List of confirmed PUHSD leadership departures grows to 14

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Elizabeth Vallejo, who served on the Perris Union High School District school board for four years, is sometimes asked why the district doesn’t broadcast its meetings on video, as many boards do. Besides allowing those not at the meeting to watch it live, video recordings allow one to review the events of the meeting later when researching topics, confirming facts and observing the body language and reactions of the participants.

According to Vallejo, it’s because the board members don’t want you to see the full depth of what’s going on.

“People have been requesting video for years,” Vallejo said. “They (board members) just don’t want to. They say they don’t want to be taken out of context and put on social media for something they didn’t say.”

As a new school year draws closer, events of the past – both in public meetings and behind closed doors – are being questioned by those who believe something strange is going on. As reported here on Friday, PUHSD has suffered the loss of half of its top administrators in the last few months. Allegations of board members on a power trip and personnel decisions made without justification are frequent among current and former employees.

“I’ve never seen a district go through what has happened the last two years,” said one former employee, who like many has requested anonymity. “[Superintendent Jose] Araux says all districts go through changes like this. That’s not true. This is a mass exodus of institutional knowledge and experience.”

Erika Tejeda (center) was named California Principal of the Year in 2023. She is one of the principals who has left the district in the midst of the controversy involving district leadership. (Photo source: Instagram)

To illustrate the extent of the turnover, here is a list of the departures Menifee 24/7 has confirmed. The list of departed administrators has increased from 11 to 13. We have also added to the list a varsity head coach who was relieved of his duties this week, making the total list of confirmed departures 14. Others have been demoted, although that number is unclear. PUHSD administrators will not comment on personnel matters. This might not be a complete list:

Principals:
Julie Blied, Paloma Valley High principal
Erika Tejeda, Liberty High principal
Juan Santos, Perris High principal
Lee Alfred, Perris Lake High principal

Cabinet member:
Candace Reines, Deputy Superintendent, Business Services

Directors:
Sylvia Hinojosa, Director of Purchasing
Shannyn Cahoon, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Dian Martin, Director of Learning Support Services
Nathan Camara, Accounting Supervisor
Marvin Adkins, Director of Pupil Services
Chad Goodwin, Facilities Supervisor

Assistant principals:
Cindy Ramos, Perris Lake High School
Rebecca Beigle, California Military Institute

Varsity head coach:
Cory Cornelius, Liberty High boys basketball coach

One current district employee compared the situation to allegations being made against the leadership of the Menifee Police Department in another Menifee 24/7 special investigation. Although most of the people involved declined to be identified by name, there are too many similar stories to ignore.

“I’ve had enough with this PUHSD leadership,” the employee said. “This superintendent, not sure what agenda he has, but he is pushing great educators out of our community. There needs to be something done ASAP.

“This is similar to our PD. The leadership at the top needs to be held accountable, as these are our children who are losing educators who genuinely care about and love them. We love these kids and want the best for them. Working under incompetent leadership is absurd, and someone needs to hold them accountable.”

Allegations are made not only against second-year Superintendent Araux, but against school board members – particularly Steve Campos, Edward Garcia and Anthony Stafford -- and two members of the superintendent’s cabinet – Chief Human Resources Officer Alfredo Andrade and Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Shanna Egans. Out of this group, only Egans has responded to Menifee 24/7’s request for comment.

Alfredo Andrade (far right) was hired in November 2024 as Chief Human Resources Officer. (File photo)

Andrade is being questioned for a lack of experience in the educational sector and for accepting the job after serving as the campaign treasurer for school board members who hired him. Egans is accused of playing a key role in actions that led to the departure of several district employees since her arrival at PUHSD in mid-year.

“It’s not just the superintendent, but the lady below him as well,” an employee said in reference to Egans. “What I’m hearing is that she’s a puppet master and the superintendent is a space cadet who believes what he is doing is the right thing. His focus is more on those Perris schools instead of our Menifee schools. We need to move our high schools to where they belong, the Menifee school district.”

A possible move of three high schools from PUHSD to the Menifee Union School District is another hot topic in itself. For years, parents of Menifee students have accused PUHSD officials of holding onto Menifee high schools for the money they generate. But that’s another matter.

The current controversy involves the loss of key personnel and the lack of explanation from an administration that cites privacy policies in declining to address decisions that have been made. One former employee explained that rather than firing someone they no longer want, top administrators can use a legal means of effectively ending the power of their present position, often leading to resignations.

“By March 15, the administration must provide notice to certificated employees – principals, assistant principals, directors – if they are not going to be ‘reelected’”, explained the employee about an action which is similar to choosing not to renew one’s contract. “If they were a teacher before, the district owes them a position as a teacher, which is a demotion.”

If not, the employee is out of a job. In our ongoing investigation, Menifee 24/7 will seek information on the circumstances of employees’ departures.

Only cabinet members have contracts. One of those was Reines, who resigned in June to take a similar job with the Hesperia Unified School District after being told her contract would not be renewed, according to sources. Reines, who chose not to comment for this news article, had been with PUHSD 19 years and was an important resource as manager of district finances, said one former employee.

“Clearly, the board pushed Candace out,” said the former employee. “She is seen as one of the top 10 in all of California in business services. I was shocked she was let go.”

As stated previously, top administrators downplay the significance of the loss of key leaders. Araux did not respond to a request for comment on the departures of administrators. Instead, Egans emailed a response which said, in part:

“With respect to Board decisions and related actions, we must respectfully defer to the official minutes of the Board of Trustees’ meetings, which are located on our District website.”

Meeting minutes do not often include comments made by board members during discussion of topics, nor do they include comments made before the board by members of the public. Neither do they include the results of closed sessions. Audio recordings of meetings are archived, and many interviewed for this story are now going back over those to prove their allegations.

Meanwhile, it is left to people like Vallejo who are willing to go on record with their name and protest what is happening in PUHSD. Like others who were interviewed, she said she fears change will only come when current board members are voted out in a future election or certain administrators are removed.

“I’ve talked to our senators, congressmen, [State Superintendent of Public Instruction] Tony Thurmond, asking if there is anything that can be done about this,” she said. “I told them it was cronyism. They said there was nothing they could do.”

Menifee 24/7 will continue to follow this developing story.