After Four-week Search, Escondido Union High Picks Longtime Trustee as new Superintendent
Eyebrows were raised when Escondido Union High School District's President Jon Petersen resigned from his post only to be re-hired as district superintendent shortly afterwards. The speed of Petersen’s selection has led many community members to question whether the board took enough time to solicit input and find the best candidate.
Outside experts said it’s difficult to believe that a thorough superintendent search can be conducted in one month.
“What’s surprising is that they even bothered with a search firm if they perhaps intended to do a very quick search and see if anyone was more distinguished than their board president,” said John Pelissero, senior scholar of government ethics at Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.
“One would question whether the board was being entirely transparent,” Pelissero said.
John Pelissero, senior scholar, government ethics, quoted by The San Diego Union Tribune.