San Diego Unified superintendent fired after investigation uncovers sexual misconduct

Lamont Jackson, superintendent of San Diego Schools, was fired effective Friday after an internal investigation found that he sexually assaulted two former employees.

The two former district employees claimed that Jackson made sexual advances toward them, but they rejected them, according to a letter from the law firm that conducted the investigation for the San Diego Unified School District. They were subsequently fired in 2023. The two women claimed they were fired in revenge.

The firm found evidence that it was “more likely than not” that Jackson engaged in unwanted, sexually motivated behavior consistent with a romantic interest in the two women, but there was insufficient evidence to prove that they were fired for refusing his advances.

As a result, the board and Jackson “agreed that separation is in the best interest of the district,” board chair Shana Hazan said in a statement following a special board meeting behind closed doors Friday afternoon.

The investigation also brought to light other allegations, including that Jackson promoted women with whom he had sex, according to the law firm. The firm said it did not find enough evidence to support the claim that the promotions of certain identified women were based on them having sex with Jackson.

According to the law firm, there were other allegations that Jackson behaved in an offensive and sexually charged manner, but the firm did not comment on the results of those allegations.

The district has not released a full copy of the investigation report other than a one-page summary.

Officially, Jackson was terminated without cause according to his contract, said district spokeswoman Maureen Magee. This means he will receive severance pay for six months.

Jackson did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

Effective immediately, Deputy Superintendent Fabiola Bagula will assume the role of superintendent, Hazan said.

“We are grateful to Superintendent Dr. Lamont Jackson for his leadership. We are confident that Dr. Bagula's experienced leadership will provide stability and continuity to our students, families and educators during this transition,” Hazan said.

The San Diego Unified teachers union supports the election of Bagula as acting superintendent, union president Kyle Weinberg said in a statement.

“As union teachers, we fight for safe working conditions for public school employees and safe learning conditions for the students we serve. All public school employees are entitled to a safe work environment,” Weinberg said.

The union representing San Diego Unified administration, including school principals and district office workers, said in a statement to its members: “The decision to separate following ongoing allegations of misconduct is a difficult but necessary step to uphold the values ​​we hold dear. Our union, AASD, remains true to its commitment to creating and maintaining a culture where every employee feels valued and safe.

“Please stand by your colleagues during this difficult time and show compassion, kindness and courage,” the union added.

Jackson has been under investigation since the spring for allegations that the district declined to disclose at the time. In April, the school board hired the law firm Sanchez & Amador for about $100,000 to conduct “sensitive internal investigations” that officials later confirmed involved Jackson.

Jackson has officially only been superintendent for two and a half years, and his contract actually runs through June 2027. His annual salary is currently $433,125, Magee said.

The board unanimously elected him superintendent in March 2022 after a selection process that lasted more than a year. Board members said they selected him because of his years of service to the district and what they described as his charisma and ability to build community with others.

At that time, Jackson had already served as interim superintendent for a year after previous district superintendent Cindy Marten left the office to become U.S. deputy secretary of education.

Friday's news is another reason for the turbulent start to the school year at the San Diego Unified School District, which is now entering its third week.

This month, a report from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights was released saying San Diego Unified failed to meet its obligations under Title IX, the federal law protecting students from sex-based discrimination, from 2017 to 2020. During that time, San Diego Unified was led by Marten.

The agency found that San Diego Unified failed to demonstrate that it had conducted Title IX investigations into alleged sexual misconduct by other students and staff toward students, inadequately documented the cases, and failed to train its staff on Title IX, among other things.

In addition to the investigation into Jackson, the district also conducted an internal investigation into numerous allegations of misconduct, including harassment, retaliation and discrimination, against supervisors and the former chief of the district's police department.

In a lawsuit filed last year by 11 school police officers, former police chief Alfonso Contreras was accused of having a decades-long romantic relationship with a sergeant and sexually harassing a police officer.

The indictment also alleged that Jackson retaliated against another officer by intimidating the officer's girlfriend, a teacher. The indictment alleged that Jackson walked into her class without warning and gave her an unwanted hug.

In May, just two years after taking office, it was announced that Contreras would retire from the police force.

In separate court filings in June, attorneys for Contreras, the school district and Jackson denied the allegations, claiming that the actions to stop the defendants were taken for legitimate reasons and not intended as retaliation. They also accused the plaintiffs of failing to ensure their own safety and of failing to exhaust all administrative remedies.

Taketa writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune