After years of poor leadership and fiscal misconduct, the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District (District), received a notice of stay and rescind from Santa Clara County Office of Education Superintendent Mary Ann Dewan. The notice comes after the board majority consistently voted to undermine the financial stability of the District.
The notice is the result of allegations that surfaced in 2016 claiming that the District was conducting business with a potentially corrupt construction company, Del Terra Real Estate Services, Inc. (Del Terra). An investigation found that, “there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that fraud, misappropriation of funds/or assets, or other illegal activities have occurred” by the District. As a result, the board’s attorney Maribel Medina, who is tied to Del Terra, was instructed to file an appeal to the State.
Medina’s connections to Del Terra, which include writing a contract for the company that included millions of dollars more than a Southern California school board intended, are cited as the reason the Santa Clara County Office of Education will hold payment to both Del Terra and Medina. However, Medina continues to work on the District’s behalf. How is she planning on getting paid? Or is she setting herself up to sue the District for non-payment?
While the community and Alum Rock Trustees Andres Quintero and Karen Martinez have rallied behind removing Medina, the same board majority who voted to work with Del Terra is trying to keep her. Without Medina, there is no lawyer to run interference for Del Terra and the board majority.
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