Fresno Unified school board censures Slatic - again - after another tense debate

Following another tense argument, the Fresno Unified School board formally censured one of its trustees over an outburst during a meeting in August.

The board voted 5-1 Wednesday night to censure Trustee Terry Slatic. He cast the only “no” vote.

Slatic accused his fellow trustees of “cherry-picking” which board bylaws they chose to enforce. He has long accused others on the board of targeting him with pricey investigations and special new rules to marginalize his elected authority.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Slatic said just before Wednesday’s vote.

Tensions mounted during the debate, and an outburst from a man in the audience caused a brief delay during the roll-call vote. The man was escorted from the meeting while shouting, “You’re all going down.”

The outburst prompted Trustee Keshia Thomas to question whether the man was making a threat.

Slatic’s second censure prompted by incident in August

The latest calls to formally rebuke Slatic, a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, stem from his highly publicized outburst during the board’s Aug. 25 meeting.

Objecting to what Slatic said amounted to the district cutting off his access to FUSD Superintendent Bob Nelson, the disgruntled trustee staged a sort-of filibuster to protest the new meeting restrictions. Slatic said he used to meet with Nelson “two to three times a month” and said his fellow trustees have “taken away” that opportunity.

FUSD Board President Valerie Davis ended the board meeting after less than a full hour following numerous failed attempts to silence Slatic, who continued to speak even after his microphone was shut off and parents were trying to address the board directly.

In the following days, Slatic faced major criticism from some trustees and other school officials. However, Slatic fought back, accusing the school board and Nelson of violating California education laws that require the district to inform teachers when a transfer student has a history of violence.

While providing no details, Slatic said, “this law has been violated hundreds of times in the last thirty-three months. Each violation (sic) putting our students and staff at risk.” Slatic filed a formal complaint with the Fresno County District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit.

Jerry Stanley, Fresno County’s assistant district attorney, said this week he couldn’t comment on the ongoing investigation.

Nelson brushed off Slatic’s allegations, saying the district remains in full compliance with the law.

Who’s to blame for pricey Slatic-related investigations?

Board members on Wednesday sparred over who was to blame for the $250,000-plus price tag on Slatic-related investigations.

At least two residents who spoke out Wednesday sided with Slatic and blamed the expense on the trustees who supported the investigations.

In an interview with The Bee’s Education Lab earlier this week, Slatic said each investigation was a waste of money.

“Those investigations aren’t going to ever do anything. They’re simply a way to say ‘we don’t like Slatic,” he said on Monday.

But Davis and Trustee Veva Islas, in particular, pushed back and noted several of Slatic’s past controversies, many of which were also detailed in the censure resolution.

Tempers flared again shortly after the censure vote when Islas detailed a few of the incidents.

“I remember all of the reasons why this censure is in place. You did grab a student without his consent. You did swing him around. It led to a number of issues. It is the truth,” Islas said. “There is a lot of monies behind your unprofessional activity.”

Slatic fired back, noting he never was charged with any crime.

Slatic’s first censure, past clashes with board, others

In 2019, the school board formally censured Slatic following multiple confrontations at Bullard High School. The incidents involved an Army recruiter, a wrestling coach, and a time when Slatic grabbed the backpack of a Bullard student and an altercation ensued.

Those investigations concluded that Slatic violated board policies, including failing to “govern responsibly” and blurring the distinctions between board and staff roles.

Slatic also was involved in a controversy in July 2019 surrounding his behavior at a Bullard High cheer practice when he scolded some cheerleaders over a blackface incident. One cheerleader’s family sought a restraining order against Slatic but failed to convince a judge Slatic’s behavior amounted to harassment.

Slatic eventually won $1,000 from the 16-year-old girl’s family to help him recoup part of the legal fees he racked up defending himself.

On multiple occasions, trustees have accused Slatic of racism, a charge he has denied each time.

Last year, a prominent Latino pastor in Fresno said Slatic told the pastor to “go back to the barrio” after an argument erupted during an informal meeting. Slatic flatly denied using the phrase and said the pastor was “bearing false witness.”

In October last year, other trustees also criticized Slatic after he cast the lone “no” vote on a resolution formally declaring Fresno Unified an anti-racist institution. Slatic said the resolution was unnecessary and “political.”

He’s frequently at odds with trustees, voting against the majority on many issues, including the vote to change Fresno High School’s decades-old logo and the naming of Fresno’s newest school campus.

This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 9:43 PM.