The Read More. 1 of 17. Brulte had held the position since 2014. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG), OUSD Board President Rick Ledesma shakes the recently adopted civility policy at the crowd during pubic comments following a special meeting at the Orange Unified School Board in Orange on Thursday, January 5, 2023 to decide the future and possible firing of Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen and Cathleen Corella, assistant superintendent of educational services. Youre going to cost this district millions of dollars, said one speaker, an attorney with a child in the district. Dr. Brown was hired for a four-year contract and will start at CUSD on July 1. Its openness is rare but needed. They have said its harsh to punish James-Ward for making the comments during a diversity and equity workshop, which is about giving people a chance to overcome their biases. Sheriffs Department employees will have access to TOOTRiS, a platform from a San Diego company that connects parents and providers. The bad part of the school board will not win! Superintendent. She earned her M.F.A. Contact the Superintendent's Office at 559-327-9000 or by fax at 559-327-9109. The allegations sparked outrage in the community and resulted in one of the Denver areas largest school systems closing Thursday as 1,000 teachers, district staffers and parents protested the board in support of Wise. Dr. Brown was hired for a four-year contract and will start at CUSD on July 1. of Education hopes to open 'WellSpaces' at all middle and high schools in O.C. Heres Orange Unifeds Agenda item on the potential firing. ADRIAN, Ore. Kevin Purnell was fired Monday as superintendent of the Adrian School District just one week after students returned to school. Were genuinely concerned weve got a board thats off the rails in terms of following not only the law, but also the policies that keep us governing effectively.. Tony Thurmond Coasts to Re-Election, Republicans Hope to Shake Wokeness With School Board Victories This November, Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine and Lil Baby Stump for Proposition 28, Brad Coscarelli Drops Out of Sonoma County Superintendent's Race, California Teaching Credentials Decline by 16%, California Expands Dolly Partons Imagination Library to All 58 Counties, California Threatens Legal Action Against Any School District That Bans Books, Attorney General Issues Guidance on School Closures, Study Finds Steep Drop in Violence at California Schools, The vote to terminate her contract was 4-3. Capistrano Unified School District Superintendent Kirsten Vital Brulte will leave her post by Dec. 31, following a special meeting Wednesday night, Dec. 22, in which school board trustees voted 4-3 to end her contract. These board members are NOT controlled by union politics. With Orange Unified School Districts superintendent and assistant superintendent reportedly out of the country, the School Board voted 4-3 Thursday night to fire the top administrator and place the second on paid administrative leave pending an audit. She has been replaced in the interim by Deputy Superintendent Clark Hampton while the district searches for a permanent successor. Dr. Brown previously served as an assistant superintendent with the Long Beach Unified School District and, according to a press release from CUSD, has also been principal of the California Academy of Math and Science, in addition to being a dean, athletic director, and science teacher, among other positions in education. I now hope that Rick Ledesma is recalled. The district is going to be at a disadvantage for a while. As a member of the teachers' union, I Read More. The Capistrano Unified School District has a new leader. Valedictorians and salutatorians for class of 2023 at North County high schools. The others, in comments from furious to tearful, alternated from castigating to trying to reason with the board. Interim Superintendent. Some of the districts future concerns include passing bond initiatives to fund campus improvements Aliso Viejo voters defeated a $114 million ask on the November ballot and more organic issues such as an aging-out population and diminishing enrollment. June 14, 2023 9:44 am. Now, given the decision thats been made to find a new superintendent, the board needs to move on to choosing a replacement, Jones said. Why did Orange Unified fire its superintendent? Phone: 707.894.1920. June 23, 2023, at 11:08 a.m. West Virginia School Board Accepts Superintendent's Resignation Over Pandemic Spending Review. The four-member board voted unanimously in a meeting Sunday evening to terminate James-Wards contract without cause effective Aug. 15. Outgoing Albany schools superintendent Melissa Goff was fired Wednesday without cause. Both were said to be out of the country during winter vacation, with Hansen treating an ailing parent. She also contributed to the OCR's Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation of fertility fraud at UC Irvine, covered what was then the largest municipal bankruptcy in Americas history, and is the author of "The Strangest Song," the first book to tell the story of a genetic condition called Williams syndrome and the extraordinary musicality of many of the people who have it. