By Eduardo Rueda / Investigative Reporter
The San Diego County Board of Education placed long-time County Superintendent Randy Ward on administrative leave as they initiate a forensic audit in the wake of a lawsuit claiming Ward was engaged in self-dealing.
At the monthly meeting of the County Board of Education on Wednesday, July 13, several teachers spoke about concerns raised in a lawsuit filed last week by the California Taxpayer Action Network (CalTAN). The lawsuit alleges that Ward asked for and received an amendment to his contract in 2014 that connected his pay raises to those given to teachers and classified employees of the County.
Taxpayer Group Sues County Schools Chief
By Eduardo Rueda – Investigative Reporter
The California Taxpayers Action Network (CalTAN) has filed a lawsuit against San Diego County Board of Education Superintendent Randy Ward and Assistant Superintendent Lora Duzyk, alleging the schools chief rigged the process to allow himself to approve his and Duzyk’s salary increases without performance reviews, including a recent raise they took last week on July 1st.
CalTAN filed its lawsuit Thursday, July 7th, and immediately issued a “Request for Preservation of Evidence for Use in Litigation” asking the SDCOE to “
take all steps necessary to preserve any and all information” including “
County Superintendent Resigns, Interim’s Contract Approved
By Alberto Garcia
Randy Ward, San Diego County Superintendent of Schools, has resigned his position after having being placed on administrative leave in July. His contract will end on November 15.
Ward was suspended with pay after the California Taxpayers Action Network (CalTAN) filed a lawsuit against Ward alleging he was self-dealing in approving his own raises during the past two years.
In 2014, Ward’s contract was amended to include a “me-too” clause that gave him the same pay raise as what teachers received, even though Ward led the negations that determined the raises. The CalTAN lawsuit claims that self-dealing is a violation of state conflict of interest laws.
San Diego Union Tribune
John Collins,the former Superintendent of Poway Unified School District, was arraigned in court Thursday on four felony counts stemming from allegations he withdrew vacation and sick pay without the approval of the school board, and for using school district funds for his own use.
Collins was fired from his position as Superintendent on July 9, 2016, after an internal investigation revealed he had taken $345,000 from the school district through unauthorized payments.
At the time, Collins was one of the highest paid school administrators in the state, with a total annual pay of over $450,000.
Last Friday, the San Diego County District Attorney’s office indicted Collins on three felony counts of appropriating funds without authority, and one felony count of misappropriation of funds.
Board President Rosaleah Pallasigue,
Board Member Irene Lopez, and former Superintendent Julio Fonseca. Photo – Mario A. Cortez
San Ysidro School District Superintendent Julio Fonseca resigned abruptly on Friday night after a four-hour closed-door Board meeting.
The District’s Board of Trustees had called a special meeting for September 1, to review complaints against Fonseca, including one raised by a district employee.
The Board conducted a closed-door meeting among the board members, Fonseca, and his lawyer for over four hours, before emerging to announce its action.
“The Board, by a vote of five to zero, accepted the resignation of the Superintendent effective immediately, in exchange for 18 months of compensation and release of all claims,” reported Board President Rosaleah Pallasigue. “Dr. Fonseca’s departure is based on a personal situation,” Pallasigue added.