Monday, April 26, 2010

Del Mar school board president steps down

Source: Union Tribune

DEL MAR — School board President Comischell Rodriguez announced Monday that she is resigning her post, saying in a written statement that trustees who backed the recent ouster of the superintendent have essentially marginalized her on the board.

Rodriguez voted against firing Superintendent Sharon McClain on March 31. Rodriguez accused one or more colleagues — she didn’t specify any trustees by name — of signing official board documents without authorization, of trying to exclude her from closed-session discussions, and of meeting with the district’s legal counsel without authorization.

Trustee Katherine White, who along with trustees Annette Easton and Doug Perkins voted to fire McClain, said Monday that no improprieties by any trustees have occurred. White acknowledged signing on April 7 a letter of intent to hire interim Superintendent James Peabody, but she said she had authorization to do so as a member of a board subcommittee, and Rodriguez was out of town at the time.

“I don’t see any action ... that has marginalized her,” White said.

White has said previously that the board had various complaints about McClain’s performance, among them that she didn’t communicate sufficiently with trustees. Board critics have argued that the board majority micromanages district affairs and made it impossible for administrators to do their jobs

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