San Diego Unified Board To Consider Investigation Of Marne Foster

Our top story on Midday Edition, next week members of the unified school board will decide on an independent investigation into the action of school word president Marne Foster. The allegations against her have been brewing for months involving her use of her position on the board to help her children. Accusations against Foster dash Cindy Martin and whether her decision to remove a school principal was unduly influenced by the school board president. A series of articles has fueled the controversy over Marne Foster. And joining me is Mario Koran. I think most people became aware of these accusations of misconduct against Marne Foster after the brothers to college fundraising event for her sons in July. Why was that event held? I think that is the first time we see that come into the spotlight. That was a private fundraiser that Marty Foster helped organize to go back to college. That was the point of it to raise money so they could attend universities. What was it about the event that raised questions? There were a couple of reasons. One was the fact that it was advertised on the district website. Right there there is a red flag that she is using district resources to promote the event. Another reason is people who had business before the school board, contractors in attendance who gave money, and that raises a question of whether you scratch my back I scratch yours type of thing. There were a couple of questions. How much money was raised? I think between $3000 and $4000. It isn't a huge amount, but the way it was done, it wasn't altogether above the table. Board president Marne Foster has apologized. What was her rationale for this? I am paraphrasing but she said it was a mistake of the heart. She didn't follow proper fundraising rules and procedures. It was an honest mistake and she was just trying to help her sons get back to school. That was the first time the public became aware of when it comes to Marne Foster and allegations of possible misconduct. This turned out to be part of a larger situation brewing around Ms. Foster. And I began at the school of performing arts . Marne Foster son received a bad evaluation on his prospects for college, and the accusations are Foster took action after that . We see through public records, we got a hold of the email she sent, there is evidence that she demanded the negative evaluation that was written on her son's behalf, she demanded that the retracted and a new one put in. The new one was a glowing profile and his college prospects. We have -- the person who wrote the original bad evaluation, what happened to her? The person who wrote the original evaluation, by looking at it, there is nothing she put in that evaluation which was inaccurate or seemed defamatory. She was suspended for nine days. Her access to the college application system was restrict rate -- restricted right after she submitted that. This is where the action of school superintendent of Cindy Martin are in question because the school principal, -- was transferred from the school of performing arts after this incident. What does Cindy Martin say about that? Her argument is that -- that meet clarified, she hasn't said anything about why she was removed except this was a personnel matter that she can't discuss. She hasn't responded to the bigger question which we are trying to find out is why was this principle removed from her position? We know from both Marne Foster and speaking with [ Indiscernible ] Tran 14 -- Marne Foster blamed her for that . How have you been following this story? It seems there wears a trail of emails. The emails were a big break for us. We have been following the story and it has been brewing for a year. Intervals are removed pretty regularly. What made this different was it involved a school board member and questions of whether she influenced that decision. We have been following it by trying to speak to people at the school who are involved. It came to a head, when [ Name Indiscernible ], and one piece led to another and we were able to start fleshing this out. And the person who was suspended also spoke with you. That's correct. There was also a $250,000 claim made against the district because of that bad evaluation. It was followed by her sons father. Where does that fall in? Going back to that negative evaluation letter, that's was the Asus -- -- it says her sons father took that and filed a claim which was the first step before a lawsuit. He asked for $250,000 for damages for tuition that that negative evaluation cost him. He wouldn't get that if he had this terrible evaluation and his file. That was the rationalization on the complaint. When I followed up with John marsh I said there was inaccurate information on this, I asked how would you explain it? He said I didn't actually write that. Marne Foster asked me to sign and then she filled it in herself . What he has told you is the claim that he filed against this bad evaluation that was made on his son, and he claims cost him scholarship money was instigated and written by Marne Foster That's right. A grand jury report made a veiled reference to alleged actions of Foster over her sons evaluation. What is the school board done about this so far? Are you asking what have they done before the situation or the grand jury? The grand jury. I don't know how many people came forward and gave testimony to the grand jury. That hasn't been made public so the transcript hasn't been made public, we don't know who talked, but basically it was a vague narrative of what happened. There were no names, there were no specifics, so anybody who was looking at it from a short distance was unable to tell what happened. The district took advantage of that. The legal department said you haven't said anything specific, how are you supposed to respond to it? Therefore we aren't going to admit to anything. They just basically dismissed it.'s -- With tran13's apology, and attached names through your reporting, what is the school board done so far about any of that? It is something to behold. It was a closed session meeting. There was a public comment section. There had to be around 50 people there. I didn't count. It was interesting to watch this evolve. The school board members went into a closed session meeting. Is the there for three hours. They eventually emerged and said they are going to approve possible investigation into the fundraising efforts and into this legal claim. Right now, the investigation isn't officially moving forward. I think they have to put it -- they have to talk about it during an open meeting. But the writing on the wall says there will be an investigation. Why an independent investigation? They could investigated themselves. I think the question of and independent investigator lends credibility to the appearance of the whole thing. How that actually plays out, we don't know the specifics because it hasn't been approved. It's still a possible independent investigation. At what point, could this affect tran14's position. One of fosters colleagues, one of the things he says is the possibility is Ms. Foster step down at least until this blows over. Assuming it well. There was no talk of that on Tuesday night. In terms of whether this will affect her position on the school board, that is yet to be determined. From sources I have taught two, Marnie Foster isn't the type of person that will back down without a fight. It looks like that is what she is ready to do. Since this came out about the independent investigation, has she made any comment about that? She has told me that there was some truth to the max story You are talking about Cindy Martin. Yes. She said there is much more to the story and she removed [ Indiscernible ] from her position. We have yet to hear that details. This is unprecedented. She said she is going to release personnel information about this Rogge about why that decision was made. Marne Foster supporters say the stories that you have written come from disgruntled employees or parents? How do you respond to that? There was an element of that in the public comment section at the school board meeting the other night. It was based on innuendos and we hear from foster it is based on this information on disgruntled employees. I can only say -- the reporting hasn't been based on just one or two people who have come forward. There is the grand jury up -- report and we have seen improper reactions on the fundraising issue. There are a number of facts that lineup which is the thrust of the article. She is willing to use her influence to benefit herself and her family. Why do you think it's important about this story for parents of kids who are going to San Diego unified schools? I was thinking about this last night and I think what it comes down to is as a parent, and I have a daughter who is not yet in school, but she will be soon, as a parent I am thinking that I need to be able to trust the direction of my school board and trust what my superintendent tells me. If there is any evidence of any self-dealing, or evidence that principles can be fired for capricious reasons, and leaders can't be honest about that, why should I entrust my kids to that? As I say it's a series of reports that voice of San Diego by Mario Koran. Thank you for coming in explaining. Thanks for having me.