IN-DEPTH
SPORTS
The Oracle investigates testing accommodation system trends and its impacts on students.
Female athletes encourage discussion about the affect of menstrual cycles on performance.
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Palo Alto Unified School District Henry M. Gunn High School 780 Arastradero Rd Palo Alto, CA 94306
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Friday, April 3, 2026 Volume 63, Issue 6
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Superintendent search follows district disruption
was concerned about the level of financial (burden) with both agreements.” Both Austin’s and Bahadursingh’s departures were officially classified as a “termination without cause” according to he PAUSD Board of Education Chiu, which entitled them to the receipt of promoted Director of Certificated 12 months’ salary, among other benefits. Human Resources Herb Espiritu The payouts included $596,802 for Austin to the acting superintendent position on and around $337,017 for Bahadursingh, March 19, marking the district’s third plus health insurance. According to a leader in less than a month. Espiritu March 17 statement from Board President assumed the role follow ing the Feb. Shounak Dharap, the agreements protected 20 mutual separation agreement with the district from potential litigation. Superintendent Emeritus Dr. Don Austin For some district staff, however, the and the 22-day tenure of former Deputy severance packages represent funds Superintendent Trent Bahadursingh. The that could have been invested directly board reversed Bahadursingh’s promotion toward employees and staff, according to in a 3-2 vote as public scrutiny intensified California School Employees Association over pending litigation. president Meb Steiner. “Numbers t hat I have hea rd a re packages of $700,000,” she said during the March 17 board meeting. “That is a 1% S h o r t l y a f t e r B a h a d u r s i n g h ’s increase for all 800 classified employees. appointment, the Palo Alto Daily Post So I come back to the board with my same reported on a lawsuit filed a month earlier questions: What are your priorities for by former district administrative assistant employees? What are your thoughts on the value that classified Victoria Maya. The staff bring to this su it a l leged t hat school district? The Bahadursingh c r e a t e d a W e’ v e h a d a pr e t t y s te a dy respect for the work h o s t i l e w o r k i n g erosion in professional trust we do? And what e n v i r o n m e n t , (and) professional autonomy, do you think would d e t a i l i n g and that left a pretty negative be fair? We’re not a c c u s a t i o n s o f feeling and low morale for a asking for the whole share. We’re asking bullying, retaliation lot of our members. for a fair share.” and derogator y These payouts, la ng uage tow a rd —PAEA president Tom Culbertson along with a recent female staff. Because $3 . 25 m i l l ion the board’s 3-2 vote to sever ties with Bahadursingh occurred settlement paid to former Fletcher Middle in a closed session, the official cause for his School physical education teacher Peter Colombo that bars him from working departure remains confidential. Board Vice President Rowena Chiu, within PAUSD again, has sparked concerns along with board member Shana Segal, within the community about the district’s cast the two dissenting votes against the fiscal responsibility. separation agreement. “I supported the mutual separation from the district, but I had concerns about the terms of the settlement agreement,” Chiu said. “I voted the way that I did because I O ver t he pa st dec ade, Pa lo A lto was concerned about the settlement being Educators Association president Tom on the terms of 12 months of salary for Culbertson has seen a lack of collaboration Trent. It felt to me that the two settlement and reliability from PAUSD’s management. agreements happened quite quickly, and I “We’ve had a pretty steady erosion
Roy Lao and Vanisha Vig In-Depth Editor & News Editor
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in professional trust (and) professional autonomy, and that left a pretty negative feeling and low morale for a lot of our members,” he said. PAUSD negotiates with PA E A a nd CSE A over teacher and staff wages for the following school ter m each year, w ith the unions lobbying for increases to keep up with inf lation, among other reasons, according to Culbertson. In response to PAEA’s initial
fiscal impact
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public distrust
request for a 13% raise, the district has — as of March 26 — proposed increases of 4% and 3% by 2027, with additional health and welfare benefits and two $3,000 annual bonuses, as of March 23. However, in the m id st of power transitions, Culber tson is concerned that the conversations that help the two sides reach beneficial solutions may lose efficiency. “It has made it more difficult because the team has changed every single time when we meet at the negotiating table,” he said. “The group’s management changes, and that changes the tone and how (meetings) all work. That’s really slowing things down.”
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Superintendent search cont. —p.2
a timeline of recent district EVENTS Peter Colombo
Don austin
trent bahadursingh
herb espiritu
On Feb. 10, the Board voted to pay former Fletcher Middle School P.E. teacher Peter Colombo $3.25 million that bars him from working within PAUSD again.
On Feb. 20, PAUSD reached a mutual agreement with former Superintendent Emeritus Dr. Don Austin to terminate his contract with the district.
On March 17, the Board terminated their contract with former superintendent Trent Bahadursingh after he spent 22 days in the position.
On March 19, the Board unanimously appointed Director of Certificated Human Resources Herb Espiritu to the superintendent position.
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