We have entrusted you, our elected school board members, to represent this community and to govern our school district. Superintendent Tracy McSparren should not be the leader of this school district and her contract should NOT have been renewed. All of our reasons have been presented to you over the past two years in board meeting public comments, petitions and in e-mails. As a school board, you have the power and the authority to make a crucial and necessary change in the leadership of this district. Your constituents and stakeholders need you to do what is best for our students, teachers, community and to do what is best for the FUTURE of our district: replace Tracy McSparren.

The school board’s primary responsibility is to hire, direct and evaluate a superintendent’s ability to conduct daily operations of a school district. Current BUSD superintendent Tracy McSparren has failed in the capacity of a competent superintendent thus failing the educational community she serves. She needs to resign, and the process started to find a qualified superintendent to serve the community. These are the reasons the board must immediately demand her resignation:

1. Tracy McSparren was given the Superintendent position in July 2018 in violation of Board Policy 2121 that states, “The Board shall actively seek the best qualified and most capable candidate for the position of chief school officer of this school district. It will be aided in this task by the services of professional consultants.”

2. Three board members (Jerry Cleveland, Laura Sanchez-Ramirez and Sue ElHessen) voted to fire the professional consultants, stopping the process to have an experienced and qualified superintendent. McSparren had applied for the position but did not rank in the top 10 candidates.

3. McSparren advises the school board through attorney Eric Bathen. He is paid more than $800,000 a year. Attorney invoices are not provided to the board and Bathen’s legal advice is done verbally rather than in writing.

4. McSparren is the district spokesperson in court cases involving denied Special Education services to students. The district continues to disregard court rulings ordering special education services.

5. McSparren does not provide the board with a list of cases in court.

6. McSparren does not provide the board with case information for employee grievances that are currently in court. BUSD has the highest number of filed cases of any surrounding districts.

7. As the secretary to the board, McSparren does not provide closed session agendas that comply with the Brown Act. Board president Laura Sanchez-Ramirez does not report on closed session items in public session.

8. McSparren has not complied with orders from the California State Superintendent of Schools to require a financial advisor to oversee monetary decisions.

9. McSparren has not complied with orders from the California State Superintendent of Schools to require a no-cost Fiscal Health and Risk assessment.

10. McSparren continues getting paid approximately $20,342.58 monthly (salary and benefits) despite the order from the California State Superintendent to stop her paycheck until BUSD complies with the orders from the California Department of Education.

11. McSparren has misled the public and Board about BUSD’s ability to provide nutrition services to students following school closures due to COVID.

12. McSparren closed schools for two weeks in March 2020 due to COVID. She disregarded the community concerns about academic learning and advised parents to teach their children to “change the oil in a car or learn how to sew on a button.”

13. McSparren knowingly allowed the renovation of a weight room at Mayfair yet forced the resignation of principal Mark Kailiponi (Mr. K).

14. McSparren advised Board President Laura Sanchez-Ramirez to limit public comment regarding Mr. Kailiponi to only 21 minutes, despite over 50 members of the public who requested to speak.

15. McSparren disregarded the public outcry of more than 600 community members who attended the November 18, 2021 board meeting in support of Mr. Kailiponi.

16. McSparren has placed current Mayfair Assistant Principal Tim Espinosa as the Interim Principal to replace Mr. Kailiponi, leaving only two administrators for Mayfair’s 2,800 students. By doing this she disregarded the community’s concern about the safety of students and staff on campus.

17. Tracy McSparren's actions have led to a California State Audit to investigate financial misconduct and unethical practices in the areas of special education, contracts, and employment.