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In-Fighting Grips Alum Rock Unified In San Jose

SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) -- Accusations of fraud, threats of physical violence and now a restraining order have all come into play during a recent drama playing out in a South Bay school district in recent weeks.

The latest drama with the Alum Rock Unified School District came to a head during a closed door session two weeks ago.

Officials were talking about the district's troubled contract with Southern California real estate firm Delterra when things got heated.

District Superintendent Dr. Hilaria Bauer claimed that Alum Rock School Board member Khanh Tran tried to intimidate her, saying, "Tran threatened to 'kick my [blank] at least three times" and said "…that I should face a firing squad."

Additionally, Bauer said over the past two years, she has endured rude and aggressive behavior from Tran including "threatening and unwelcome text messages," "calls at all hours of the day and night" and threats to "terminate my employment."

Dr. Bauer said all this -- combined with an incident of someone throwing lit fireworks on her wooden back patio and then the destruction of the teachers' union building in a fire -- have increased her stress and made her feel unsafe around tran.

It was enough to convince a judge. Tran was served with the restraining order this morning.

He told KPIX 5 had no idea it was coming.

"It's kind of awkward," said Tran.

About at least one of the threats, Tran said the superintendent simply misheard him.

"What I did say was that anyone who violates, steals money from the district, who commits crime and lies, I for one, with my one vote, will kick their [blank] out of the district," said Tran.

As for his comments about Bauer being placed in front of a firing squad, he said that also was misinterpreted.

"No, that had nothing to do with her. We were talking about Donald Trump and all the stuff going on in Syria and all that stuff," said Tran. "And people were saying if this were in the third world, anyone breaking the law would probably face a firing squad. There was no name mentioned."

The deputy district attorney sent email to the superintendent about the Tran's comments. The email read:

"While I find them to be completely unprofessional and reprehensible, and in no way do I condone them, the words alone do not appear to rise to criminal conduct."

Tran says the restraining order is an attempt to distract from a state investigation launched two weeks ago by the Fair Political Practices Commission into wrongdoing by the superintendent herself.

There is a court hearing set for September 11, where the judge will clear things up before two have to be in the same room at the next school board meeting on September 13.

She's my employee. I only meet and deal with her when I get to the board meeting, said Tran. Even when she asks me to go one on one, I don't talk to her one on one regarding the agenda. Because I just don't like to talk to people that are dishonest.

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