The Cupertino Courier
News
Schools chief fired, email about flap plays a role
FUHSD board votes to probe why two teachers resigned
By HUGH BIGGAR
In closed session Aug. 22, Fremont Union High School District board members voted 3-2 to fire Superintendent Stephen Rowley. The news came as a surprise to a standing-room-only crowd eager to hear the board's vote on whether it would initiate an investigation into the resignation of Tim Krieger and his Leadership Club partner, teacher Melanie Walczak.
Embattled school board president Avie Katz--accused by some of using his influence to prevent Krieger from receiving a position in the guidance counselor's office at Monta Vista High School--acknowledged the controversy played a part in the Rowley's dismissal. Asked during a break in the meeting whether Rowley's firing was related to Krieger and Walczak leaving, Katz said, "in part."
An email Rowley inadvertently copied to the board in June at the time Krieger and Walczak left may have played a role.
The June 23 email was apparently intended only for deputy superintendent Polly Bove. In it Rowley wrote: "[Krieger and Walczak] are hopefully, writing a scorcher fingering Avie and Cathy as the primary reason for resigning. ... It's hard to say what's going to happen politically with the board at this time. But I'm hoping this will catch fire in the community."
Katz, with board members Kathryn Ho and Homer Tong, voted for Rowley's ouster. Two members, Nancy Newton and Barbara Nunes, voted to retain him, citing concerns about possible financial costs to the district. Rowley had two years left on his contract. Bove was appointed acting superintendent by the board.
The history
Rowley's email added an unexpected twist to the Krieger and Walczak controversy.
In May, Krieger had hoped to switch from teaching AP biology to
become a guidance resource teacher at Monta Vista. However, he ran into obstacles that may have included resistance from another guidance resource teacher at Monta Vista--Cathy Katz, Avie's wife. Katz said Krieger wasn't qualified and denied that an incident seven years' earlier in which Krieger accused Katz's daughter of cheating cost him the job. The cheating allegation was later determined to be unfounded.
Both Krieger and Walczak left the district and bought a home in the Seattle area, where Krieger is now teaching.
The loss of the well-regarded teachers and the murky circumstances surrounding it sparked community-wide concerns. Two petitions demanding answers were signed by 600 people.
Insistent supporters of an investigation got their wish at the Aug. 22 board meeting. After an hour and a half of heated debate and, at times, angry public testimony, the board voted to have a neutral party investigate the timeline leading to Krieger's and Walczak's resignations. At the meeting, Monta Vista student Kim Ang said, "An investigation allows us to move forward in trusting the board in making the right decisions for us."
