Fresno Unified School Board President Susan Wittrup and other community leaders are calling for “an open and transparent process” in the hiring of a superintendent to succeed Bob Nelson.

Wittrup said Friday that she and others will speak at a 9 a.m. Tuesday news conference at Fresno Unified headquarters, 2309 Tulare St. in downtown Fresno.

They will address the controversial decision by a narrow majority of trustees to limit the search to candidates who work for the state’s third-largest school district.

“After dedicating 37 years of my life to Fresno Unified, I refuse to accept complacency as the norm,” said Susan Wittrup, who was elected to the board in 2022 after retiring as a school psychologist.

“As Board President, I advocate for a comprehensive search to find the most capable leader for our district. It is imperative that we cast a wide net, considering both internal and external candidates, to ensure the best for Fresno’s children. This decision is pivotal, and it demands the active engagement of our community.”

Special Board Meeting Scheduled Wednesday

Also speaking at the news conference will be city councilmembers, clergy, business representatives, and labor advocates.

They are expected to ask families with children in Fresno Unified schools to come at 4:30 p.m. to Wednesday’s special board meeting to speak before the trustees adjourn into closed session to interview internal candidates.

In addition, community leaders will discuss the potential long-term negative impacts of limiting the choices to candidates who have failed to improve student outcomes in one of California’s worst-performing districts.

In addition to Wittrup, the following people are expected to speak at the news conference:

• Fresno City Council VP Mike Karbassi
• Retired Appellate Court Judge Robert H. Oliver
• Westside Church of Gold Bishop Paul Binion
• Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias
• Fresno Teachers Association President Manuel Bonilla
• Granville Homes CEO and GV Wire Publisher Darius Assemi