Motion being considered over Robert’s alleged hostile, racist comments about superintendent
The Newhall School District governing board is scheduled Thursday to consider a draft censure resolution against Trustee Donna Robert, following a 4-0 vote Tuesday directing legal counsel to prepare the resolution after an employee complaint alleged Robert made hostile and discriminatory comments about the district superintendent.
According to a draft censure resolution published under the special meeting agenda, Robert was accused of engaging in a pattern of “hostile, demeaning and discriminatory conduct toward (the) superintendent over the course of her superintendency,” it read, referring to Leticia Hernandez, who was named the district’s superintendent in 2022.
After Hernandez filed a formal complaint, an independent investigator found that Robert made disparaging and racist remarks about Hernandez to Arik Avanesyans, the district’s assistant superintendent of business services. According to the resolution, the comments were made March 27 and concerned Hernandez’s professional competence. The investigator also found that Robert made additional remarks on April 14 that “appear to be retaliatory in nature.”
Robert also disclosed private details to Avanesyans that were discussed during a lunch meeting with Hernandez regarding data analysis, and stated that Hernandez did not know anything about the topics, according to the resolution.
In addition, the resolution says Robert said to Avanesyans on March 27: “Well, like I tell my granddaughter, who is part Mexican, ‘Are you Mexican or Mexican’t?’ [The superintendent] always just says no.”
Another statement made by Robert, according to the resolution, was, “This is business. She, [the superintendent], doesn’t understand data.”
The resolution added that Robert has characterized Hernandez as “incompetent and untrustworthy on multiple occasions and in various settings to other district staff and board members,” and, “Robert has threatened [the superintendent] with negative performance evaluations without evidentiary basis and communicated to another board member that if it were up to her she would not give [the superintendent] a positive evaluation.”
On May 8, during a local event, Robert allegedly sought out the superintendent of a neighboring district and one or more trustees of that district to inform them that a senior cabinet member of that district had applied for and interviewed for an open position at the Newhall district.
“The trustee further stated that the applicant interviewed was not selected for the position. This conduct violated express confidentiality admonitions from the Newhall School District Division of Human Resources leadership to participants in the confidential interview process,” the resolution read.
Robert represents the Newhall district’s Area No. 1 and was first elected to the board in 2022. Her term ends on Dec. 11, 2026.
The governing board issued directives and sanctions in the resolution to Robert to assist her in correcting her conduct, which includes: “avoid making any negative characterizations of the superintendent’s performance in any public setting and shall confine opinions to the negotiated process by which the board evaluates the performance of the superintendent. From effective date of the resolution through the remainder of the 2025-26 school year and entirety of the 2026-26 school year, if Robert continues in office she shall not be reimbursed for, nor shall her attendance or admission fees be paid for attendance at any conferences, including registration, related travel, meals, mileage, or lodging(s). The sole exception is the annual California School Boards Association conference.”
During the district’s regular meeting held on Tuesday evening, governing board President Rachelle Haddoak reported out of closed session that the board considered a fact finder’s report on an employee complaint against a trustee. Trustee Ernesto Smith made the motion and it was seconded by trustee Sue Solomon.
“The board voted 4-0 to direct counsel to prepare a draft censure resolution for consideration by the board,” Haddoak said during the open session, and announced a special meeting will be held on Thursday to further discuss the matter. The time of the meeting had not been released as of the publication of this story.
No additional details — including which trustee was the focus of the complaint, and which trustee did not participate in the vote — were provided following the report from the closed session during Tuesday’s meeting. The draft censure resolution containing additional information was published with the board agenda on Wednesday.
The Signal submitted a public records request for a copy of the fact finder’s report to the Newhall district on Wednesday morning. Hernandez declined to produce the report on Wednesday afternoon,citing attorney-client privilege.
Robert could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
