Placentia Yorba Linda School Board Makes it Harder to Fire Superintendent

Weeks earlier caller schoolhouse committee members instrumentality their seats, existent members of the Placentia-Yorba Linda School District decided necessitate a supermajority ballot to occurrence Superintendent Alex Cherniss.

On Tuesday, committee members voted 3-2 to alteration enforcement contracts – adding connection that present requires 4 retired of 5 members of the schoolhouse committee to ballot successful favour of termination earlier the superintendent tin beryllium fired. . 

Those changes are expected to sunset successful 2026. 

The declaration changes besides use for Deputy Superintendent Isaaic Gates and Assistant Superintendents Renee Gray and Olivia Yaung.

Board Trustees Marilyn Anderson and Carrie Buck were the dissenting votes connected tightening the termination requirements. 

During the meeting, Buck pointed retired that the declaration changes for a supermajority ballot were not adopted arsenic a supermajority. 

“The relation of the committee is to guarantee that the superintendent holds territory unit accountable. We can’t bash that with these contracts,” she said.

[Read: Outgoing Placentia-Yorba Linda School Board Majority Seeks To Lock successful Controversial  Superintendent] 

There was besides an unsuccessful tribunal situation earlier Tuesday’s meeting. 

On Monday, a question was filed by Placentia nonmigratory David Radlauer for a impermanent restraining bid to the gathering docket successful respect to the changes to worker contracts. 

Radlauer’s filing states “These amendments are specifically designed to people lone the incoming board, arsenic they expire astir 30 days aft the adjacent election.” 

On Tuesday, it was not approved by the judge.

In a telephone interrogation aft court, Radlauer said the justice gave some sides clip to reason their sides and that if the ballot to amend the superintendent’s declaration went done determination whitethorn beryllium different ways to attack the issue. 

The California Teachers Association besides sent a cease and desist connected Tuesday citing amendments to the contracts would interruption the state’s acquisition code.

“It was besides found, too, that according to our attorney, the cease and desist does not person immoderate merit,” Trustee Leandra Blades said astatine Tuesday’s meeting.

Anderson argued that Blades was misrepresenting what the schoolhouse committee lawyer told them and pushed for the sentiment to beryllium publically work – on with Buck. 

“I deliberation you’re misrepresenting what the lawyer gave us. He gave america a ineligible sentiment and if we would similar to waive a elemental bulk we tin really work that and the assemblage tin beryllium wide connected what the lawyer said,” Anderson said. 

Anderson said it was her knowing that the schoolhouse board’s lawyer said the supermajority request was successful a ineligible grey area. 

Officials didn’t work aloud the sentiment from the schoolhouse board’s attorney. 

Blades besides said if the incoming schoolhouse committee fired the superintendent, it could beryllium considered retaliation. 

“There’s immoderate worldly that’s going connected down the scenes that this would really beryllium a determination to support the territory due to the fact that if anybody made moves to occurrence Dr. Cherniss successful December, arsenic societal media stating oregon immoderate of these things, it could beryllium seen arsenic retaliatory,” Blades said. 

Blades besides brought up similarities to the board’s prime to interrogation and name a caller superintendent, James Elsasser, successful 2020 conscionable up of the predetermination with a supermajority. 

According to Blades, helium didn’t person a show valuation during his 18 period employment, an statement made by immoderate radical during nationalist comment.   

The committee besides voted 3-2 to docket 2 much meetings successful December. Anderson and Buck were the dissenting votes. 

Blades said the upcoming meetings were babelike connected the result of pending litigation discussed successful closed session. 

A nationalist proceeding was besides held during the gathering for the Orange County School of Computer Science to negociate the territory Universal Sports Institute. 

No ballot was taken, but Anderson asked for a survey league to fig retired what the fund would be. 

Gigi Gradillas is simply a Voice of OC Tracy Wood Reporting Fellow. Contact her astatine gigi.gradillas@gmail.com oregon connected Twitter @gigigradillas.

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