Open Letter To District Attorney Ron Freitas

We are writing to demand that you take action on the fraud and corruption that has occurred in the Stockton Unified School District, as reported by FCMAT. The AB 139 Audit revealed a disregard for the law and a troubling culture of leadership, including the questionable legality of contracts and conflicts of interest with vendors. Fiscal mismanagement by Board Members has placed the District in a precarious financial situation. The troubling findings of the Audit are consistent with other recent findings made in previous San Joaquin County Grand Jury Reports.

It is your duty, as District Attorney, to go beyond the limited scope of the FCMAT report and to conduct a thorough investigation into any further illegal fiscal practices & misappropriation of funds that the agency may have missed. We encourage you to center your investigation on the individuals in leadership at the time, including former President Cecilia Mendez, former VP Ray Zulueta, former Clerk Alicia Rico as well as the Superintendent and high-level administrators. These were and remain individuals in positions of power. They have disrespected the public, our union sisters & brothers, and sowed discord in the District. Their self-serving behavior has caused unimaginable damage to our students. The COVID relief funds were meant to protect students, staff, and families; to hire extra classroom aids to assist teachers who are struggling with increased workloads; to limit and address learning loss and behavioral issues arising from the pandemic. Instead, they used the money to benefit themselves and their political allies.

It is also deeply concerning that Motec Sanchez, the founder of 209 Times, has a personal relationship with you. He was hired by the aforementioned Trustees to serve as a SUSD Director. At the same time, he has used his platform to harass students, union employees, and citizens concerned with the actions of the School Board. We urge you to set aside your personal relationships and demonstrate to the public that you are able to do your job as a public official without bias.

The harm done to Stockton students is unacceptable. Financial mismanagement, trouble delivering good working conditions and pay for SUSD staff, and unaddressed student learning loss are just some of the issues that have arisen as a result of the actions of these individuals. As concerned members of the community, we demand justice for the students and families of SUSD. We implore you to take swift action and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

Signed,
Team FixSUSD