Suspensions Rescinded by Anton

In one of his last official acts as superintendent, retired Los Angeles Unified School District chief Bill Anton rescinded disciplinary actions taken earlier this year against more than a dozen district fiscal managers who were blamed for a massive midyear budget shortfall, sources said Friday.

In letters sent out to board members and other officials this week, Anton revoked the suspensions given to some of the district’s highest-ranking administrators.

“Please treat this letter as effecting a restoration of any suspension time taken, and excusing those who have not yet taken the earlier defined suspension,” said the letter, which was dated Sept. 28, two days before Anton stepped down after accusing the board and the teachers union of interfering in administrative matters.

Anton could not be reached for comment Friday. But board member Warren Furutani, who did not support the disciplinary steps, said he received the letter Friday. “I don’t quite know what to make of it yet. We’re going to discuss it on Monday in terms of legal ramifications. I don’t know if Bill had the right to do that.”

Following Anton’s recommendation, the Los Angeles school board in February took the unprecedented step of ordering the disciplinary actions after the discovery of a $130-million midyear deficit.

The punishment ranged from letters of reprimand to five-day suspensions without pay. Among those disciplined were the district’s chief financial officer, Bob Booker, budget chief Henry Jones, business manager Dave Koch and Anton himself.

The disclosure of the actions raised concerns from some of the city’s black leaders, who felt that several of the district’s highest-ranking black administrators--Booker, Jones and accounting manager Olonzo Woodfin--were being singled out for punishment.

In a letter to the administrators, Anton said at the time that punishing managers he considered among the most qualified in the state w “probably the most painful action” of his career.

In rescinding the punishment this week, Anton said it was difficult to foresee the budget shortfall, and consequently, the district’s financial officers should not be punished for something beyond their control. Anton said he was the only one who should have been disciplined.

“As the recent past has clearly demonstrated, cities, counties, and school districts in most parts of the state . . . were unable to timely assess the full fiscal impact of the recession,” the Sept. 28 letter said. “Accordingly, it’s my opinion that no district member, other than myself, should have suspension days taken because this school district along with other public entities that have far superior resources for accurate predictions incurred recession-driven shortfalls.”

Jones and Booker were appealing their suspensions, according to sources. Their appeals are still pending. Other officials who were given suspensions are believed to have taken the time off and will presumably have lost pay restored.

One official targeted for discipline said Friday he believed the board initially pressured Anton to order the reprimands.

“I was delighted to receive the memorandum from the superintendent,” said the official, who did not want to be identified. “I think he was pushed to (give the punishment) and he felt he should do the right thing. That motivated him to send the letters.”