Why this matters
The San Ysidro School District served more than 4,000 students in preschool through eighth grade last year.
Top San Ysidro school officials pushed back against one board member’s claim that the district attempted to cover up molestation allegations against a preschool employee.
Jaime Godinez, a 23-year-old Sunset Elementary instructional aide, was arrested after he was accused of molesting a 4-year-old girl during nap time. The district placed Godinez on administrative leave in January, though some families said they learned about the incident just weeks ago.
As inewsource previously reported, Trustee Kenia Peraza called on Superintendent Gina Potter to resign or for the board members to remove her, saying Potter failed to fully inform them about the allegations.
However, two district officials, including Potter, are denying that claim.
“Recent public statements by a board member calling for my resignation were based on factually inaccurate information,” Potter said in a statement, emphasizing her commitment to student safety and transparency.
Her statement comes after board President Zenaida Rosario issued her own statement over the weekend, saying Potter and the district’s legal counsel began sharing with trustees “limited information provided by” San Diego police in January. However, at that time, she said officials were legally prohibited from releasing information.
Rosario said that the district didn’t receive further details until July, when SDPD informed officials of Godinez’s arrest and charges. And through the end of August, an investigation was still being conducted by the California Department of Social Services, she added.
“As lifelong educators and parents, Superintendent Dr. Gina Potter and I have devoted our lives to advocating for and protecting children … The safety, well-being and privacy of the child is of utmost concern for the District,” Rosario said.
Peraza and other board members didn’t respond to a request for comment by inewsource.
Potter joined the 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. Some community members, including trustees, have defended Potter’s leadership.
During the meeting in mid-October, Potter supported a call for an independent investigation by board Vice President Antonio Martinez. The additional investigation will show that the district acted immediately, she said at that meeting.
Godinez is no longer a district employee, Rosario said in her statement. He was charged in July with two counts of lewd acts upon a child and has pleaded not guilty, according to the Union-Tribune. Godinez, the district and the girl’s teacher are named as defendants in a lawsuit filed earlier this month.
Type of Content
News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
