My family has called East San Jose home for decades. I went through Alum Rock Union School District from kindergarten through eighth grade and later returned to serve as a teacher and principal. ARUSD shaped me, and it pains me to see a destructive cycle of superintendent turnover, fueled by a dysfunctional board, repeat endlessly.
When I was a student, I saw four superintendents in nine years. As a teacher and principal, I worked under five superintendents in 10 years. That kind of turnover destroys relationships, erodes trust and stalls progress.
In March 2024, Superintendent Hilaria Bauer — my former boss and colleague — was abruptly fired. She served as district superintendent for 10 years, one of the longest tenures in ARUSD history. She wasn’t perfect, no one is, but she was a steadying presence. Her removal was political, just like so many others before and since…