On 4-1 split vote Antioch School Board places Superintendent Williams on paid leave
Following four meetings on her performance evaluation
Interim Superintendent appointed, starts Monday
By Allen D. Payton
During another special meeting of the Antioch School Board on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, on a split vote, the trustees placed Superintendent Dr. Darnise R. Williams on paid administrative leave after less than 14 months in the job. Following a Closed Session during the fourth meeting at which they conducted the superintendent’s public employee performance evaluation, Board President Dr. Jag Lathan reported, “The Board took action in Closed Session by a vote of four yays and one no to place Superintendent Williams on administrative leave effective…August 25th, 2026 until further notice.” Lathan was the only trustee to vote against the action. Williams will continue to be paid during her leave.
Tuesday night’s meeting agenda included three items of discussion: A. Public Employee Evaluation – Superintendent; B. Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release; and C. Public Employee Appointment – Acting and/or Interim Superintendent, all under Gov. Code § 54957, which allows local agency legislative bodies to hold closed sessions for employee matters.
Lathan also reported, “The Board took action in Closed Session by a vote of three yays and two no’s, to finalize Superintendent Williams’ evaluation. Trustee Brown, Cobos-Smith and Trustee Rocha voted yes, Trustees Hernandez and Lathan voted no.”
Finally, the Board also, “took action in Closed Session by a unanimous vote…to appoint Ed Dacus as Acting Superintendent effective August 26th through August 30th, 20206 and Jose Banda as Interim Superintendent effective August 31st, 20206 through and until his services are no longer needed,” Lathan stated. His contract will be discussed at the next regular board meeting which is scheduled for Sept. 9. (See 2:12:25 mark of meeting video)
Williams was hired during the June 11, 2025 School Board meeting on a 3-1 vote with Area 5 Trustee Mary Rocha the lone dissenter and Area 4 Trustee Olga Cobos-Smith absent. This is Williams’ fourth position in five years, and she was paid $357,234 this past school year. (See related article)
The Board conducted the performance evaluation of Williams during three previous meetings. At their Special Meeting on May 27, which was not live-streamed, the report out reads, “There was no reportable action taken during closed session.” Then during the August 5 Special Board Meeting, which was also not live-streamed, the report out of Closed Session reads,“The Board took action by unanimous vote of all trustees present to assign Trustee Cobos-Smith with the duty of compiling the Board’s evaluation of the superintendent consistent with Board Policy 2140.”
Then during their Regular Meeting on August 19th, the Board again conducted the performance evaluation of the superintendent. But Lathan did not report out from Closed Session any action on the matter.
Public Comments
Before the board entered Closed Session this past Tuesday night, only one person spoke during public comments, Dr. Kimberly Payton (no relation to this reporter) of the East County NAACP said, “Put children first. Put equity first. Put their future first.”
“For far too long students in this district have suffered educational setbacks and unacceptable levels of progress,” she stated. “Now, at a critical moment, we finally have a superintendent who appears to be committed to recognizing the true value of education and to be delivering quality, equitable and inclusive educational opportunities for every child and now, she may be terminated. We must ask ourselves, why would we turn away from progress when children need it most.”
“The East County NAACP is asking you to make a choice and take a chance,” she continued. “Choose children over politics. Choose equity over excuses. Choose inclusion over exclusion. Choose progress over continued failure. Our students deserve an education that prepares them to succeed not a system that accepts persistent gaps from the normal.”
“We cannot ask another generation of African American students to wait. We cannot tell families to wait while their children fall further behind,” said Payton. “Today, I urge you to…give the students of this district opportunity, support, resources and leadership that they need to succeed. Their future cannot wait.”
“Stand with our children. Stand for equity. Stand for educational excellence, and do not support the continued failure and non-progress of African American students,” she concluded.
The Board then adjourned to Closed Session and returned an hour and 40 minutes later with their decision.
About Interim Superintendent Banda
On Wednesday, the District issued the following statement from the Board about Banda’s appointment (but did not provide it to local media):
“The Board of Trustees of the Antioch Unified School District acted by a unanimous vote of 5-0 on August 25, 2026, to appoint Jose Banda, a qualified administrator and retired superintendent, to serve as Interim Superintendent. This appointment followed the Board’s prior action by a vote of 4-1 to place Superintendent Darnise Williams on a leave of absence, effective August 25, 2026, until further notice. Mr. Banda will commence his service as Interim Superintendent on August 31, 2026. Until then, Director of Educational Services Ed Dacus will serve as Acting Superintendent.”
According to his Linkedin profile, Banda is the former Superintendent of the Sacramento City Unified School District and earned a B.A. in Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies from has Cal State University Sacramento and a Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership and Administration, General from Chapman University.
Suing District, Threatens to Sue Two Trustees
Rocha claims Williams is suing the district and threatened to sue her and Area 2 Trustee Dee Brown for $5 million, but would not share the details of the potential lawsuit. Rocha only said, “I was expecting the papers. But she hasn’t yet. She might now.”
About Interim Superintendent Banda, Rocha said, “He’s really sharp. I’m glad he’s here.”
Efforts to reach Brown were unsuccessful prior to publication time.
When reached for comment Cobos-Smith responded, “This is a confidential personnel matter, and I have no further comment. Mr. Banda is an experienced and retired superintendent qualified to lead the District during Dr. Williams’ leave of absence. I have no further comment.”
Please check back later for any updates to this report.
the attachments to this post:
Dr. Lathan reports out of closed session 082526
Dr Darnise Williams AUSD logo & Jose banda
