On Wednesday, the Antioch Unified School District will discuss a potential censure of Antioch School Board President Antonio Hernandez.
The move comes as Trustee Mary Rocha requested the item during its May 22 meeting where she read a statement of why he should be censured, and even be removed as Board President. This is in response to Hernandez actions in response to “bully boss” media stories and behavior towards Superintendent Stephanie Anello.
According to the 7-page Resolution within the agenda, it alleges that Hernandez had a dozen violations of board policy and bylaws, broke federal HIPPA Law, and committed a Brown Act violation along with an open meeting law.
Mary Rocha’s May 22 Statement:
“Over the course of the last month, the president of the Antioch Unified School District Governing Board Antonio Hernandez has taken it upon himself to engage in practices that are not, that are in my opinion, unbecoming of a board president and direct conflict of Board Policy and Board Bylaws.
During this time, Board President Hernandez divulged confidential privileged information regarding personnel matters with members of the media. Spoke out of turn in public about private personnel matters and potential violation of board policies regarding individual employees including the superintendent. Publicly attacked the superintendent calling for her resignation and accusing her of wrongdoing outside of all due process procedures and proper evaluation.
He held an ill-conceived public meeting following the lack of a quorum for the special meeting he attempted to hold on April 25, 2024 when he was advised he would not be able to initiate a meeting.
These an other actions have placed the district in legal jeopardy and subject to subject to signification claims, litigation and exposure for damages, especially as he was acting as president of the board without any authority to do so nor did a majority of the board provide any authorization for the board president to speak to the media or on his personal social media on the boards behalf.
To violate confidentiality, to speak on personnel matters or to personally attack any employees of the district. Board Hernandez behavior is disrespectful and flies in the face of our board policies, disregards due process, rights of employees, contractual obligations to the superintendent and jeopardizes communities trust in our constitution as a school board, especially during the tenuous times as we will be going through a process to obtain a positive board rating which could lead to a significant increase in costs to citizens of this community should we be identified as a district in chaos.
A school board should function as the policy keepers of the organization and as a governance team that provides an umbrella protection for the district, not as a negative force that seeks to create havoc or mistrust and engages in ill-conceived attempts to do administrative work. That work is beyond our skill and training level.
Board President Hernandez efforts appear to seek to undermine the administrative structure that exists to protect employees and seeks to disrupt the work of the boards one employee, the superintendent, and seeks to use the concerns of a few for his personnel political attacks.
Given the clear violation of board policies and protocols I am calling for a censure resolution to be included in next months governing board meeting and to add a discussion item to consider the potential removal of Board President Hernandez from a position as president.
Our school community and the employees of the District and the Superintendent and Senior Management team can only effectively function when we as board members, including the president, are able to follow the same board policies that we seek to govern.”
If You Go
Antioch School Board Meeting
June 26, 2024 at 7:00 pm
Agenda: Click Here
Previous Stories:
- May 28 – Mary Rocha Calls for Removal of Antioch School Board President
- May 23 – Antioch School District Takes First Step Towards “Culture” Investigation
- May 20, 2024 – Antioch School Board to Discuss Potential Launch of Board Directed Investigation
- May 17, 2024 – Podcast: Ken Turnage Responds to “Bully Boss” Accusations
- May 16, 2024 – Third-Party Investigator Confirms Antioch School District Handled “Bully Boss” Claims Appropriately
- May 9, 2024 – Attempt to Oust Antioch School District Superintendent Fails
- May 8, 2024 – Editorial: Antioch “Bully Trustee” Must Be Held Accountable (bully boss response)
- April 25, 2024 – Editorial: Manufactured Outrage Prompts Special AUSD Meeting
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