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Employee contests dismissal in public comment as board accepts disciplinary notices for classified staff
Summary
At the June 16 meeting Maria J. Hernandez, an SBCUSD communications employee, publicly disputed claims that dozens of her translation assignments were missing; the board later accepted notices of recommendation for disciplinary action for classified employees and approved related personnel items.
An SBCUSD employee facing a disciplinary recommendation addressed the board during the close-session public-comment period on June 16, contesting the accuracy of charges in her proposed dismissal.
Maria J. Hernandez identified herself as a longtime public‑service professional with more than 25 years of experience and said earlier evaluations praised her work. She disputed district claims that dozens of translation assignments were incomplete, saying SmartSheet records show most assignments were delivered; she asked the board to place her documents in her personnel file and requested time to submit supporting evidence.
Why it matters: Hernandez’s public comment preceded board action in which members accepted notices of recommendation for disciplinary action and statements of charges to dismiss at least two classified employees (items listed as HR-class-25-26-37 and HR-L-25-26-38). The board voted on those personnel actions by roll call during the meeting’s closed-session reports.
Hernandez told the board that a list of 10 questioned documents presented at an internal meeting later expanded to 79 items on the proposed disciplinary statement. She said some items attributed to her were assigned to other staff and that management practices and overlapping schedules contributed to alleged delays. She asked for her full response to be included in her personnel file and said she could provide additional documentation within days.
The board’s acceptance of the disciplinary notices does not in itself finalize dismissal; it moves formal process forward. At the public meeting, trustees did not debate the substance of Hernandez’s claims; the district record was summarized in motions and roll-call votes reported as part of the closed-session actions.
What’s next: Hernandez’s request to add documents to her personnel file and her appeal, if pursued, will proceed through the district’s personnel and grievance processes. The board-recorded acceptance of the recommendation initiates personnel-process steps that may include additional hearings or grievance filings.
Representative excerpt: "If I was incompetent, why did the district keep assigning me these assignments until the date of administrative leave?" Hernandez asked during public comment.
The meeting did not include a public response from district managers to Hernandez’s detailed claims in the same session; board members encouraged submission of documents and staff follow-up.
