Oakland Unified denies board member's claim of ousting superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell
OAKLAND — Oakland Unified School District board member Mike Hutchinson claims the board voted to terminate the contract of Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell in a closed session Wednesday night, a claim the board is now taking issue with.
That move would mean Johnson-Trammell would continue to serve as superintendent until the end of the school year in June, and a search for a new leader would start then.
OUSD Board of Education President Jennifer Brouhard said in a statement that the board did not take final action on Johnson-Trammell's contact during the closed session, adding that if there's a vote in a closed session to end a contract of a superintendent, it must be reported in an open session immediately after.
She wouldn't comment on any potential actions to oust the superintendent as the Brown Act prohibits any public discussion of private matters.
Brouhard added that it's illegal for a board member to release information about what is disclosed during a closed session.
Johnson-Trammell became superintendent in 2017 and is reportedly among the longest-serving Oakland Unified superintendents in district history. She had her contract extended by three years back in August.
There was some public comment in support of Johnson-Trammell, with at least one speaker calling on the board to provide an explanation for the move.
Oakland Unified has been faced with a budget crisis and has considered closing and merging schools along with other measures to cut costs.
In January, the Alameda County Superintendent of Schools issued a stark warning to the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), urging immediate financial action to avoid a potential bankruptcy.
District officials estimate a $95.7 million deficit for the next school year that starts in the Fall of 2025. If officials don't make significant budget cuts by June, the OUSD could run out of money by November, leading to the possibility of another state bankruptcy loan and increased state oversight.
The district has struggled with budget deficits for years. Critics argue that the school board has failed to make tough decisions to address the current issues. Instead of reducing costs, the board voted against closing schools and approved raises for teachers. Alameda County Superintendent Alysse Castro emphasized that this approach could lead the district down a path toward bankruptcy.
