San Diego Unified superintendent terminated after investigation found sexual misconduct

SAN DIEGO —  San Diego schools Supt. Lamont Jackson was terminated Friday, effective immediately, after an internal investigation found that he had committed sexual misconduct toward two former employees.

The two female former district management employees alleged that Jackson had made sexual advances toward them that they rebuffed, 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 alleged they were ousted in retaliation.

The firm found evidence to substantiate it “more likely than not” that Jackson engaged in unwelcome, sex-based behavior consistent with romantic interest in each of the two women, but insufficient evidence to substantiate that they were fired for refusing his advances.

As a result, the board and Jackson “mutually agreed that separation is in the best interest of the district,” board President Shana Hazan said in a statement after a special closed-session board meeting Friday afternoon.

The investigation also turned up additional allegations, including that Jackson had promoted women with whom he had sex, according to the law firm. The firm said it did not find enough evidence to substantiate the allegation that promotions of certain identified women were based on their having had sex with Jackson.

There were other allegations that Jackson had engaged in offensive and sexually charged behavior, according to the law firm, but it did not discuss findings for those allegations.

The district did not release a full copy of the investigation report beyond a one-page summary.

Officially, Jackson was terminated without cause per his contract, district spokesperson Maureen Magee said. That means he will receive six months of severance pay.

Jackson did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

Effective immediately, Deputy Supt. Fabiola Bagula took as acting superintendent, Hazan said.

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

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

“As union educators, 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 working environment,” Weinberg said.

The union that represents San Diego Unified administrators, including school principals and district office employees, said in a statement to its members: “The decision to part ways following sustained allegations of misconduct is a difficult but necessary step toward upholding the values we hold dear. Our union, AASD, remains steadfast in its dedication to creating and maintaining a culture where every employee feels valued and secure.

“Please hold your colleagues close during this difficult time and lead with compassion, kindness and courage,” the union added.

Jackson has been under investigation since spring for allegations that the district would not 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 were about Jackson.

Jackson has officially been the superintendent for just two and a half years, and his contract was set to last until June 2027 . He is currently paid $433,125 annually, Magee said.

The board voted unanimously to choose him as superintendent in March 2022 after a more than yearlong selection process. Board trustees said they chose him for his long track record with the district and what they said was his charisma and ability to build community with others.

By that point, Jackson had been serving as interim superintendent for a year after previous district leader Cindy Marten left to become deputy U.S. Education secretary.

Friday’s news adds to a tumultuous beginning for San Diego Unified’s school year, which is wrapping its third week.

This month, a report by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights was released saying that San Diego Unified had failed its duties under Title IX, the federal law meant to protect 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 had failed to show it followed through on Title IX investigations of alleged sexual misconduct toward students by other students and by staff, kept poor recordkeeping of cases and failed to train employees on Title IX, among other things.

Besides the investigation into Jackson, the district has also been conducting an internal investigation into many allegations of misconduct, including harassment, retaliation and discrimination, against supervisors and the former chief of the district’s police department.

A lawsuit filed by 11 school police officers last year alleged that former Chief Alfonso Contreras had a decades-long romantic relationship with a sergeant and that he had sexually assaulted an officer.

The lawsuit also claimed that Jackson had retaliated against another officer by intimidating his girlfriend, a teacher; the suit claimed Jackson sat in on her class without prior notice and gave her an unwanted hug.

It was announced in May, just two years into his new job, that Contreras would retire from the police department.

In separate court filings in June, attorneys representing Contreras, the school district and Jackson denied the allegations, claiming that employment actions taken were for legitimate, non-retaliatory reasons and blaming plaintiffs for failing to take care for their own safety and failing to exhaust administrative remedies.

Taketa writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune