Board tables proposed bylaw on complaints against trustees after hours of public comment

After extended public comment and trustee discussion, the Placer Union High School District board on Dec. 18 voted to table a proposed bylaw (board bylaw 90-30) that would change how complaints against sitting trustees are received and investigated.

Trustee Duncan introduced the measure, saying it was designed to prevent unauthorized or costly investigations and to ensure the board, not individual staff or outside parties, authorizes investigations that expend district resources. "In an effort to ensure that going forward, any investigation involving a current board member of, current member of the board is proper and approved by the board," he said in opening remarks.

Public commenters were sharply divided. Opponents — including retired educators and community groups — argued the draft gave too much discretion to board leadership and could keep investigations out of public view, reducing transparency. "Taking the professionals out of this process...isn't in the interest of transparency," a retired educator said. Supporters, including several trustees and residents, described the change as necessary after what they said were repeated, costly investigations of a sitting trustee that used substantial district resources.

Trustees and staff agreed the draft needed substantial revision and legal review. The board voted to table the item and referred it to an ad hoc committee (Clerk Duncan and Trustee Jeffries) to work with district counsel on revisions and bring a revised draft back to a future meeting.

Next steps: the ad hoc will take public input and legal guidance before returning a revised draft to the board for consideration.