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG), OUSD board president Rick Ledesma listens during pubic comments following a special meeting at the Orange Unified School Board in Orange on Thursday, January 5, 2023 to decide the future and possible firing of Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen and Cathleen Corella, assistant superintendent of educational services. Brulte had led the district since 2014. Nurture. We can do this. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG), OUSD board member Madison Miner listens during pubic comments following a special meeting at the Orange Unified School Board in Orange on Thursday, January 5, 2023 to decide the future and possible firing of Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen and Cathleen Corella, assistant superintendent of educational services. Two union-backed candidates and one candidate supported by Republicans appear to have won seats on the San Dieguito Union High School District board. She covers military and national defense from West Coast bases to the Pentagon. Whats clearly missing here now is a public discussion to better understand the path forward, maybe even forge consensus. She is also using this comments section to push her agenda via her website. In a recent interview with the Union-Tribune, Allman declined to discuss details of James-Wards complaint, but specifically denied the allegation that he created a hostile work environment. Vital Brulte built up programs to better serve the districts English learners and higher-need students, she dove into the science of reading and oversaw the expansion of a career education program that truly improves outcomes for all children, Jones said. One of my teachers, Karin Barone, was one of many people who made a speech during the given time for public opinions. In 2014, the Gardner Edgerton school board fired superintendent Bill Gilhaus as well as district executive directors Christy Ziegler and Lana Gerber. Heres how to protect yourself. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG), An emotional Theresa Nguyen, a parent, encourages the board not to fire superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen and assistant superintendent Cathleen Corella, during pubic comments following a special meeting at the Orange Unified School Board in Orange on Thursday, January 5, 2023 to decide the future and possible firing of Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen and Cathleen Corella, assistant superintendent of educational services. Given the large salaries of these superintendents Vital Brulte had a total compensation package of $438,324.00 in 2021 while Gunn Marie Hansen earned $426,978.00, according to Transparent California taxpayers should expect to pay out those kinds of numbers under the severance clauses typically granted to high ranking public sector executives. The Douglas County, Colo., school board voted 4 to 3 in a special meeting Friday night to fire Corey Wise without cause, dismissing the superintendent with two years left in his contract. James-Ward responded that Asian students do well in school because they are from wealthy families who recently emigrated from China. Council members publicly offered no reason for sacking Zapata, which cost the city half a million dollars. We welcome your thoughts on our district, and extend an invitation for you to visit one of our schools or activities any time. She also claimed Allman asked the question about Asian students as a trap to get her out of the district, according to the article. Orange County Dept. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created.. As a former OUSD board member (2016-2020), I do not know the reasons for the boards actions and I was not at the meeting. Gruenberg said Monday morning that James-Ward plans to sue the district. Just four days before Christmas, a new governing board majority at the Capistrano Unified School District took action against their Superintendent, Kristen Vital Brulte, agreeing to end her contract on a tight 4-3 vote. . Burning it down is easy. Example: Clark Hampton and Kristen Vital should be fired for cause over the Esencia K-8 land purchase where CUSD took it upon itself to gift the Ranch $13 million in taxpayer dollars. While issues regarding gender and the pandemic were key topics in those races, much of the attention from conservatives was directed toward critical race theory, an academic framework for examining the way laws and policies perpetuate systemic racism. She was being paid a $288,000 annual salary. They also appointed Craig Abercrombie, principal of Canyon High in Orange Unified, as assistant superintendent. Clark County Schools Superintendent Jesus Jara has been fired. High schools in south and central San Diego County have named their top students for the Class of 2023. He urged the seven-person board to work together and to work with him: I believe in our people and I believe in all of you. We must rehire Mrs. Hansen. Like This Free Civic News? Are there still human remains in Titanic wreckage? Bomb threats were recently made against the district, one of its schools, and Brulte following a Fox News report about a teacher who allegedly kept pornographic books in her "classroom queer library.". Ledesma and conservative candidates had run on a parents rights and complained about masks and school closures during Covid and about classroom instructions on race, critical race theory in particular, and gender. She's a three-time award winner from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation for telling stories of Marines in local communities. Reporters notebook: This school welcomed me in. