Castañeda, principals square off at Alisal meeting
News conference on school district's future takes a contentious turn
Alisal Union School District board president Jose Castañeda made a plea for harmony Friday to educators awaiting the appointment of a state trustee to oversee the district.
He didn't get it.
At an often-raucous news conference in the district's offices, three elementary school principals echoed the assessment of California State Board of Education President Ted Mitchell, who said Thursday that a "culture of intimidation and mistrust" prevails in the district, thanks to the board.
The principals — Trine Rodriguez of Fremont, Mary Magana of Dr. Oscar F. Loya, and Sonia Jaramillo of Cesar E. Chavez — repeated Mitchell's words and added some of their own: "fear," "disrespect," "micromanagement." They were among 11 principals to receive preliminary layoff notices this week.
Castañeda said Mitchell might have been referring to the board's makeup prior to three months ago.
"I'm hoping that this new board is not what they're referring to as that climate," he said. "Because if anything, we have always opened our doors to communicate with the principals and school sites. In the past that communication did not exist."
Rodriguez differed.
"I'm 100 percent sure he was referring to this board that is in power, that is micromanaging and not following chain of command," she said. "Are you here for kids? Mr. Castañeda, I have lost respect for you."
"That's OK," he said.
"Because you have disrespected me," she said. "Today was the first day in 28 years of my life in educationthat I received a [preliminary layoff] notice. You should be embarrassed, and you do owe me an apology, because that is disrespectful."
Elia Gonzalez-Castro, Hartnell College board trustee, said she was "embarrassed" by Castañeda's