Martinez new superintendent of Pomona Unified

POMONA - Richard Martinez, who has served as Pomona Unified School District's interim superintendent since August, was appointed as the new head of the district Tuesday night.

The appointment brought cheers and applause from many of the more than 150 people in the audience, most of them district employees.

Martinez appointment was passed on a 4-0 vote with Board President Andrew Wong abstaining.

Martinez thanked everyone and said he took the response that came from the room after the announcement as a message.

"I think you support what I'm doing and want to continue doing good work," he said.

While Martinez's appointment was welcomed the board action was critisized by some including Tyra Weis, president of the Associated Pomona Teachers.

She congratulated Martinez and said her disappointment "in no way reflects on Mr. Martinez" before telling the board they should have waited and allowed the district's new board, which will be seated Dec. 9, to select the new superintendent.

"You had everything to win by waiting and absolutely nothing to lose," she said.

Lincoln Elementary School parent, Guadalupe Gallegos, said that in the future district officials should "take into account the new board" in making such a decision.

Gallegos went on to say Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, Martinez's predecessor, "is in the place she is at now for the work she did in Pomona," referring to Melendez de Santa Ana now being a member of President Obama's admininstration

"The group that surrounded her was a good group and among them was Mr. Martinez," Gallegos said in Spanish.