Ruth Asawa community presses board to reconsider orchestra director’s dismissal
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Summary
Parents, students and music educators urged the board to revisit the dismissal of Matthew Camille, the orchestra director at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, calling the move disruptive to students and inconsistent with district values; speakers asked for reinstatement or a review of the personnel decision.
Community members speaking for Ruth Asawa School of the Arts told the board on Nov. 18 that the sudden dismissal of orchestra director Matthew (Matt) Camille has left students without a conductor and disrupted curriculum and planned performances.
Speakers — including parents and an educator from the Peninsula — described Camille as an "exceptional educator" and said his removal followed what they called bureaucratic or technical grounds rather than conduct meriting dismissal. They urged either immediate reinstatement or a prompt, transparent review that preserves students’ programming.
Why it matters: The orchestra program, they said, performs at a near‑professional level and had planned interdisciplinary events and visiting artists; the parents argued that student learning and planned activities cannot be replaced easily by substitutes.
Board response: Testimony was limited to public comment; the board did not detail personnel decisions publicly in open session. Later closed‑session readouts addressed several personnel and litigation items but did not specify Camille by name. Parents were directed to follow up with district staff for further engagement.
