Protesters had signs at Tuesday's Douglas County School Board of Trustees meeting.
Photo by Sarah Drinkwine.
No contract with a controversial former school superintendent in California seeking the superintendent’s position was ever presented at Tuesday’s Douglas County School Board meeting.
The meeting was scheduled to approve a contract with former San Joaquin Superintendent John Ramirez Jr., but during the three hours of debate, no contract was revealed.
Trustee Doug Englekirk made a motion to reject a contract that was seconded by Linda Gilkerson. Trustees Carey Kangas, Yvonne Wagstaff and Susan Jansen voted in favor. Trustee Katherine Dickerson voted against rejecting the contract while Chairman David Burns abstained.
“Speaking as an individual, I believe that Mr. Ramirez’s contract was not approved by the majority of the board because those who did not vote for him in my opinion, did not think that he was a good fit for DCSD,” said trustee Susan Jansen after the meeting.
As many as 300 people reportedly attended the meeting at the Douglas High School media center in Minden.
Ramirez was offered the job after a special meeting on Feb. 6 by a 4-3 vote despite pleas from the public to delay the process.
During the next regular board meeting in March, trustees will discuss a process in reopening applications for the position.
The effort to hire a superintendent is hampered by the lack of a human relations director.
Adam Dedmon became the second person in the position to resign in eight months.
On Wednesday, it was announced that Executive Secretary to the Superintendent and Board of Trustees Caryn Harper resigned.
“She was offered an amazing opportunity that she could not pass up,” said Acting Superintendent Jeannie Dwyer. “It has been really hard for many of us who work in the district to watch all of our esteemed colleagues and friends leave their leadership positions due to the conflict with the board majority.”
The district is seeking a new superintendent after former Superintendent Keith Lewis was pressured to leave. The 2022 election of three new trustees, Burns, Jansen and Dickerson, resulted in a significant change in direction for the district.
Forming a new board majority, the board then fired its long time legal representatives and hired former candidate for governor Joey Gilbert.
A hearing on a lawsuit seeking records from the trustees is scheduled for the end of March in Douglas County District Court.
A majority of the school board seats are up for election this year.
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After more than three hours, five Douglas County School Board trustees voted against offering a controversial former school superintendent in California the superintendent’s position on Tuesday.
The meeting was scheduled to approve a contract with former San Joaquin Superintendent John Ramirez Jr.
Trustee Doug Englekirk made a motion to reject a contract that was seconded by Linda Gilkerson. Trustees Carey Kangas, Yvonne Wagstaff and Susan Jansen voted in favor. Trustee Katherine Dickerson voted against rejecting the contract while Chairman David Burns abstained.
During the next regular board meeting in March, the Board will discuss a process in reopening applications for the position.
As many as 300 people reportedly attended the meeting at the Douglas High School media center in Minden.
Ramirez was offered the job after a special meeting last week by a 4-3 vote despite pleas from the public to delay the process.
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