Art Darin, District CAO, Put Out to Pasture
Some See Move to Silver Creek as Demotion

Former Mt. Pleasant principal Art Darin’s appointment to Chief Academic Officer in November of 2003 was the first major position filled in Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas’ restructuring of district administration. Now he appears to be the first to go. Just months after a Mercury News editorial cast a spotlight on Darin and the four other men in the superintendent’s cabinet as the team running the show, Darin has been named the interim principal at Silver Creek High School.

Dr. Zendejas met with the Silver Creek staff hours after vaguely announcing an administrative change would be made. Unruly Silver Creek correspondents confirm that, in what appeared to be an attempt to avoid answering questions about Darin’s placement, the superintendent made what one teacher described as an “inappropriate joke,” claiming Darin’s salary as a cabinet member made him the right person for the job. Team Unruly has also learned that Darin himself didn’t find out about the transfer until an hour before the Silver Creek staff meeting.

While publicly declared as a temporary transfer, the story behind the scenes indicates that Darin was demoted. Sources confirm that Darin is no longer in charge of certain district administrative duties, such as running meetings and authorizing district expenditures. Some claim there was a falling out between Zendejas and Darin, while others see this as another example of the pattern of dysfunction emanating from a district office where, for example, no less than five people have held the superintendent’s secretary position in Dr. Zendejas’ year and a half with the district.

Although Team Unruly cannot substantiate this hearsay rumor, one source claims Darin has recently lamented having left his principal position at Mt. Pleasant last year. In any event, Darin’s official title is still Chief Academic Officer.