In an unprecedented show of solidarity, the heads of two local unions, a third from an education leadership organization, plus longtime community members, retired educators, parents and even students, took turns at the podium Dec. 15 calling for the resignation of a school board member.
All the while, Morgan Hill Unified School District Trustee David Gerard quietly sat at the dais with his head down, absorbing words that described his public email exchanges with a former recall movement leader and two other trustees as “embarrassing,” “unacceptable” and “bullying.”
Others who spoke Tuesday evening said they were “appalled,” “disturbed,” and “disgusted” upon reading Gerard’s “sexist” and “demeaning” descriptions of four other board members, the superintendent and an assistant superintendent.
Each of the 19 speakers ended their statements asking for, demanding or requesting that Gerard—who was elected to a four-year term in Nov. 2014—to resign from the school board. A handful of residents also called out Gerard’s board allies—Trustees Rick Badillo and Gino Borgioli—who were on the receiving end of some of the emails.
“David Gerard has exposed himself to be a bully and not the bridger that he professed to be during his campaign to gain a seat on this board,” said Roger Knopf, whose career in public service included 18 years on the district’s classified personnel commission. “It is my opinion that you do not model in behavior expected of a district trustee and you are unfit to serve as a trustee of this district.”
In October, The Times made a California Public Records Act request to gain access to hundreds of emails sent between the then seven-member board and three community activists—Rob and Monica Guynn, and Karen Fitch—in light of one trustee’s resignation and claims of harassment. The school district released those public documents Nov. 30. They revealed that Gerard not only encouraged the recall efforts against Board President Bob Benevento but also, and with no holds barred, trashed his colleagues on the board and district leadership.
“The latest incident brings embarrassment on our schools, our students and our community,” parent Cindy van Rhyn said. “It is unacceptable for a school board trustee, psychologist by profession and community leader to behave in this manner. Therefore, Mr. Gerard, I no longer trust your ethics, your objectiveness or your decision-making capabilities in any capacity.”
The district board room was filled to capacity Tuesday evening with well over a 100 adults from all sectors of the community, a majority of whom sported sticker badges with the “Trust” in “Trustee David Gerard” crossed out. A quartet of older students also wore dunce caps with Gerard’s face on them.
“The number of and time period the published emails took place showed more than a lack of judgment. It showed a disdain and disrespect for your colleagues and little respect for the employees and students of this district,” said Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers president Gemma Abels, who submitted a petition calling for Gerard’s resignation. The petition had 350 signatures Tuesday night. “MHFT can no longer trust you.”
Echoing Abels’ sentiments were members of the Morgan Hill Educational Leaders Association, some who stood together in the center aisle of the boardroom as Jackson Elementary principal Patrick Buchser and Director of Curriculum Glen Webb expressed their dismay with Gerard’s conduct.
“I’ve never seen anything like this, just the unanimity between bargaining units, teachers, classified employees and administrators,” Benevento later said.
Danielle Nunez, outgoing head of the Service Employees International Union, was reduced to tears when she spoke of her embarrassment of being employed in a district with such unsavory things taking place at the board level.
“It’s a disgrace the things that have happened, and it’s really, really sad that this is what things have come to,” said Nunez, who shared in the opinion that Gerard should resign.
But perhaps the most powerful statement came from the spouses of three board members—Trustees Donna Ruebusch, Benevento and Vice President Ron Woolf—who were targeted by Gerard’s wisecracks. .
“Donna, Bob and Ron ran for the board to serve students, not to be subjected to the horrid behavior of their fellow trustee,” said Ruebusch’s husband Greg with the other spouses standing with him. “Bob, Ron and Donna have experienced ridiculous disruption about simple issues that have nothing to do with the students. These disruptions were used by Mr. Gerard to pontificate and enflame Morgan Hill parents with falsehoods and lies.”
By the end of meeting, after most audience members cleared out, Gerard—who previously stated that he deserved what was coming to him—said “no comment” when asked for his reaction to the remarks against him.
“I think we heard the desire of the community loud and strong….I too wish the focus was on the students instead of personal agendas,” Ruebusch said afterward. “I think this situation has made governing impossible and I’m surprised Mr. Gerard seems to be acting as if it’s business as usual. It would benefit all of us if he did step down.”
Board agrees on something
A busy board agenda included unanimous 6-0 votes to approve Paradise Valley Elementary School’s transition to kindergarten-through-fifth-grade engineering academy for the 2016-17 school year; nearly $1 million in design costs for the proposed future elementary school site on Peet Road in northeast Morgan Hill; addendas to the contracts of the superintendent and three assistant superintendents; an exemption request for construction at Britton Middle School; and a new fire alarm system at San Martin Gwinn Elementary.
However, the Dec. 15 meeting started amid contention as the board failed to agree on a new board president and vice president. Benevento, Ruebusch and Woolf agreed Ruebusch was the best choice as board leader, while Badillo, Borgioli and Gerard supported Badillo’s appointment. The same held true for the selection of vice president. In the end, the board voted 4-2 (Gerard now with the majority) to keep Benevento as the sitting president until a seventh trustee joins the board.
“I’m not surprised,” Benevento said of the split vote.
Superintendent Steve Betando read from an email addressing this issue sent to him by Santa Clara County Schools Superintendent Jon Gundry that first urged the local board to name a president but, if not possible, recommended keeping Benevento in that capacity until someone is elected. Betando later announced that Gundry will order a special election June 7, 2016 for the selection of a seventh trustee once the Dec. 29 deadline has passed without an appointment by the MHUSD board.
