She took over the troubled school district. Now, the San Ysidro superintendent faces calls to resign.

A school board member has called for San Ysidro Superintendent Gina Potter to resign over the district’s handling of molestation allegations against an elementary school employee.

At a meeting Thursday, Trustee Kenia Peraza criticized Potter, saying she did not fully inform the board about the allegations against elementary school employee Jaime Godinez and questioning why the district had not installed cameras despite multiple requests from families.

Godinez, a 23-year-old Sunset Elementary instructional aide, was charged in July with two counts of lewd acts upon a child. A lawsuit filed earlier this month on behalf of a preschooler alleges Godinez molested the girl, then 4 years old, during nap time in January.

Godinez was arrested and placed on administrative leave, though some district families say they learned about the incident just weeks ago. Godinez has pleaded not guilty, according to the Union-Tribune.

“We as a board should not have to learn critical details from the news…that is not transparency, that is a cover-up,” Peraza said.

Several community members also called for the superintendent to resign, some of them holding signs in protest ahead of the board meeting Thursday. 

Potter didn’t respond to Peraza’s questions, but expressed empathy for the preschooler and her family. She also defended the district’s actions, saying officials notified families soon after San Diego police and licensing departments completed their investigations. But she also signaled the district will pay for an independent investigation as board members requested.

“We understand the community’s concerns and we trust that the independent investigation, as requested by board Vice President Martinez, will reaffirm that the district acted immediately to place the employee on administrative leave,” Potter said.

Board President Zenaida Rosario said during the meeting that the girl’s family asked for privacy. But that’s not necessarily why school officials waited months to tell families, she said.

“You are assuming because we didn’t say anything for nine months, that we covered up. You have no idea because we cannot share with you, but Kenia knows,” said Rosario, referring to the Brown Act.

Under that state law, board members are required to withhold from the public confidential information shared in a closed session meeting.

School officials said they’re looking into alternatives after receiving estimates that a single camera would cost about $45,000 to install. But some also said they don’t agree with installing video surveillance in classrooms and body cameras on staff.   

No other trustees joined Peraza’s call to remove the superintendent that night, nor did they take up her recommendation to hold an emergency vote to terminate Potter’s contract. Instead, some trustees and even teachers touted the district’s transformation under her leadership.

Potter took over the troubled district in 2018 after her predecessor Julio Fonseca resigned amid allegations of financial misdeeds, becoming San Ysidro schools’ 10th superintendent in a five-year span.

“The San Ysidro School District has achieved an incredible level of success and growth, despite the challenges of the past under Dr. Potter’s unwavering, diligent leadership,” said Leticia Lemos, a long-time teacher in the district and an alumna herself.

Potter was paid more than $230,000 last year as superintendent, according to the website Transparent California.

An attorney representing the now-5-year-old preschooler told NBC San Diego that he has heard from other parents and is investigating whether there could be more allegations against Godinez.