The Sunnyvale Sun

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Parents are angry with board over Stephen Rowley firing

By ERIN HUSSEY

Anger and confusion greeted board members when the Fremont Union High School District board met Sept. 5.

At issue: the board's 3-2 decision to fire Superintendent Stephen Rowley.

"The decision was poorly thought out and made in error," Larry Dean, 26-year Cupertino resident and father of past FUHSD graduates, said.

Dean said the community was angry and upset over the board's action and wanted to know which programs would be cut in order to fund the high costs of a superintendent search, buying out Rowley's contract and other possible legal fees.

Maryanne Norling echoed Dean's comments, addressing the board not as the PTA president at Homestead High School, but as a concerned parent, voter and taxpayer.

"Your actions are a misuse of power," she said.

Norling then accused the three members who voted for termination--Kathryn Ho, Avie Katz and Homer Tong--of being motivated by emotion and making an unprofessional decision. She suggested they apologize, re-hire Rowley and, if they couldn't do that, resign.

Tom Avvakumovits, president of the Fremont Education Association, also spoke and shared with the board a variety of questions posed by district teachers.

"Was the decision made in the best interest in students or for personal [reasons]?" he said. "How much will this impact our lives? What information hasn't been provided?"

The FEA did support the board's decision to appoint deputy superintendent Polly Bove as acting superintendent, granting her a contract to Jan. 12. "The entire FEA staff respects Ms. Bove," Avvakumovits said. Each board member again thanked Bove for stepping forward to accept the position. Trustee Nancy Newton said, "We are blessed to have someone who cares so much about the district's work to help get us back on track."