The Santa Clara County Workplace of Schooling’s governing board appointed an interim superintendent of colleges Wednesday night time, after an try by not too long ago ousted superintendent Mary Dewan to cease the appointment was struck down in court docket.
Dewan — who was unexpectedly faraway from her place earlier this month — and her lawyer, Steven Ellenberg, filed a brief restraining order Monday to try to stop the board from appointing an interim county superintendent.
However the Santa Clara County Superior Court docket denied Dewan’s request shortly earlier than 5 p.m. Wednesday and stated she had not adequately proved that she’s going to “finally prevail” in her declare that the board had violated her contract and wrongfully terminated her.
The board voted Wednesday night in a 6-1 vote to nominate Charles Hinman because the interim superintendent. Board president Maimona Afzal Berta and members Joseph Di Salvo, Don Rocha, Grace Mah, Victoria Chon and Raeena Lari voted in favor of appointing Hinman, whereas member Tara Sreekrishnan voted in opposition to and urged the board to contemplate an inner appointment.
In an emailed assertion, board president Berta stated she was “happy the court docket put this pointless distraction to relaxation.”
“I’m dedicated to a course of that enables for enter from all stakeholders to id a brand new superintendent who can ship the core providers of the group at a high quality, keep prudent fiscal administration and uphold our values of respecting all communities,” Berta stated.
Dewan’s lawyer stated that whereas they “had been disenchanted” by the decide’s choice, they continue to be optimistic.
“We consider that there’s some info that we are going to present to guage that will assist him take one other have a look at his choice,” he stated.
In line with Hinman’s $74,733 contract, he’ll work a most of 62 days or till a brand new superintendent is appointed. Hinman will even obtain as much as $21,000 for journey and lodging whereas he works for the county’s training workplace.
Hinman stated at Wednesday’s assembly that he has over 35 years of expertise in public training and has “sat in all of the seats” as trainer, coach, administrator and superintendent. He presently lives and works in Orange County as interim govt director of Oxford Preparatory Academy.
On Wednesday, dozens of group members spoke out in assist of Dewan on the board assembly and implored the board to rethink its choice to fireplace her, saying they had been “appalled,” “saddened” and “distressed” by her surprising firing. Some in attendance even held up paper cut-outs of Dewan’s face. Dewan didn’t attend the assembly.
A number of of those that spoke in the course of the assembly’s public remark interval echoed board member Tara Sreekrishnan’s demand for a civil grand jury investigation into the choice and the board’s “governance and mismanagement.”
Notable public audio system included Maureen McCarty, district director for Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz). McCarty learn out a portion of the letter Pellerin and 5 different state legislators — Assemblymembers Robert Rivas, Marc Berman and Evan Low and Senators Josh Becker and Dave Cortese — despatched the board Monday opposing the choice to terminate Dewan and urging them to rethink.
“The board’s choice wastes finite public assets and can considerably disrupt pupil providers, district helps and important applications that profit our highest want populations,” the letter stated.
Former Santa Clara County Board of Schooling member Kathleen King additionally spoke out on the assembly in assist of Dewan.
“Joe (Di Salvo) and Grace (Mah) have been making an attempt to take away Dr. Dewan since I used to be on the board,” King stated. “Maimona (Afzal Berta) and Don (Rocha), please rethink your choice…Nothing has occurred that you just can not undo…It’s exhausting to inform our kids that you just’re doing one thing like this with out trigger.”
Latest investigative studies obtained by this information group have revealed extra particulars that time to a battle between board members and the superintendent, a number of allegations of wrongdoing by board member Grace Mah and widespread fears over retaliation – together with retaliation in opposition to Dewan.
At Wednesday’s assembly, the board additionally permitted a $36,500 settlement with Management Associates, an govt search agency that conducts superintendent and different management searches for varsity districts, to seek out the county workplace of training’s subsequent superintendent. The board permitted the settlement in a 6-1 vote, with board member Sreekrishnan voting in opposition to the settlement.
Notably, the board additionally permitted a contract with regulation agency Redwood Public Regulation to function its separate authorized counsel to navigate Dewan’s lawsuit in opposition to the board. The board permitted the settlement in a 6-1 vote, with board member Sreekrishnan voting in opposition to the settlement. She identified that the the settlement with Redwood Public Regulation is the third board contract with separate authorized counsel in lower than a 12 months.
Assistant superintendent of enterprise providers, Stephanie Gomez stated Wednesday that the board of training has racked up $243,000 in authorized prices so far for the 2023-2024 12 months. She added that the county workplace of training allocates $176,000 for board authorized prices from the adopted county price range every year however has “not too long ago exceeded” that quantity and is within the technique of allocating one other $100,000 for current contracts.
