CALEXICO — Calexico Unified School District Board of Trustees voted to censure one of its own board trustees during a tense board meeting Thursday evening.
Calexico Unified Board President Ruth Duarte, Vice President Norma Aguilar and trustee Tony Valenzuela voted for a resolution to censure board trustee Joong Kim while trustee Gloria Romo abstained.
Backup information to the resolution maintains that when Kim read a letter during a Dec.13 meeting about a potential state takeover of the district, it was “inappropriate, disruptive, and not in the best interests of district students.”
In the end, the resolution requires Kim “to cease his unprofessional conduct and uncivil treatment of other board trustees and further places trustee Kim on notice, through the approval of this resolution, that further unprofessional conduct of a similar nature by him against any other board trustee may require the board to take other action as necessary,” according to the backup information.
Kim responded that he felt the resolution backup information was “simply accusations.”
“This resolution is just a distraction from the real work of the Calexico Unified School District,” Kim said. “I have the right to express my opinion and gratefully we have the First Amendment for freedom of speech.”
Aguilar said she has made repeated efforts to work together with Kim with some occasions successful and “some of the times there’s no reaching or understanding.”
“I have tried and tried repeatedly. There have been other instances when his behavior has not been acceptable,” she said. “I have no problem with someone voicing their opinion or pointing out inconsistencies. I do have a problem with someone behaving unprofessionally. I do have a problem with someone making unbased accusations, making statements that are inflammatory and defamatory to myself.”
Kim said he wanted proof of when other trustees felt threatened.
“If I can’t trust a person, I cannot talk with them. Why waste my time? I’m telling the truth. If you feel threatened, something is wrong there,” Kim responded.
Numerous members of the Associated Calexico Teachers union spoke up on Kim’s behalf in the meeting.
“We need to get to the bottom of what we’re taking from the kids in this community,” said Calexico Unified teacher Will Slater. “I support Mr. Kim 100 percent, and I don’t care if I understand him or not.”
“I don’t agree with everything he says, but he still has a right to talk. … There is some truth with what he says,” ACT member Diana Harvey said. “What I would like for him to do is curve the edges a little bit so they’re not so sharp sometimes, but I’d also like you to curve your edges too, Ms. Duarte.”
Kim’s requested agenda item to terminate the legal services of the district’s attorney died from lack of a second motion.
The meeting itself had to be moved to a second location early in the evening due to concerns from the fire marshal about the large number of people who came and exceeded maximum capacity of the normal meeting location.
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
Calexico Unified Board President Ruth Duarte, Vice President Norma Aguilar and trustee Tony Valenzuela voted for a resolution to censure board trustee Joong Kim while trustee Gloria Romo abstained.
Backup information to the resolution maintains that when Kim read a letter during a Dec.13 meeting about a potential state takeover of the district, it was “inappropriate, disruptive, and not in the best interests of district students.”
In the end, the resolution requires Kim “to cease his unprofessional conduct and uncivil treatment of other board trustees and further places trustee Kim on notice, through the approval of this resolution, that further unprofessional conduct of a similar nature by him against any other board trustee may require the board to take other action as necessary,” according to the backup information.
Kim responded that he felt the resolution backup information was “simply accusations.”
“This resolution is just a distraction from the real work of the Calexico Unified School District,” Kim said. “I have the right to express my opinion and gratefully we have the First Amendment for freedom of speech.”
Aguilar said she has made repeated efforts to work together with Kim with some occasions successful and “some of the times there’s no reaching or understanding.”
“I have tried and tried repeatedly. There have been other instances when his behavior has not been acceptable,” she said. “I have no problem with someone voicing their opinion or pointing out inconsistencies. I do have a problem with someone behaving unprofessionally. I do have a problem with someone making unbased accusations, making statements that are inflammatory and defamatory to myself.”
Kim said he wanted proof of when other trustees felt threatened.
“If I can’t trust a person, I cannot talk with them. Why waste my time? I’m telling the truth. If you feel threatened, something is wrong there,” Kim responded.
Numerous members of the Associated Calexico Teachers union spoke up on Kim’s behalf in the meeting.
“We need to get to the bottom of what we’re taking from the kids in this community,” said Calexico Unified teacher Will Slater. “I support Mr. Kim 100 percent, and I don’t care if I understand him or not.”
“I don’t agree with everything he says, but he still has a right to talk. … There is some truth with what he says,” ACT member Diana Harvey said. “What I would like for him to do is curve the edges a little bit so they’re not so sharp sometimes, but I’d also like you to curve your edges too, Ms. Duarte.”
Kim’s requested agenda item to terminate the legal services of the district’s attorney died from lack of a second motion.
The meeting itself had to be moved to a second location early in the evening due to concerns from the fire marshal about the large number of people who came and exceeded maximum capacity of the normal meeting location.
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
