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Teachers and residents urge Lodi Unified to address mold, HVAC and construction delays; teacher alleges credentialing interference
Summary
During public comment, multiple staff and community members reported health and safety concerns (suspected mold exposure, thermostats locking at 70°F, construction delays at Vinewood) and a teacher alleged Assistant Superintendent Aaron Church interfered with her credentialing, asking the board to investigate and restore her position.
Several members of the Lodi Unified community used the Sept. 16 public‑comment period to press the district on facilities, safety and personnel concerns.
Krista Johnson, a special‑education teacher at McNair High School, said she developed chronic pain and experienced symptoms she attributes to mold exposure following a campus flood. Johnson said she has missed work because of pain and urged the board to investigate potential mold in classrooms and improve airflow.
Erin Chester Brock described thermostats installed at McPheron that appear not to allow teachers to lower room temperatures below 70°F; she reported measured room temperatures of 77°F and requested a full recalibration and inspection of the HVAC controls. Mary Gaida, a music teacher, reported ongoing construction at Vinewood that she said created trip hazards, persistent noise and loss of campus access; she urged the district to hold contractors accountable and consider stronger contract language to enforce timelines and protect learning time.
In a separate extended public comment, Noemi (transcript spells both Naomi/Noemi) Santiago said she filed a formal complaint two months earlier alleging that Assistant Superintendent Aaron Church interfered with her credentialing process, undermined external agencies and jeopardized her position. Santiago said she had received no acknowledgement of the complaint and asked the board to investigate, correct the record and restore what she said was taken from her. No district response to the allegation was recorded during the meeting.
Union and employee representatives who spoke later in the meeting thanked bargaining teams for reaching tentative agreements and called for improved site maintenance and continued attention to special education needs.
Board members acknowledged the public comments and asked staff to follow up; the meeting record indicates the public comment period concluded without an immediate on‑the‑record response to the credentialing allegation.