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG), Parents demonstrate their support for Gunn Marie Hansen and Cathleen Corella during pubic comments following a special meeting at the Orange Unified School Board in Orange on Thursday, January 5, 2023 to decide the future and possible firing of Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen and Cathleen Corella, assistant superintendent of educational services. Send us asecure tip. They were not endorsed by the Orange Unified Educators Association (OUEA). There is zero question about the cowardice, underhandedness and frankly crappiness of what you have done here.. Deon Jackson, the first Black superintendent of South Carolina's Berkeley County School District, was fired on Nov. 15, 2022 and quickly replaced by the district's second Black superintendent, Anthony Dixon. The other three conservative school board members Winegar, Becky Myers and Christy Williams did not respond to requests for comment. 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TEMECULA (CNS) - Teachers and parents in the Temecula Valley Unified School District are reacting Wednesday after the superintendent was fired over a contentious decision to remove a book and curriculum material from a social studies program. from UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television, and enjoys making documentaries, including the OCR's first: "The Boy Monk," a story that was also told as a series in print. With one days notice during winter recess, a conservative majority on the Orange Unified school board fired respected Supt. Gunn Marie Hansen with no explanation after a closed-door meeting Thursday night. She ran on this in her campaign materials and eventually removed it from some because she knew it was false and people in the community called her out on it. The vote followed allegations from the boards liberal minority that the conservative members made an ultimatum in secret to Wise for him to resign or be fired through a vote actions that would violate Colorados open-meeting laws. Dirk VanderHart / Courtesy Greater Albany Public Schools In statements emailed to OPB, however, board. By the same one-vote margin, Orange Unifieds board put Hansen on paid administrative leave during a 30-day notice of termination. They sued for wrongful termination and were . Capistrano Unified School District Superintendent Kirsten Vital Brulte was fired without cause during a special closed session on December 21. Then, on Jan. 25, the conservative majority voted to change an equity policy adopted last year that called for hiring a more diverse workforce and evaluating the curriculum. After being voted out, he told KDVR, I love Douglas County School District, the kids, our staff. Castellanos, Michael Parham, Amy Hanacek and Gary Pritchard supported the move to release Vital Brulte. of Education charter schools unit recommends denying Waldorf schools request to open campus in Cypress. Support Voice of OC Today. Some of the backlash against James-Ward came from Californians For Equal Rights Foundation, a local group that opposes school districts diversity and equity initiatives because the group claims such initiatives divide people by race. Superintendent Melissa Goff was fired this week without cause. They ignored everyone., Joe Rogan apologizes for regretful and shameful past use of the n-word. 1:00. Hanson, however, was not as confident about those prospects following what she described as a really horrible week., I dont know how we repair what happened last night, she said. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG), OUSD board clerk Angie Rumsey, left, and board president Rick Ledesma speak before pubic comments following a special meeting at the Orange Unified School Board in Orange on Thursday, January 5, 2023 to decide the future and possible firing of Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen and Cathleen Corella, assistant superintendent of educational services. Reflecting sharp divisions in the community, the board flipped in November when Madison Klovstad Miner, a former speech therapist with Santa Clara Unified, defeated 22-year board member Kathy Moffat, by 0.2% 221 votes out of 61,845 votes cast. The following day, Rinderle was summoned to the school principal's office twice for separate meetings about the book. She has every right to it, but should be more