Alum Rock school board should retain chief Hilaria Bauer

The troubled Alum Rock Union Elementary School District Board of Trustees has enough problems on its hands without trying to get rid of Superintendent Hilaria Bauer.

The board called for a special meeting at 6 p.m. today. Trustee Khanh

Tran has placed an item on the agenda for a closed session discussion regarding “discipline, dismissal or release” of the superintendent. Parents and community members should voice their support for Bauer’s performance and urge the board to retain her.

The superintendent has made progress building morale within the district and is respected by teachers, staff members and parents.

But Bauer angered the board in 2017 when she bravely questioned the district’s financial dealings with Del Terra Real Estate, the Southern California firm that manages Alum Rock’s building projects. That led to a scathing audit that found Del Terra was lining its own pockets at the district’s expense.

Assemblyman Ash Kalra and state Sen. Jim Beall on Thursday said they would request an additional state audit of the school district amid allegations of fiscal impropriety and possible conflicts of interest.

Bauer was given a threeyear contract extension in September. The Alum Rock board should recognize Bauer’s strengths and drop any notion of removing her as superintendent.