Trustees consider fate of teacher

SAN BENITO — School board members late Tuesday night considered a grievance filed by school trustee Julian Huerta’s wife, who is asking for the suspension of a teacher she accused of grabbing and pulling her son.

The grievance was filed by Mary Gonzalez against Sandra Tumberlinson, wife of school trustee Bob Tumberlinson.

The grievance was being discussed in a closed session at press time.

Huerta and Bob Tumberlinson excused themselves from the discussion.

In a criminal case, Sandra Tumberlinson pleaded not guilty to a Class C misdemeanor assault complaint filed by Gonzalez. A date for a pre-trial hearing has not been set.

Gonzalez accused Sandra Tumberlinson of grabbing and pulling her 12-year-old son to the principal’s office on Oct. 11.

Sandra Tumberlinson denied the accusation, insisting she touched the boy’s backpack as she guided him to the principal’s office to report that his hair style violated the district’s dress code.

Documents show Superintendent Antonio Limon and Berta Cabaza Middle School Principal Bill Snavely conducted investigations that found no evidence that Sandra Tumberinson physically abused the boy. 

Limon wrote that a surveillance camera failed to videotape the teacher and student because it wasn’t working properly.

Gonzalez accused Sandra Tumberlinson of abusing her son because Bob Tumberlinson is her husband’s political rival, documents show.

Sandra Tumberlinson, who denied the allegation, accused Gonzalez of filing the complaint to damage Bob Tumberlinson’s bid for re-election in May, which Gonzalez denied.