A showdown coming to the Alisal

A showdown is expected at the Alisal Union Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday to protest the administration's decision to remove the director of the Alisal Family Resource Center.

Apparently, Rodriguez was given direction to move services out from the Alisal Family Resource Center, a well known and beloved organization in the heart of East Salinas, into surrounding, district schools. For 20 years, the center has provided a wide variety of services ranging from cooking classes to English as a second language.

Administrators wanted to go on a different direction, my sources tell me. They removed Rodriguez because she would not comply with their directives.

But most of the center's funding comes from grants, not from the district's general fund. Funders were not happy to hear their moneys would not be used the way it was originally proposed.

Now, the rumor mill is spinning the tale that Superintendent John Ramirez will reinstate Anabelle because he's planning to run against Nancy Kotowski for superintendent of schools when she's up for re-election, and a controversy of this size would not serve him well for a county-wide election. It'll be interesting to see what happens tomorrow. And in the upcoming election. Stay tuned.