Dublin's teachers have delivered a loud and clear verdict on district leadership, with a near unanimous no-confidence vote in Superintendent Chris Funk that union leaders say reflects deep frustration over stalled talks and classroom dollars they feel are getting shortchanged.
Union vote and backing
According to Pleasanton Weekly, the Dublin Teachers Association announced Wednesday that more than 90 percent of its roughly 710 members voted in favor of a no-confidence measure in Funk. Union leaders framed the move as a response to stalled collective bargaining and what they describe as misleading financial messaging from district officials. They told the paper they want the school board to "take immediate action" as Funk heads toward his planned retirement at the end of the school year.
Who the union represents
The DTA represents more than 700 certificated staff members and operates the Valley Teachers Resource Center at 6743 Dublin Blvd., information listed on the union website and cited by the Dublin Teachers Association. Union officers say the no-confidence vote is meant to push trustees to shift budget priorities toward classroom supports and away from outside contracted services.
Superintendent responds as mediation proceeds
Superintendent Chris Funk has rejected the union's characterization of his leadership, calling the vote "disappointing" and insisting the district has bargained in good faith and entered formal mediation, according to Pleasanton Weekly. Funk told the outlet that consulting contracts are "limited and used only when legally required or necessary for students, safety or fiscal and operational compliance," and that they "do not replace educators." He pointed to statewide pressures, including enrollment decline and a lower than expected cost of living adjustment, as central to the district's budget crunch.
Budget squeeze behind the rift
The current clash intensified after the district revealed a $3.6 million vacancy-savings budgeting error in December, which helped drive Dublin Unified's 2026-27 reduction target to about $8.4 million, according to Danville San Ramon. Union leaders have also highlighted roughly $12.9 million spent last school year on professional and consulting services as proof, in their view, that more money could be redirected into classrooms. District staff counter that the combination of the error, higher operating costs and projected enrollment declines has left only a narrow path for cuts that still protect core services.
Legal and bargaining context
Under California law, either a school district or a union can declare an impasse and ask the Public Employment Relations Board to assign a mediator and, if needed, a fact-finding panel. Those procedures and their advisory role are outlined in court summaries of PERB cases, as noted by FindLaw. PERB's involvement shapes the bargaining process but does not replace the school board's authority over budgets or personnel decisions.
What happens next
The DTA plans to host two identical virtual town halls on Monday, from 4 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m., while the Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees is scheduled to take up proposed budget reductions at its regular meeting next Tuesday, with open session starting at 6 p.m., according to Livermore Vine. Union leaders say they want those public forums to ratchet up pressure on the board before Funk's retirement at the close of the school year.
