Flynn Resigns Simi Schools Post After 100 Days on Job

School trustees accepted the resignation of Supt. Dan Flynn on Thursday night, about 100 days after he was hired by a divided board as the Simi Valley school district’s seventh schools chief in as many years.

Flynn, who tendered his resignation earlier in the day, negotiated an expanded severance package that will pay him $8,000 a month until June 10 to end his employment contract with the Simi Valley Unified School District and will continue to provide him with health and life insurance coverage through June 30.

As the board was announcing its decision, Flynn was in his office down the hall cleaning out his desk. Once notified, the father of six went about removing his family’s photos from the wall.

“I don’t feel I deserve this,” he said while eating pizza and leafing through the help wanted section of a newspaper for educators. “I made no mistakes of this magnitude.”

Flynn described his resignation as “a reluctant, negotiated surrender.” He added that he feels “no malice or hostile feelings” toward the district. He also declined to say whether the resignation was forced, adding that he made the decision in the best interests of his family.

David Kanthak, assistant superintendent of business services, will fill in for Flynn until Tuesday, when the board will meet again to decide on how it plans to find a permanent replacement. Kanthak, who will be leaving three days later to take a job in Riverside County, is not considered a candidate for the job.

Trustees Janice DiFatta, Carla Kurachi and Diane Collins voted to accept the resignation. Trustees Caesar Julian and Norm Walker--who resigned as president on Wednesday in protest over the move to dismiss Flynn--continued to support the 45-year-old superintendent.

Board members gave no official reason for Flynn’s dismissal. In fact, the negotiated settlement stipulates that “neither side can make remarks disparaging the conduct or character” of each other.

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Some trustees complained earlier, however, that he hasn’t learned how the district’s budget works and has not gained respect from most of the board.

But Walker and Julian had contended that Flynn was just learning how the district works and should be commended for his efforts in visiting the schools, learning the teachers’ names and building bridges in the community.

What bothered some conservative activists most about the dismissal is the feeling that DiFatta--whom they supported in her 1996 election--turned her back on them by voting against Flynn.

DiFatta is “a Republican in name only,” said the self-described ultraconservative Russ Hopkins, past president of the California Republican Assembly, which has 100 members in Simi Valley and Moorpark. “This is a woman who said she’d vote by Norm and Caesar’s side.”

Hopkins, who said he had a previous engagement, did not attend the special board meeting.

DiFatta said she appreciates the financial backing the Republican group provided when she ran for school trustee, but that she hoped its members would have wanted her to do “what’s in the best interest of the kids.”

She added: “I’m not going to stoop to the level of being petty and getting into this philosophical battle. . . . We are doing what is fair, legal and ethical. Our contract [with the superintendent] allows us to do an evaluation of him.”

According to his contract, Flynn could be dismissed at any time during his first year without cause. He had to be given at least a 60-day notice, during which time he would continue to receive his pay of $8,000 a month.

When Flynn was hired on Oct. 22, trustees had agreed to evaluate his performance by March 31. None has said why they met to discuss the matter almost two months early.

That is exactly the question on the mind of two parents who showed up to support Flynn.

“We just don’t know what he’s done wrong,” Beth Hankins said outside the boardroom.

Added her friend, Denise Barton: “Three months just doesn’t seem like it’s enough time to give him a chance. If he had a weakness let him work on it. The board should slow down.”

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But trustee Collins has argued in the past that she was worried that Flynn had not learned how the school district budget works, and Kurachi said Flynn had “not built up trust and respect.”

During his three months of service, Flynn has spent most of his time trying to do just that: getting out in the community to foster his name and goodwill.

He had to.

When he came to the district, scores of people--some supporters, but most opponents--showed up to speak about his hiring. Critics, including leaders of school unions, argued that the board was considering Flynn without following normal hiring procedures.

Superintendents generally are hired after extensive, open, nationwide searches. Flynn was the only candidate interviewed for the job last fall.

Community members also were worried that Flynn wouldn’t be up to the job because he lacked experience as a superintendent. His previous jobs included being one of eight Head Start coordinators in Los Angeles County and a principal in Ventura County.

Flynn supporters, however, argued that he was a solid family man who would live in the area and send most of his six children to schools in the district.

Before Flynn, there was a string of other superintendents.

Albert “Bud” Marley filled in most recently for four months, filling a vacancy left by Tate Parker, whose contract was bought out last June in an $81,000 settlement after six months of service. Prior to Parker, other schools chiefs came and left, either retiring early or leaving for other jobs.

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It’s this turnover that unsettles Flynn-supporter Don Otto the most.

“The bottom line is: Any school district that is in turmoil has an effect on the children. Will they feel it in a week? No. But it will ultimately be felt at that level.”