Oakland Unified school board votes to remove superintendent without public explanation
Oakland schools superintendent's future uncertain
An Oakland Unified School District board member tells KTVU the superintendent, who has two years left on her contract, is going to be forced out of her job by the end of the year. The details were apparently discussed in a closed-door meeting.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland Unified School District board members have voted to remove Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell at the end of the school year, according to board member Mike Hutchinson.
Uncertain future
What we know:
"In closed session before we came down to face the community, the board voted to force out our superintendent, Kyla Johnson-Trammell, at the end of this school year and to start an immediate search for a new superintendent," Hutchinson told KTVU.
Hutchinson said he was the lone dissenting vote in the 4-1 decision made Wednesday.
"They haven't given any reason, that's why I'm furious right now. We just extended Superintendent Johnson-Trammell’s contract in August for three years," said Hutchinson.
Johnson-Trammell is already the longest-serving superintendent in OUSD in recent decades. Her most recent contract renewal included a plan to gradually transition her day-to-day duties to a successor.
"I know this superintendent doesn't want to leave, wants to finish out her contract so what we need now is the community and the OUSD family to stand up for our homegirl, who led us out of the darkness and let her finish the job of transitioning to a new superintendent," said Hutchinson.
Current contract
Dig deeper:
The superintendent’s current contract runs through the end of the 2027 school year. If the agreement is terminated without cause, the district would be required to pay out nine months. Hutchinson warned that the board’s decision would come at a financial cost to the district and could further erode trust within the broader community.
"I've never seen anything like this. This is an extreme emergency and crisis for the district because we have a school board that doesn't care about the community enough to even engage around an issue that's important," said Hutchinson.
Frustration and confusion
What they're saying:
The board’s decision was met with confusion and frustration during public comment, where parents, former employees, and members of the Oakland Education Association weighed in.
"The public deserves transparency about why terminating our superintendent’s contract early is even being considered," said Lisa Rigby, a parent.
"We need to continue to have leadership stability, since there is no search already, to vote her out is not a good deal," said Dr. Sandy Carpenter, a former district employee.
Union leaders also called for transparency and inclusion in the superintendent search process.
"You can't end a contract. You have to go into a negotiation," said Kampala Taiz-Rancifer, president of the Oakland Education Association.
"We actually just really want to make sure that if there is a new superintendent that we have access to be able to participate in the superintendent search. Really want it to be a community effort," said Taiz-Rancifer.
Parents at Montclair Elementary School tell KTVU this ousting is just another example of the district's lack of organization.
"I’m more concerned with the classroom and what happens in there, but as someone who works in academics, I know that it trickles all the way down. I just hope they voted them out with good interest to make sure that OUSD can survive and get better," Nnekay Fitzclarke told KTVU.
Vesna Beso is heavily is a member of the PTA, and she tells KTVU she tries to be involved in what's going on with her child's school. She says disorganization can make her ability to make changes feel limited.
"There's this lack of continuity, and I really think it's not specifically up to one person to fix, it's really more about the system. And whatever is going on with OUSD, I think everyone has a big question mark over their head," Beso told KTVU.
What's next:
According to the superintendent's contract, the district would have to pay her out for nine months which could total $248,000.
The district declined to comment on the vote, citing the closed session.
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