Bassett : School Board Trustee Quits

A trustee of the Bassett Unified School District announced his resignation this week with a bitter letter that accused other board members of blocking progress in education.

Robert Rodriguez, 49, was elected in 1991 and had two years left to serve. He was the target of a recall campaign earlier this year, with critics citing his poor attendance record.

Rodriguez, a sergeant with 23 years experience in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, said that his job prevented him from attending special school board meetings held on weekends or during irregular hours.

In his resignation letter, Rodriguez denounced his critics on the board, saying they undermined the superintendent’s efforts by meddling in day-to-day affairs of the district. Board members rebutted those allegations and accused Rodriguez of missing up to 75% of their meetings.