PUSD family calls for inclusiveness, unity in search for new superintendent

The North County chapter of the National Action Network held a press conference on Wednesday, celebrating the firing of John Collins and calling for further action in the district to close the educational achievement gap and promote inclusiveness.

“Today is a new beginning,” said Chris Garnier, the vice president of NAN and a parent in the district who has been in conflict with Collins and the district for several years. Garnier is also a former district employee has filed a wrongful dismissal lawsuit with the district. “We have the opportunity to rebuild PUSD better and stronger.”

Garnier thanked all five board members for their actions in firing Collins, singling out Kimberley Beatty and Charles Sellers for “doing what was right, even when it wasn’t easy.”

Collins was fired on Sunday night in a unanimous board vote during a closed session meeting. An audit report, commissioned by Maribel Medina, the board’s personal attorney, uncovered evidence that Collins received over $345,000 in overpayments and unauthorized payments, as well as payments that violated board policy. The board announced plans to file a lawsuit against Collins to recoup money owed to the district.

On Wednesday, Garnier renewed his call for the termination of the relationship between the district and the Dolinka Group, which were involved in the financing of the $1 billion capital appreciation bonds back in 2011, and of the Shinoff law firm, especially Dan Shinoff. “No more crooks or cronies,” Garnier said.

Garnier also said the NAN was encouraging PUSD to bring back music, art, science and physical education into schools, and called for the district to narrow the achievement gap for minorities.

“The time to come together for PUSD is now,” said Garnier.

Kim Garnier, the secretary of NAN’s North County chapter, also spoke at the press conference, saying that it was a good day and it was time to begin rebuilding PUSD.

“PUSD will not fall apart,” said Kim Garnier. “There are too many good teachers, staff members and members of the community. It will succeed.”

She called Collins’ firing a “first step” and said there was more work to be done. “This is a time to rebuild and we can do that, but we must acknowledge the problems (in the district),” said Kim Garnier. “We have a lot of work ahead of us.”

The Garniers and the Rev. Shane Harris, president of the North County chapter of NAN, called for the interim superintendent Edward Velasquez, and the board to consider inclusiveness in the hiring of a new permanent superintendent and said they planned to be a part of the selection process by showing up to board meetings and giving their opinions on the importance of a superintendent that would use his or her muscle on issues like taxpayer money being wasted, closing the achievement gap for minorities and ensuring that all cultures are valued and taught in schools.

Following the press conference, Kim Garnier said she, her family and Harris were mistreated by a front desk employee at the district.

Garnier said that she and her family were trying to make an appointment with the interim superintendent when they were told to leave. “(The front desk employee) allowed many other people to enter the building without harassment and singled us out as people she didn’t want to allow inside the District Office,” wrote Garnier in her complaint.

Garnier said she called the San Diego Police Department to report the incident and asked the police to escort them outside out of fear for their safety. “This is further and ongoing harassment by PUSD staff. For our protection and for witnesses, we asked SDPD to escort us outside. We fear for our safety (especially after learning about the armed guards hired by John Collins) and we are exhausted by the harassment we face when we come to the district office,” wrote Garnier.

Christine Paik, the district’s spokesperson, said in a statement, “The group did not have an appointment yesterday with anyone in the district office. They demanded to speak to the board president (who does not have an office here) or the acting superintendent (who was on vacation). They were offered an appointment with our Associate Superintendent of Personnel, Sandra Huezo, for 9 o’clock this morning, which they accepted.”

Paik said in her statement that after they made the appointment, as they had no business to conduct with the district and were being “disruptive to the daily operations of the district,” they were escorted out by the San Diego Police Department.

The Garniers did not show up to their 9 a.m. appointment with Huezo, said Paik.

The family also experienced mistreatment prior to the press conference, Garnier said, by a security guard that told her family that the police would be called if their cars, which were parked in the district office parking lot, weren’t moved. Garnier said the guard followed them around the parking lot telling them to leave.

“You told my mother, a senior citizen, PUSD was ‘private property’ and you would have her arrested if she didn’t move her car and leave the premises. For your information, PUSD is a public building and you are a public servant,” Garnier said in an email today addressed to the front desk employee.