School District Refutes Tattler Story

School District Fights Back:

 Superintendent They Say,
Only Wasted About $79,000

The Emery Unified School District, in a notice sent to Emery school teachers, has expressed their displeasure regarding a February 12th Tattler story that disclosed the Superintendent of the Schools John Rubio, wasted about $100,000 by hiring a disgraced former elementary school principal and they want Emeryville parents and residents to know the amount the District wasted by the ill fated hire was really closer to $79,000.  Put another way, the District saved taxpayers some $21,000 with the disclosure.
The difference is the amount the District had to pay to fight off a possible lawsuit from the former principal Russom Mesfun; the Tattler reported up to $31,000 was spent on that but the actual amount turned out to be about $13,000.  That amount plus the salary and benefits (about $66,000) paid to Mr Mesfun, who never actually worked as a principal for Emery, totaled about $79,000.
Until the Tattler story of February 12th, Emery refused to publicly say how much by way of salary and benefits they paid to Mr Mesfun let alone how much of an allotted $31,000 for District legal bills was earmarked to fight Mr Mesfun.

Board Member
Christian Patz
After an internet search,
voted NO on hiring Mesfun.
He warned his colleagues 
against the hire.

Mr Mesfun was put on paid administrative leave before the first day of school last August reportedly after teachers complained of being harassed by the new principal.  The District hired Mr Mesfun by a vote of the School Board after Superintendent Rubio gave him the thumbs up.  The Tattler reported on the controversial pick by Mr Rubio after a Google search revealed a sordid history of chaos and firings by previous school districts that employed him including one district that was successfully sued by its teachers for harassment by Mr Mesfun.
Superintendent Rubio has told Emeryville residents and property owners, those who have had to pay for the misguided hiring of the former principal, he is ultimately responsible for the hiring of Mr Musfun, however it should be noted every Emery School Board member available to vote except Mr Christian Patz voted YES on Russom Mesfun last summer.
Board member Patz, the lone holdout among his colleagues against Mr Mesfun, told the Tattler, "In late July of last year, some parents came to me with concerns about the new principal selected for Anna Yates [Elementary School].  They told me to do an internet search for him and referred me to the Emeryville Tattler.  What I saw online gave me pause.  In talking with Mr Mesfun directly, I did not feel he was the right person to lead our flagship school.  I could not vote to approve the hiring".  The other Board members all voted to hire Mr Mesfun except Board president John Affeldt who was out of town for the vote.  Mr Affeldt did express his approval of Mr Mesfun at the time sources tell the Tattler.

Board Member
Joy Ashe
Voted YES on hiring Mesfun.

Board President
John Affeldt
Was out of town for the 
Mesfun vote but expressed 
approval for the hire.

Board Member
Melodi Dice
Voted YES on hiring Mesfun,