The situation is still simmering as the
“deadline” mandated by former School Board candidate Jasmine
Woodworth for issuing a public apology came and went with no
apologies, either written or oral, from School Board President
George Panos and Trustee Del Foster.
The situation is still simmering as the “deadline” mandated by former School Board candidate Jasmine Woodworth for issuing a public apology came and went with no apologies, either written or oral, from School Board President George Panos and Trustee Del Foster.
Woodworth had also asked in her letter to Panos for him to step down from his position as president by the April 26 board meeting.
Panos did not step down or issue apologies for his statements during the April 6 board meeting about Woodworth.
“I have no further comment,” Panos said Monday. “My focus is on the challenges facing our district today, the budget, Coyote Valley and doing the very best job we can for our students.”
Foster did not return a phone call seeking comment.
The controversy came to a head on April 6 when trustees were discussing whether to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Tom Kinoshita in March by appointment or to wait for the election in November.
When it appeared that the vote would be 4-2 in favor of waiting for the election, while Trustees Amina Khemici and Shellé Thomas wanted to appoint Woodworth, since she was the fifth highest vote getter in the November 2002 election, Foster read a letter from the Registrar of Voter’s office, naming Woodworth as a “proponent” of the recent effort to recall the four senior trustees.
Panos then read from a prepared statement accusing Woodworth of attempting to get a seat on the board through recall because she lost the election.
Woodworth, who was not present at the April 6 meeting, has said she assisted with the recall effort, and that fact was never kept a secret, but she was never listed as a proponent.
The Registrar’s Office issued a corrected letter.
“I have been torn whether to respond to the public attack George Panos and Del Foster made against me at the school board meeting on April 6,” Woodworth said Monday. “However I cannot condone such behavior and find it extremely unacceptable for elected school board members. As trustees who were elected by our community, they should exemplify the highest level of integrity and professional behavior.”
The letters that Woodworth sent Panos and Foster following the April 6 meeting said she would be forced to take legal action if her request for apologies and Panos’ resignation as president did not take place by April 26.
“I believe George Panos and Del Foster do not value the trust of the community they serve,” she said. “Their behavior on April 6th, which was an intentional orchestrated effort to publicly attack and slander me with the goal of discrediting me, was a shameful act and our community deserves better.”
Woodworth and her husband, Scott Woodworth, who has addressed the board on two occasions since the April 6 meeting, are looking into their legal options.
“We are currently providing the additional information requested by our attorney to redress the situation they have created,” she said. “I had hoped that I would not have to resolve this situation with legal counsel but George and Del, who could easily right a wrong by apologizing, have chosen to deny responsibility for their behavior which has been universally condemned by the community and press.
