Petition of No Confidence in Superintendent Dr. Darnise Williams

We, the undersigned parents, educators, advocates, staff, and community members, are expressing a vote of no confidence in Superintendent Dr. Darnise Williams and are calling on the Antioch Unified School District Board of Education to take immediate action to change district leadership.

Recent decisions and actions under the current administration have caused significant concern throughout the community. These concerns include the impact of staffing changes on schools and classrooms, reductions and instability in supports that directly affect students, particularly students receiving special education services, and a lack of transparency in decision-making and communication with stakeholders.

In addition, many families and educators have expressed concern about the superintendent’s prior employment history in other districts, including the circumstances under which those positions ended, and the lack of clear communication to the community about this history during the hiring process. For a district facing serious financial and programmatic challenges, leadership credibility and transparency are essential to restoring trust.

Families, educators, and staff report feeling excluded from major decisions that affect their schools and students. Trust between district leadership and the community has been seriously damaged.

Impact Analysis

The consequences of recent decisions are already being felt across Antioch Unified School District.

Reductions in staffing and the elimination of positions are disrupting school operations, increasing workloads for remaining staff, and reducing the level of support available to students. Programs that depend on stable staffing and coordinated leadership are being destabilized.

Students receiving special education services are among those most directly affected. These students rely on consistent supports, trained staff, and coordinated services to access their education. When positions are eliminated or services are reduced, the impact is immediate and measurable in classrooms.

Educators and school staff are experiencing increased strain, uncertainty, and reduced morale, which further affects the stability of school environments and the quality of services provided to students.

Families are also being affected. Parents report difficulty obtaining clear information, reduced communication, and growing concern about the direction of the district and the long-term effects on their children’s education.

These impacts are not hypothetical. They are already occurring and are being reported across multiple schools and programs within the district.

What We Are Asking For

We respectfully call on the Antioch Unified School District Board of Education to:

Acknowledge the loss of confidence expressed by families, educators, and community members.
Take immediate steps to transition to new district leadership.
Conduct a transparent and inclusive process for selecting future leadership, with meaningful input from parents, educators, and community stakeholders.

Closing

Our schools exist to serve students and the community. We believe Antioch Unified School District needs leadership that restores trust, prioritizes students, and works collaboratively with families and educators.