Days after proposing Stockton Unified bring in a consulting firm owned by a controversial former superintendent to help replace John Deasy, board President Kathy Garcia voted to delay the proposal Tuesday night at a contentious Board of Education meeting.
The meeting went late into the night and devolved into accusations of political and personal bias, talking over one another and board leadership having to call order several times, culminating in Garcia saying: “We’re acting like a bunch of idiots.”
The Board of Education’s 4-3 vote delayed the decision to its next meeting on whether to hire former Superintendent Jack McLaughlin’s JJet, Inc. through the end of the year to assist the district in the wake of the current superintendent’s resignation.
McLaughlin served as superintendent of Stockton Unified from 2006 to 2008. He retired after a stormy reign that was marred by a football recruiting scandal at Franklin High School led by a friend he hired, the loss of millions in federal grants and fractious politics that split the district for years to come.
JJet, Inc., operated out of Carson City, Nevada, is described on its business license as a domestic corporation in which McLaughlin is listed as both the company’s president and treasurer. A website that operates under the JJet, Inc. name promotes screenplays and “scribblings” authored by McLaughlin.
On Friday, Garcia said she called the former superintendent last week to ask him for help in guiding the district through the interim process, a move that took some board members by surprise. She described McLaughlin’s tenure as the district’s superintendent as “excellent” and said many in Stockton Unified would be happy to have him back. …
Cassie Dickman 