Internal emails and text messages show PUSD board members privately orchestrated school closures — including Thurgood Marshall High School — months before any public process. Then lied about it.
Read the Evidence ↓Public records requests uncovered a pattern of private coordination, misleading public statements, and potential Brown Act violations stretching back to Fall 2025.
At 11:21 PM on a Friday, Fredericks emails Trustee Kenne asking for research on which positions would be "duplicative" in a consolidation — before any public process exists. The next day, Kenne sends the data and forwards the entire exchange to Harden: "FYI — A Tina request and my response." Three board members, in writing, coordinating on consolidation strategy. (CPRA 26-084)
The night before a TSS strategy meeting, Fredericks forwards Superintendent Blanco's attorney-client privileged AB 1912 memo to Harden — framing it as "what Dr. Blanco is thinking about school consolidation." In the same email, she reveals TSS was referred to her by a "Mr. Dunning" connected to LACOE. (CPRA 26-084)
TSS President Tahir Ahad — not yet formally hired — emails Fredericks advising her to keep their conversations secret. He also coaches her on language: say "School Reconfiguration," not "closures."
"I think it would be best to not mention our discussions to the superintendent and let her own the process."— Tahir Ahad, TSS President, email to Tina Fredericks, December 1, 2025
The board votes 5–2 to retain Total School Solutions as the "independent" consolidation consultant. Fredericks later publicly described the process as having "no predetermined outcome."
Fredericks publicly described the process as "transparent and unbiased with no predetermined outcome" — while internal emails show she was building the outcome for weeks before the process began.— Colorado Boulevard, May 11, 2026
Harden texts about privately plotting school closures — including schools he had publicly said were "fine."
"I'm plotting to close San Raf because I think locating schools where kids live is important and we tricked her into voting for the resolution so we could make changes to it after the fact."— Scott Harden, text message, February 4, 2026 (CPRA 26-084)
TSS designs and administers a community survey that never names the targeted schools and uses "merging" framing throughout — exactly the language Ahad had coached Fredericks to use. A parent flags the bias on March 10. The survey closes March 19 with TSS presenting "65% support" — a conditional answer built on an "if" that 29–30% of respondents said they don't believe will be met.
↗ Full documented timeline — every verified date ↗ Colorado Boulevard investigative report, May 11, 2026
These four board members appear in the public records — emails, text messages, and CPRA documents — coordinating on the consolidation plan outside any public meeting.

Board President. Built the secret "Consolidation 2027" plan. Coordinated with TSS before their contract. Forwarded the superintendent's legal memo to Harden. Publicly claimed "no predetermined outcome."
Secret Plan Brown Act TSS Coordination
Privately plotted to close Marshall HS, Blair HS, and San Rafael Elementary. Told parents Marshall was "fine." Texted: "we tricked her into voting for the resolution."
Misled Parents Brown Act Marshall Closure
Received Fredericks' private "not for the public" presentation in October 2025. Named as the starting point of the Brown Act daisy chain.
Brown Act Private Briefing
Researched consolidation data for Fredericks, then forwarded the exchange to Harden. Active link in the Brown Act daisy chain — not a passive recipient.
Brown Act Active CoordinationThis trustee does not appear in the private email or text chains. But she voted YES on Resolution 2852, the TSS contract, and the SCAC outcomes — every time alongside the four implicated members.
These two trustees have not appeared in the private coordination documents. They voted NO on Resolution 2852, the TSS contract, and subsequent consolidation items — consistently opposing the consolidation majority.

No documented involvement in the private coordination. Voted NO on Resolution 2852, the TSS contract, and subsequent consolidation items — consistently opposing the consolidation majority.
No Documented Involvement Voted Against Consolidation
No documented involvement in the private coordination. Voted NO on Resolution 2852, the TSS contract, and central office reduction items — consistently opposing the consolidation majority.
No Documented Involvement Voted Against ConsolidationThe consolidation plan wasn't just a board operation. Documents show outside actors played a central role — before any public process began.
County fiscal watchdog who publicly warned PUSD of a $149M deficit — then privately Zoomed with Fredericks about "her plans for consolidation." LACOE's referral chain led directly to TSS via the Hacienda La Puente model. Resolution 2852 passed four days before LACOE's December 15 deadline.
Private Meetings with Fredericks TSS Pipeline
Privately coordinated with Fredericks before being formally hired. Advised hiding plans from the superintendent. Coached language to soften "closures" into "reconfiguration."
Pre-Contract Coordination Language Coaching
TSS Executive Vice President (Ed.D.) who worked the PUSD engagement. A public records request specifically targeted all documents related to Pandolfo — suggesting investigators suspected his direct involvement.
Under InvestigationInternal emails show Board President Tina Fredericks built a secret "Consolidation 2027" plan weeks before any public process, privately coordinated with consultant Tahir Ahad before TSS was hired, and participated in a Brown Act daisy chain with fellow board members.
Text messages obtained through public records requests show Scott Harden privately plotting to close San Rafael High School and boasting that the board "tricked" the superintendent into voting for a resolution they planned to change afterward.
Emails from October 10–11, 2025 show Board President Fredericks asking Kenne for consolidation research data at 11:21 PM, Kenne complying, and then Kenne forwarding the entire exchange to Harden — a documented daisy chain months before the public process began.
The next board meeting is your chance to put these board members on record. Bring your neighbors.
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