pandemic.

Dr. Pérez’s unwarranted dismissal also highlights an ongoing issue within UCLA Lab School’s Dual Language Immersion Program. In the past three years, Lab School has lost five (5) Dual Language faculty, not all of whom have been replaced, thereby leading to larger class sizes and a lack of continuity for students. UCLA must invest care and resources into the Dual Language program and its faculty so as to achieve its stated goal of increased recruitment and retention of Latinx student families.

There has been an outpouring of support from parents, including numerous letters describing Maestra Pérez’s excellence, and a general sense of devastation that young children have been deprived of an excellent teacher mid-year. As one parent articulated,

“There is a pervasive sense of sadness at the loss of Maestra Pérez. This mid-year departure is a major disruption…and has caused many of the parents to question their faith in the school’s ability to consider the best interests of their children…”

As parents, colleagues, members of the UCLA community, and allies, we strongly support Dr. Elena Pérez. Ensuring that students have access to an excellent education means ensuring that educators have access to a fair, transparent academic review process.

We demand that UCLA Lab School commit to safeguarding the well-established process specifically designed to retain qualified, committed teaching faculty who have a demonstrated record of success in helping students to thrive, excel, and evince the joy of learning.