Monday, April 26, 2010

Rodriguez resigns as president of Del Mar school board

Source: Del Mar Times

Comischell Rodriguez announced today in a press release that she has resigned from the role of president of the Board of Trustees for the Del Mar Union School District.

"In December, I politely rejected the Presidency, asking for another year to gain experience. But, with the majority of the Board's insistence and promise of support, I accepted the office," Rodriguez wrote in the release. "Although initial support was promised and received, it has abruptly come to an end."

She wrote that the decision came after careful consideration and was the result of being isolated by the majority of the board "to the extent that certain members have taken it upon themselves to sign official documents without authorization, in effect, assuming the board presidency in all but name."

Rodriguez also wrote that attempts were made to exclude her from closed session conversations. "These same board member(s) meet with legal counsel without authorization and continue to communicate with the whole board at will, in violation of proper and established protocol," she wrote. "It appears that there is no way to agree to disagree, and that because of a difference of opinion, I have been marginalized."

While Rodriguez wrote that she will stay on as a member of the board of trustees, she believes "the distractions of petty power struggles and nit-picking divert us from the real issues at hand of serving our students and families, listening to community input, and supporting our teachers, principals, and administrative staff. I do not wish the focus of my presidency to be consumed by behind-the-scenes email conversations and demands from my colleagues."

Rodriguez was elected to a two-year term on the board in late 2008 and has served as president since December of 2009. She was the sole trustee to vote against releasing former Superintendent Sharon McClain on March 31. Interim Superintendent James Peabody was appointed by the board on April 1.