TL;DR: An uncleared individual, reportedly with a violent criminal history, was allowed to lead student activities at Redwood Middle School, in violation of established safety protocols. It remains unclear whether procedures were simply overlooked or intentionally bypassed, particularly given that the individual may not have passed standard vetting protocols.

Dear Saratoga Community,

We write with deep care and concern for the success of the Saratoga Union School District (SUSD). Its strength directly affects our students, teachers, families, and broader community. We want SUSD to thrive. It is precisely because we value this district so deeply that we feel compelled to speak up about a troubling decline in governance, leadership, transparency, and student safety.

When families send their children to school, they entrust the district not only with academic instruction, but with the responsibility to educate and protect the whole child. A healthy learning environment requires that every child feels safe, supported, and heard socially and emotionally. When children are harmed, traumatized, or left unprotected, the consequences extend far beyond the classroom and cause lasting hardship for families. This is unacceptable.

Pattern of Safety Concerns and Leadership Response
Over recent months, families have observed a disturbing pattern of unresolved safety concerns and a recurring lack of transparency and accountability from district leadership. These issues were brought sharply into focus during the SUSD Public Board Meeting in December 2025, where public comments revealed serious allegations and a growing fracture within the community.

During that meeting, three parents raised credible and alarming concerns:

• One parent described multiple safety failures, including issues later acknowledged by the district as lapses in protocol.
• A second parent described the ongoing trauma experienced by her child following a sexual assault at their elementary school, including severe emotional distress—concerns that warrant serious, independent review.
• A third parent described repeated physical harm to her child that had not been adequately addressed at the school-site level.
  One parent explicitly stated fear of retaliation for speaking out. That statement alone should have prompted heightened care, restraint, and accountability from district leadership.

Dismissal of Parent Voices and Chilling Effect

During the public comments, leaders of the Redwood Middle School PTA and the Saratoga Education Foundation publicly minimized the concerns raised by parents, in effect positioning the district as the primary aggrieved party. This framing diverts attention from the students and families who were directly harmed, undermines the credibility of genuine concerns, and reinforces the fear of retaliation for speaking out.

When individuals in influential positions publicly invalidate, name call or marginalize parents advocating for their children’s safety—especially after a parent has expressed fear of retaliation—it creates a chilling effect. Parents may reasonably fear social consequences, dismissal, or retaliation and may hesitate to raise concerns in the future. Such conduct silences voices, deepens division, and erodes trust at precisely the moment when openness and accountability are most needed.

Organizations that fundraise from families and represent themselves as advocates for students carry a heightened responsibility to foster respectful dialogue, inclusivity, and accountability. Public actions that discourage or discredit parent testimony undermine trust and weaken community engagement, ultimately harming the school community as a whole.

Safety Lapse and District Admission

One issue raised during public comment is particularly alarming. Concerns were brought forward alleging that the Redwood Middle School basketball teams during the 2024–2025 school year were coached by an individual with a serious criminal history involving a violent felony with a firearm. Public reporting documents convictions related to an armed home invasion in which children were present.

While the district has not publicly confirmed the identity of this individual, the individual is listed as a coach in the 2024–2025 Redwood Middle School yearbook. Following these concerns, SUSD issued a written communication on November 12, 2025 acknowledging a failure in clearance procedures, stating:

“We have learned an uncleared volunteer was participating in afterschool activities last school year at Redwood Middle School. Although this person was under the supervision of a cleared afterschool coach at all times, this is not permissible.”

The district further stated it would engage a third party to independently review its background check and clearance procedures. This admission confirms that established safety protocols were not followed and that an individual without proper clearance was allowed to participate in student activities. The seriousness of this lapse cannot be overstated.

Minimization in Follow-Up Communications
Following the December board meeting, communications from site leadership and an affiliated organization emphasized positive moments while omitting reference to the serious safety concerns raised:

A Redwood Middle School principal newsletter directed families to selected “feel-good” portions of the meeting.
A Redwood Middle School PTA post highlighted celebrations without acknowledging substantive parent testimony.
These communications had the effect of redirecting attention away from critical issues and discouraging full review of the public record. Such messaging undermines trust and conveys that institutional comfort is being prioritized over transparency and accountability to affected families.

Accountability and Responsibility

Ultimate responsibility rests with district leadership and the Board of Trustees. Trustees are elected to serve the public and their constituents—students, families, and taxpayers—not to shield or defer to the superintendent or district administration. Effective governance requires independent oversight, rigorous questioning, and the willingness to challenge leadership when student safety and public trust are at stake.

We are taxpayers who contribute significantly to this district. In return, we expect ethical governance, transparency, and active supervision of district leadership. When trustees fail to meaningfully challenge the superintendent or appear to prioritize administrative comfort over accountability, it raises serious concerns about whether they are fulfilling their fiduciary and ethical obligations to the community they serve.

At a minimum, district leadership must demonstrate genuine concern for the well-being of students and families affected by harm and safety failures. Performative sympathy or silence is not sufficient. Leadership roles carry both authority and responsibility, and maintaining trust requires visible engagement, responsiveness, and a clear commitment to corrective action—not complacency.

As elections approach, trustees must be held accountable for the leadership they have hired and retained amid years marked by investigations, legal challenges, and sustained community concern.

Our Demands
We call on the Saratoga Union School District to:

1. Complete the full, independent, third-party investigation into safety failures, clearance procedures, and oversight.
2. Publicly release the findings, including confirmation of whether the individual was a convicted felon and the seriousness of the alleged crimes.
3. Disclose the corrective actions that will be taken, along with clear timelines for their implementation.
4. Strengthen and enforce student safety protocols district-wide.
5. Impose meaningful personnel consequences, up to and including removal, where negligence is substantiated.
6. Affirm and enforce protections against retaliation so parents and staff can speak freely.
7. Implement a restorative plan addressing the social-emotional impact on affected students and families.
8. Provide ongoing public updates and oversight until trust is restored.

Our children deserve schools that protect them, listen to them, and put their well-being first. Our families deserve honesty, full transparency and accountability. We will continue to speak out until these standards are met.

Sincerely,
 Concerned Parents and Community Members

For Further Reading
These articles document public reporting on the issues described herein and are provided for transparency and context:

Petition Update #4: Failing Student Safety is not a ‘gap.’

Petition Update #3: Press Helps Shed Light on Student Safety and Transparency at SUSD

Petition Update #2: Student Safety First: Transparency Is Needed After a Confirmed Breach

Petition Update #1: Beyond the Smoke and Mirrors: Facts, Accountability, and Student Safety