Charlene Tabet from Facebook
Former Burbank school board member Charlene Tabet continues to be a hot topic. After weeks of silence, Tabet finally responded to the contract controversy swirling around her. Recently, Tabet has been the subject of numerous comments on social media, letters to the editor, and a petition demanding her resignation, which collected nearly 800 signatures. Tabet’s response to the controversy appears in her resignation letter presented to the Burbank Unified School District last week.
At the Burbank school board meeting on Thursday, September 4, Interim Superintendent Oscar Macias announced the district had received Tabet’s resignation letter the night before. Tabet’s resignation arrived just as the board was scheduled to vote on a resolution declaring her seat vacant. Tabet has not attended a school board meeting since May 15, 2025. The school board is allowed to take such action if a member has not performed official duties for three consecutive months under the California Education Code. Subsequently, the board decided to launch a search for Tabet’s replacement.
Background on the case
Back in June, the board announced Tabet was the focus of two investigations, one by a third party at the request of the district and the other by the Burbank Police Department. Tabet is alleged to be connected to a contract scheme between a company called Specialized Support Services and the district. At a special meeting last June, the board censured Tabet for voting on the $90,000 contract without disclosing a conflict of interest. Details of the case are posted on the district’s website.
Tabet does not speak directly to the case or her alleged involvement. However, she does criticize the school board:
“I have been accused by some Board members of criminal activities—allegations for which no
formal charges have been filed against me. These accusations have not only caused deep
personal distress but have also resulted in my being publicly vilified within the community I
have strived to serve. The presumption of innocence is a cornerstone of our society, yet I
have been denied even this basic respect in the course of the Board’s actions.”
Nowhere in her letter does Tabet explain why she has not appeared in person before the board to respond to the allegations. Below is Tabet’s resignation letter.