transparent. Capistrano Unified School District Superintendent Kirsten Vital Brulte will leave her post by Dec. 31, following a special meeting Wednesday night, Dec. 22, in which school board trustees voted. Mayr still has five children attending Douglas County public schools, including some with special education needs. I felt it was a horrible time to do this, but the majority thought it was best to rip the Band-Aid off and move one, she said. That state law requires governing majorities to give residents at least 72 hours notice before they make governing decisions. Years before a white Lake Worth High School math teacher was fired for writing "dark roast" and "extra cream" labels above students' photos in class, he was disciplined for making a litany of shocking sexual comments to multiple female students in Broward County schools.. Palm Beach County school district officials said they knew Cary Altschuler had been disciplined by the state for making . About Voice of OC: Mission | Editorial Policies| Contact Us | Funding| Privacy Policy. They ignored the critical voices in our community. Among those at the meeting was Kelly Mayr, a 54-year-old mother of nine who has lived in the district since 1997. Despite having the votes to make these moves, the new governing majorities dont seem to be talking much publicly, offering residents no real sense of why large payouts should be granted to get rid of administrators that so far havent been linked to any big mistakes, fraud, waste or abuse. 0:00. In a 7-0 vote at a June 14 meeting, the CUSD Board of Trustees named Christopher Brown, Ed.D., as the districts next superintendent. But it didn't happen after not enough board . A deeply split Clark County School Board voted 4-3 Thursday night to terminate Jara's contract "for convenience," meaning it did. Vervant Inc. and CEO David Johnson diverted some 40,000 ITT Technical Institute students into a loan program that wrongly cost them millions, the federal jury said. Cloverdale High School 509 North Cloverdale Blvd . June 30, 2023. The only certificate she holds is a substitute teaching permit. Jeannette Andruss is a longtime journalist, public school parent and believer that civil discourse and a free press are vital for democracy. September 20, 2020-Letter from CCUSD School Board and Superintendent. (Douglas County School District) A school board outside Denver voted to fire the district's superintendent Friday night in a controversial move that came amid accusations that the newly elected. Capistrano Unified Trustee Judy Bullockus, who with trustees Lisa Davis and Gila Jones, supported Vital Brulte and opposed her removal, said she was surprised when the special meeting on Wednesday was called, and even more so when the decision came down. Roxana Kopetman is a staff writer at The Orange County Register. She has been fired from her post in Florida. . James-Ward also got heat for saying that her community of Carmel Valley had a large influx of Chinese families moving in, sight unseen, into our homes, a comment some said painted Chinese people as outsiders. Board of Education says Waldorf public charter school cannot expand countywide but can add high school grades within Ocean View School District, O.C. He has been on the board too long and needs to be removed. In addition to working on programs connecting U.S. and Chinese educators at San Diego State, James-Ward has noted that both of her children speak Mandarin and her daughter will attend university in China this school year. CUSD Mass Insight Report. October 13, 2020- Safe Gun Storage Acknowledgement Form. 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County Plans to Undermine Book Bans, Sacramento City Superintendent Stepping Down Friday, UC San Diego Workers Face Assault Accusations, Possible Expulsion After Union Protest, New Task Force to Monitor Textbooks for Diversity and Inclusion, After Protests, LAUSD Opts for More LGBTQ Education in Schools, California Goes After Temecula Valley Unified Over Textbook Ban, School Board President Calls Harvey Milk a Pedophile as Board Bans Classroom Textbook, Eighth Grade Algebra Could Be Brought Back to San Francisco Schools, San Francisco Math Policies Challenged in Court, Debt Ceiling Watch: What U.S. I am from the same class. See what that means for you. She was surrounded by family members . (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG), OUSD board member Andrea Yamasaki listens during pubic comments following a special meeting at the Orange Unified School Board in Orange on Thursday, January 5, 2023 to decide the future and possible firing of Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen and Cathleen Corella, assistant superintendent of educational services. On July 1, 2020, Cheryl Watson-Harris, third from left, was installed as superintendent of the DeKalb County School District. Muir denied in an email earlier this month that she ever asked for anyone to be fired; Allman also has noted that it requires a majority of the board to fire employees. They were not endorsed by the Orange Unified Educator's Association (OUEA).