At a special meeting of the Burbank Unified School District on Wednesday night, member Charlene Tabet was censured.
Several members including Vice President Abby Pontzer Kamkar and member Dr. Emily Weisberg, hope that Tabet, who is out of the country, resigns.
This action stems after Tabet’s involvement in an alleged $93,000 conflict-of-interest contract that was approved by the board on September 5, 2024, with a firm named Specialized Support Services and her adult daughter BreAnn Weist.
The district found out later that Tabet, who attended Burbank High and graduated from USC with a bachelor’s degree in education, was listed as the principal of a limited liability company.
At that BUSD meeting in September, Tabet made no mention of her daughter’s interest, and that Tabet participated in the vote instead of recusing herself.
The matter is under investigation by the Burbank police and an independent third party called, The Sobel Group, which is a licensed, full-service investigations and consulting firm providing services to the legal and business communities, as well as public entities including school districts and municipalities.
As it currently stands, the investigation has uncovered evidence that Tabet failed to disclose a financial interest in the contract and engaged in conduct that constituted a violation of district policy, including board bylaws related to ethical behavior, professional conduct, and conflicts of interest.
Additionally, the evidence indicates that Tabet, who has been with the district since 2013, participated in the approval of a contract from which she benefited financially and that she failed to disclose her relationship to the signatory of contract and formed an LLC in the name of the vendor that received payments from the district and possibly deposited district payments for the vendor and tried to obscure her role in the contract from district staff and fellow board members.
Pontzer Kamkar didn’t mince words.
“This is a large ethical breach,” she said. “It’s Miss Tabet’s choice to go out of town [she’s in Germany]. I wish she was here. I wish she would resign.”
Pontzer Kamkar then added: “I can’t apologize for being lied to by someone I trusted.” she noted.
BUSD President Dr. Armond Aghakhanian spoke last.
“The number one rule is conflict of interest,” he said. “I say this all the time. Thou shall not do business with a family member.”
Aghakanian continued: “They lied to us. Board member Tabet, please resign.” he said.
Dr. Oscar Macias is the acting superintendent in the wake of Dr. John Paramo’s resignation.
“The first step is healing. We confront that as district leaders. What we’re encountering tonight isn’t good,” he said. “Confidence and trust has been severely broken.”
Macias added: “My approach has always been to listen and to reflect,” he said. “We will do whatever it takes for this district to heal.”
Weisberg said it’s her desire that Tabet, who was elected as an at-large representative and that the only way she can be removed is by a vote of the people, should bow out.
“My hope is that she resigns,” she said. “I’m surprised she hasn’t.”
