Perris Union High trustees vote 3–2 to keep policy letting superintendent present a single hiring recommendation

The Perris Union High School District Board of Trustees voted 3–2 on May 28 to retain its current hiring policy, which generally allows the superintendent to present a single recommended candidate for board consideration.

Legal counsel advised the board that the statewide standard reflected in California School Boards Association (CSBA) guidance typically empowers a superintendent to bring one recommendation and that stepping into more granular hiring decisions can risk legal exposure for individual trustees. “Most districts … all empower the superintendent to bring 1 recommendation for hiring,” the district’s legal counsel said, noting the guidance and her 26 years of practice advising districts.

The debate centered on competing priorities: some trustees said requiring multiple finalists would increase transparency, reduce the risk of favoritism and give the board meaningful input; others said that greater board involvement risks turning governance into management, slowing hiring and exposing trustees to liability. A long-serving trustee described a prior era when the district’s hiring process was “manipulated” and characterized some former practices as “good old boy attacks,” saying that previous abuses motivated efforts to require multiple candidates.

“At some point prior to Mr. Campos being elected … people were being hired as a favor,” the trustee said, describing staff departures and a loss of confidence in earlier processes. Another trustee urged the board to require two or three finalists so the board could “score them, rate them” and reach consensus rather than accepting a single candidate under time pressure.

Counsel countered that when trustees dive into management-level selection they potentially dilute the superintendent’s accountability and can face challenges to immunity. “There are situations where those decisions … can end up allowing somebody to challenge that immunity,” counsel said, urging the board to weigh legal risk and operational accountability.

After discussion, the Board Chair moved to retain the existing policy (referred to in discussion as board policy 4111). The motion was seconded and, after an oral roll-call, passed with three votes in favor and two opposed; the chair announced, “Policy stays in place.”

Votes at a glance - Agenda adoption (Item 3.1): passed 4–0 with 1 absent (recorded as 4 yes, 1 absent). - Motion to retain current hiring policy (policy 4111): passed 3–2 (two nays, three yeses). - Motion to adjourn to closed session (Item 7.1): passed 5–0; board entered closed session at about 4:27 p.m. - Final adjournment (Item 10.1): passed 5–0; meeting adjourned at about 5:07 p.m.

The board reconvened at 5:06 p.m. and reported no reportable action from closed session. The meeting concluded at 5:07 p.m.