Chants of “resign, resign” were shouted at the end of the public comment period of Tuesday night’s Turlock Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting as a group of community members called for the resignation of Superintendent Dana Trevethan and Medeiros Principal Anna Ellerson in the aftermath of an elementary school campus supervisor being arrested for two felony child pornography charges.
John Snoke, 42, of Turlock was arrested Jan. 3 after Turlock Police investigated a cyber tip regarding distribution of child pornography, stating images had been uploaded using an internet-based application.
Before his arrest, Snoke was employed as a campus supervisor at Medeiros Elementary School in Turlock.
“I’m calling [for] the questioning and investigation due to the fact that we have Mr. Snoke on the TUSD payroll despite complaints of staff and parents throughout the years. I also want to get straight to the point on how disturbing and disgusting this is on all levels being that you allowed Mr. Snoke to be in close proximity of all our children, but most importantly our special ed children, who cannot advocate for themselves due to the fact they are nonverbal,” said parent Kelly Torres Almatran.
“…I hope you all understand the caliber of danger you put these children in. Shame on you for your negligence and shame on [Medeiros Elementary School Principal] Ms. Ellerson for knowing of said complaints from staff and parents in those years that Snoke was employed at Medeiros and still having a direct hand in keeping him employed and keeping him around all our children. You all allowed a child predator to feel safe inside a school campus with innocent children.”
Snoke’s arrest came from a cyber tip regarding distribution of child pornography, stating images had been uploaded using an internet-based application. At the time of his arrest, investigators did not believe there were any local student victims who were targeted but were still reviewing electronic devices seized during a search warrant of his residence.
Along with working at the Turlock school district since 2016, Snoke is a member of the City of Turlock’s Parks, Arts and Recreation Commission. His term is set to expire Dec. 31, 2025.
Among those who spoke to the TUSD Board of Trustees on Tuesday were two Medeiros Elementary students.
“I’m going to talk about what happened on Wednesday, January 3, 2024 and how uncomfortable I am with our own principal and others who disregarded complaints that were brought to her attention by staff members. We’re calling for the resignation of Anna Ellerson because her and TUSD failed to protect us as children, putting the entire school in jeopardy for years, not to mention one of your most vulnerable special ed classes in harm’s way,” said one student.
Another student said she doesn’t feel safe anymore going to Medeiros.
“Our principal, Anna Ellerson, is here to make the school a safe place that every student can enjoy. But by ignoring the statements that have been made and brought to her attention by faculty at the school, she did the exact opposite. Instead of terminating Mr. Snoke upon hearing the complaints, she moved him around in different positions and gave him more access to vulnerable children.”
Also speaking at the Board meeting was Debbie Martinez with the We ‘R’ La Raza Parent Union, a social justice organization.
“We, the people, gathered together to ask the governing board to revoke or ask the superintendent to resign. She has failed to commit to the truth. She has failed to commit to trust and she has failed to commit to transparency as the superintendent of this community. We, the people, local voters, local taxpayers, are holding this governing board accountable under the oath you have sworn into office to uphold democracy and the constitution,” said Martinez.
Following the public comment period, the Board of Trustees adjourned to go into closed session. Neither the Board of Trustees or Superintendent Trevethan commented on the calls for resignation or allegations that the principal knew of complaints regarding Snoke and kept him employed at the school. Under California’s Brown Act, the board of trustees could not discuss what was brought up in public comment because it was not listed on the agenda.
