For several months I’ve been prodded by many people to look into the alleged improper hiring of Fillmore High School Principal Russom Mesfun. I’m giving up my usual Realities space to provide space for the remainder of Karen Ashem’s letter to the Fillmore Unified School Board, see page one. The more I read the documentation the more outrageous Mr. Mesfun’s hiring appears to me. Mesfun was hired primarily on the recommendation of his old friend, FUSD Superintendent, Dr. Alan Nishino. It is unclear if the Board did any significant vetting of Mesfun prior to hiring him. I have a sense of outrage about this, considering his long negative employment history as documented by teachers and legal actions. The central question is whether Mesfun should have been the preferred hire before other applicants on the basis of personal friendship. This is a question that the entire Board must answer in order to maintain Fillmore’s confidence. And, there’s another question -- should the Board grant Mesfun tenure?

See Karen's letter and documents here http://www.fillmoregazette.com/front-page/%E2%80%9Cthey-should-have-know...