Commentary: No denial from district on reports of misconduct

Commentary By Doug Spoon, Editor

Second in a two-part series. Note: Story has been corrected to indicate that the district employee from Nutrition Services who participated in the Stafford employment panel was Rick Linsalato, field supervisor for nutrition services.

As reported here on Thursday, Menifee 24/7 is investigating several allegations against the Perris Union High School District made by multiple current and former employees and through our own research.

Thursday’s commentary summarized events of the past three years, including evidence showing that PUHSD board members hired as Chief Human Resources Officer a man who, with his wife, served as campaign treasurer for three of the trustees between 2020 and 2024. We also reported that Alfredo Andrade was hired via an amended job description that allowed him to be hired without any job experience in the education sector.

Today, we look at more recent incidents that support the argument that PUHSD trustees and administrators are abusing their power and violating state and board policy.

Two current Paloma Valley High School employees have raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding the promotion of a custodian to a management position. This sounds innocent enough until the details are revealed. (FYI, neither are custodians themselves).

According to both sources, plant supervisor Daniel Aguilera was recently promoted to a higher position. District policy states that a panel of teachers, administrators, and the principal of the school involved meet to conduct interviews of job candidates and make a recommendation to the superintendent.

In this case, that didn’t happen, the sources said. Basically, district officials orchestrated a different scenario. Paloma Valley principal Thomas LaRochelle – recently named to that post by the superintendent and school board – never had the opportunity to serve on his own school’s panel. Instead, the district took over, selecting as the principal for the panel Pauline Garcia, principal of Perris Lake High School.

Aguilera was not invited onto the panel for interviews of his successor – a departure from the norm. But the district field supervisor for nutrition services, Rick Linsalato – who has no contact with the custodial staff – was invited. Then it came time to consider candidate Anthony T. Stafford, who was working as lead custodian at the school.

Two key points here. First, Stafford Jr.’s father is Anthony T. Stafford Sr., who is a board member. Second, Stafford Jr.’s mother is Stephanie Stafford, who is a former co-worker of Pauline Garcia. According to sources, the two are good friends. Anthony Stafford Jr. was selected by the committee and his hiring is expected to be approved by the school board at its Nov. 12 meeting.

Board Policy 4112.8 states, “The Board prohibits the appointment of any person to a position for which his/her relative maintains management, supervisory, evaluation, or promotion responsibilities and prohibits an employee from participating in any decision that singularly applies to any of his/her relatives.”

“The site’s pretty upset,” one of the current employees said in reference to employees on campus. “There’s a lot of talk about nepotism. Teachers who work 7-3:30, staff who doesn’t normally have contact with custodians, say they can’t believe it.”

Making the decision even more suspicious are allegations that Stafford Jr. has been disciplined in the past for poor performance, calling him “lazy.” One source said he was shocked when, in reference to questions about his job performance, Stafford Jr. replied, “It doesn’t matter. They won’t fire me. I only have two writeups.”

Contacted by Menifee 24/7, Andrade would not confirm that Stafford Jr. has already been chosen for the promotion. His response was, “Mr. Stafford Jr.’s position is currently unchanged … the board will determine at its November board meeting if Mr. Stafford Jr. is to become the plant manager at Paloma Valley High School.”

Doesn't that sound like Stafford Jr.’s hiring is a done deal?

Next, there are new developments in the district’s termination of substitute teacher Jacob Burnard, which has been reported here previously. Following a disagreement between Burnard and school front office staff at Liberty and Paloma Valley high schools over the conditions of his work assignments, Burnard on the afternoon of Sept. 24 was emailed a termination notice – which he read and shared with students while teaching a class.

The district is not obligated to retain substitute teachers, who are not full-time employees. They can stop offering assignments to a sub at any time. But to announce a termination – by email – while the teacher is still working in a classroom – is unheard of and inappropriate action, sources say.

School officials had to escort Burnard out of the classroom and to his vehicle to get out of an embarrassing situation created by an order from the district office, one source said. “This was a district choice, and they sent the email too early,” the source said. “The district screwed up.”

Burnard appealed the decision to the district office and sought an attorney. Then, after two Menifee 24/7 articles were published about the decision and the district’s withholding of his check, Burnard received an email from Andrade, stating, “After reconsideration, we would like to retain you as a Guest Teacher and reinstate you as soon as possible.”

Burnard continues to demand an explanation for how his termination was handled -- and he still hasn't received his final paycheck. The situation has not been resolved.

Another issue: At its meeting on Oct. 8, the board approved a resolution to offer employees a Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan (SERP).

The early retirement plan is offered to certificated, management, or confidential employees effective July 1, 2026. That, multiple sources say, is the date that Araux has already decided he will retire. So in essence, Araux will be paid by two early retirement plans, having already taken one when he resigned from the Jurupa Valley Unified School District in 2024.

Another action that has angered many staff members at Paloma Valley High is the decision last week by Araux that staff members would no longer be allowed to sit behind the end zone on the field during football games at district schools. They must sit in the stands. That was not well received at all at Paloma Valley, where the tradition for years has been for staff to bring lawn chairs and sit behind the end zone, cheering on their players.

“The only reason given was safety,” one employee said. “Staff members are fuming. This is a tradition. Now the players might not see their teacher watching them play. It’s a pride thing.” The new rule even applies to the wife of Paloma Valley head coach Juan Merida. Now his wife must either stay home or sit in the stands among fans, who at times in past seasons have cursed about coaches near their relatives during a loss.

And as far as safety in the back of the end zone? Hey, I’m in more danger walking the sidelines as a reporter than those folks are. At least they haven’t kicked me off the sidelines – yet.

Following the posting of my commentary on Thursday, I received an email from board trustee Edward Garcia, basically saying I should be ashamed for spreading “misinformation” and accusing me of trying to spread hate and divisiveness. No specifics were mentioned. I replied by emailing him back, asking him point by point if he denied any of the allegations I have reported on.

His response: “I’ve sent you my response. Have a wonderful day.”

No denial of any of the allegations. Just a short response with the tone, as many others say they have received, of “shut up!”

We have a problem here, folks.