Schools
PUSD Board Member to Face Written Reprimand, Not Censure
The alternative was voted upon at Tuesday night's hearing on whether or not to censure member Scott Phelps.
The Pasadena Unified School Board voted 4-3 in favor of a resolution to issue a letter of reprimand to member Scott Phelps -- instead of public censure -- regarding his "disparaging" comments made about superintendent candidate Thelma Melendez to local news outlets and Facebook, according to Hilda Ramirez of the Pasadena Unified School District.
Board members Elizabeth Pomeroy and Ed Honowitz introduced the motion for Tuesday night's censure hearing at the Oct. 18 board meeting, with the board voting 4-2. Phelps and Kim Kenne voted against the motion.
Phelps' comment, which can be viewed here, was that Melendez, the assistant secretary Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education, would be "disastrous" and said she had been "unimpressive" when previously serving in a position at PUSD. He also said there was "high-level lobbying" to hire Melendez, and suggested that somebody had lobbied board president Renatta Cooper to hire her.
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Melendez later withdrew her candidacy, and the board eventually hired superintendent Jon Gundry.