As election day nears, the Santa Clara school board is experiencing new controversy, with one of its members, Chris Stampolis, facing legal trouble and a board censure.

The board voted to censure Stampolis after he was issued a restraining order by a Santa Clara County court. The order was issued in response to charges from Peterson Middle School principal Sue Harris, who said that Stampolis had harassed her and other staff members on campus.

The censure, which highlights the increasing polarization of the board, comes just days before Tuesday’s school board election. Stampolis’s term does not expire till 2016. However, two board members who have been viewed as his supporters – Ina Bendis and Christine Koltermann – are up for re-election.

During the censure vote, Bendis left the room. Koltermann voted to censure, though she endorsed Stampolis in 2012.

Some feel that the censure only brings to light the board’s faults: it has been criticized in the past for mismanagement and infighting.

“Average people will see and know that the school board has some kind of problem and that their leadership is not as good as it could be. They’re wasting time and arguing about things that don’t really matter. They should be making quick decisions that are proper for the district,” said French teacher Grace Garvin.

The censure allows all Santa Clara Unified employees to refuse to make any contact with Stampolis. The board meeting took place last Thursday night and concluded with silent protests calling for his immediate resignation, with protestors waving signs asking him to “Resign Now.” The censure is a formal statement of disapproval separating the board from Stampolis’ actions which they found serious enough to warrant a response.

Both Stampolis and Harris declined to comment.

In her lawsuit, filed on Sept. 14, Harris claimed that Stampolis was behaving aggressively towards her before making a “gun-like” hand gesture which she deemed aggressive. Harris was granted a temporary restraining order, and later a permanent one, which forbids Stampolis to come onto Peterson Middle School’s property.

SCUSD superintendent Stanley Rose filed his own request for a restraining order against Stampolis on Oct. 16. According to Rose, Stampolis had threatened the superintendent and his family.

Stampolis now has four disruption reports as well as two police incident reports filed against him.

English teacher Michael Wilson added that the school board is often secretive and does not discuss things that could benefit the schools that they’re responsible for.

“They don’t really do anything to help the schools and their staff. They also take a very long time deciding certain matters that should be done quickly,” he said.

A hearing on the new charges filed by Rose is scheduled for Nov. 4, the day of the school board election.