The Santa Clara County Workplace of Schooling’s governing board appointed an interim superintendent of faculties Wednesday evening, after an try by lately 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 short lived restraining order Monday to aim 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 mentioned she had not adequately proved that she is going to “ultimately 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, who will begin Thursday. 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 think about an inside appointment.
“I am committed to a process that allows for input from all stakeholders to identity a new superintendent who can deliver the core services of the organization at a top quality, maintain prudent fiscal management and uphold our values of respecting all communities,” Berta mentioned.
Dewan’s lawyer mentioned that whereas they “were disappointed” by the choose’s resolution, they continue to be optimistic.
“We believe that there is some information that we will provide to judge that may help him take another look at his decision,” he mentioned.
In accordance 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 schooling workplace.
Hinman mentioned at Wednesday’s assembly that he has over 35 years of expertise in public schooling and has “sat in all the seats” as instructor, coach, administrator and superintendent. He at the moment lives and works in Orange County as interim govt director of Oxford Preparatory Academy.
On Wednesday, dozens of neighborhood members spoke out in assist of Dewan on the board assembly and implored the board to rethink its resolution to fireside her, saying they had been “appalled,” “saddened” and “distressed” by her stunning 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 through 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 decision wastes finite public resources and will significantly disrupt student services, district supports and critical programs that benefit our highest need populations,” the letter mentioned.
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 trying to remove Dr. Dewan since I was on the board,” King mentioned. “Maimona (Afzal Berta) and Don (Rocha), please reconsider your decision…Nothing has happened that you cannot undo…It’s hard to tell our children that you’re doing something like this without cause.”
At Wednesday’s assembly, the board additionally accepted a $36,500 settlement with Management Associates, an govt search agency that conducts superintendent and different management searches for varsity districts, to search out the county workplace of schooling’s subsequent superintendent. The board accepted the settlement in a 6-1 vote, with board member Sreekrishnan voting in opposition to the settlement.
Notably, the board additionally accepted a contract with legislation agency Redwood Public Legislation to function its separate authorized counsel to navigate Dewan’s lawsuit in opposition to the board. The board accepted 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 Legislation is the third board contract with separate authorized counsel in lower than a yr.
Assistant superintendent of enterprise companies, Stephanie Gomez mentioned Wednesday that the board of schooling has racked up $243,000 in authorized prices thus far for the 2023-2024 yr. She added that the county workplace of schooling allocates $176,000 for board authorized prices from the adopted county finances annually however has “recently exceeded” that quantity and is within the technique of allocating one other $100,000 for current contracts.
Initially Revealed: October 16, 2024 at 10:18 p.m.
