Antioch Unified School District board terminates superintendent’s contract

ANTIOCH — Superintendent Stephanie Anello, who faced criticism for allegedly ignoring employees’ complaints of being bullied and intimidated, has been let go.

The Antioch Unified School District Board voted 5-0 on Wednesday night to immediately terminate Anello’s employment contract.

“The board took action in a closed session to terminate the superintendent’s (employment) agreement, effective immediately, without cause pursuant to the term of that employment agreement,” Board President Antonio Hernandez announced, followed by applause from people in the room.

Anello has been out on leave since late April after she was accused of looking the other way toward maintenance director Kenneth Turnage II’s alleged bullying, harassment and intimidation of subordinates.

Hernandez had called for Anello’s resignation and removal as superintendent following complaints from employees; however, the board failed to remove Anello in May.

Workers have filed written complaints accusing Anello of protecting Turnage because he was a close friend of her husband, former Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando.

During the meeting on Wednesday night, board Vice President Mary Helen Rocha, thanked Anello, who has served the school district for 25 years, for her achievements.

Her notable achievements include increasing accessibility for parents and guardians who speak languages other than English by placing bilingual assistants at all schools and district offices; expanding social and emotional support for students by reintroducing the number of counselors and mental health support in every school; instituting a comprehensive restorative justice program throughout the district, providing secondary sites with access to restorative justice coaches and writing and implementing the district’s first Local Control Accountability Plan, among others.

Rocha said it is time to move forward and “take care of business” in the new school year which has just begun.

“I hope we can all come together and understand that Miss Anello has done a good job in this district,” said Rocha.

Robert A. Martinez, the district’s head of human resources, has been serving as acting superintendent while Anello was on leave.