Former Guam Department of Education deputy superintendent of finance and administrative services Joann Camacho sat down with KUAM amid claims she experienced toxicity during her six months in her role.

“I do not have a choice. I cannot fight back when it was already planned.” That’s what Camacho had to say amid her resignation from her short stint in her role.

Camacho writing in an open letter claiming her removal was due to "political pressure exerted" onto GDOE superintendent Dr. Kenneth Swanson from one of the members of the Guam Education Board after he received an unsatisfactory rating from the GEB.

“I knew that the superintendent had a bad rating–a one point three over four–and that he was put under a lot of pressure," she said.

She also says she and her team experienced verbal abuse, harsh criticism, and toxicity from board members part of the Finance Working Committee during the budget process for GDOE.

“When we presented the first round, they were furious. Telling us you didn’t do a good job. What's wrong? The way Ms. Gutierrez (Maria Gutierrez) spoke to us, and even the Chairwoman (Dr. Mary Okada), I saw it in her eyes; it was like some demonic stuff coming through," she said,

To note, the GEB had found GDOE's multi-million dollar proposed budget requests unjustifiable more than once.

Camacho says she originally applied for a job in assessment and accountability but took her position due to an urgent need to fill the role.. She also claims she had no support from GDOE personnel involved in previous budget preparation–now in GDOE's Audit Division.

She explained, “I ran into my predecessor (Franklin Cooper-Nurse)...you know what he told me? 'Oh, I can do the budget in two days.' I almost said, well why didn't you help us? So obviously, either his role just don't help or he was told not to help.”

Meantime chairwoman of the GEB Dr. Mary Okada saying this in response to Camacho’s open letter: “There has been a lot of speculation and misunderstanding about the process that occurs at GDOE. The Guam Education Board, by law, hires the superintendent to run the operations of GDOE. It is the superintendent who employees and manages the deputy superintendents and the other employees of the department. The board remains committed to supporting the superintendent.”