Flores receives outpour of support from community, avoids mutiny

AngelAnn Flores will remain the Stockton Unified Board of Trustees president after two trustees attempted to spur a mutiny at Tuesday's board meeting.

The item to oust Flores and appoint a new board president was brought to the board by trustees Alicia Rico and Cecilia Mendez. Vice President Kennetha Stevens presided over the item after an outpouring of support for Flores from the community and made swift and decisive remarks.

“I think the community has spoken for Ms. AngelAnn Flores and her capability to be president,” Stevens said to applause from the crowd. “I’m extremely happy to sit on the side of her, I know she does a lot of great work.”

Trustee Ray Zulueta denounced Flores’ comments at the April 18 Board of Trustees meeting that appeared to be directed at several administrators, including Interim Superintendent Traci Miller. Interim Chief Business Officer Joann Juarez directly named Flores in her recent resignation letter.

“I resolutely stand against the unagendized comments made by President Flores at our last board meeting directed at staff,” Zulueta said. “(Comments) against employees expose the district to legal liability … It is my hope that we all find a place of understanding together so that we are not directing and distracting staff.”

A motion by Cecilia Mendez to appoint Trustee Ray Zulueta as president of the board — Zulueta appeared surprised — failed with no votes from Flores, Stevens, Trustee Donald Donaire and Clerk Sofia Colón. Zulueta abstained.

Flores is five months into her second term on the Stockton Unified board and her first stint as board president.

Fifteen community members showed support for Flores during public comment, praising her leadership. A comment card was read by staff for Gracie Madrid, president of the Coalition of Mexican Americans Organizations, who had to leave the meeting before she was allowed to speak.

“You’ve agreed to a full audit of district contracts and finances," Madrid wrote. "You terminated costly legal counsel, you restored live stream board meetings, you eliminated multiple positions that were inappropriately funded and restored previously eliminated committees in order to expand public input."

“Our Latino community and other groups in the community are proud and grateful for what you have accomplished in your brief tenure as board president. We support you as you continue your fight to make sure that every child in SUSD has access to the best education and support, that they in turn can become successful in life.”

Reverend Ernest Williams said he’s a product of Stockton Unified and has lived in San Joaquin County for over 70 years. He said he's known Flores for fifteen of those years, formerly working alongside her.

“Integrity, honesty and forthrightness comes from this young lady Ms. Flores,” Williams said. “I would back her blindfolded.”

The only community or staff member to speak against Flores at the meeting was 209 Times founder and Stockton Unified Director of Family Resource Centers Motecuzoma Sanchez. He was heckled by the crowd as he left the podium after speaking.

Sanchez was laid off from his position at the school district effective July 1; his website routinely targets Flores.

Community member Jerry Gonzalez called Rico and Mendez “complete failures” for hiring “unqualified, incompetent and improperly hired personnel” at high salaries. He offered advice to Rico and Mendez on how to take future action.

“If you want to take action, Ms. Rico and Ms. Mendez, maybe it should actually be just to resign,” Gonzalez said. “I’d love to see you leave.”

Karesha Boyd, chair of the Stockton Unified Parent Advisory Committee and vice chair of the African American Black Parent Advisory Committee, chastised the board members attempting to oust Flores. She said none of the parent groups or school sites were contacted about a change in board leadership.

“We as the parents are tired of the petty back-and-forth. The previous year, no one wanted to come to the board meetings because we were tired of you guys trying to sue eachother and discredit each other. When you guys did that, you discredited all of us,” Boyd said. “Now you are here in 2023, going after the newly elected people who are actually making change — we’re tired of it.”

This article originally appeared on The Record: Flores receives outpour of support from community, avoids mutiny