SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The San Diego Unified School District and its former superintendent, Lamont Jackson, are being sued by a former district employee who alleges Jackson routinely sexually harassed her and that she was demoted for refusing his advances.
The complaint from Monika Hazel, who was an area superintendent with SDUSD, comes a few months after Jackson was fired by the district after the Board of Education found there were "credible" accounts of inappropriate conduct toward two former district employees, one of whom was Hazel.
In a statement issued late Tuesday afternoon, SDUSD said, "We have not yet been served. Our counsel needs to review the lawsuit, and upon that review will take the appropriate actions required to protect the district's best interest."
Hazel, who is now superintendent of the Fallbrook Union Elementary School District, alleges in her San Diego Superior Court complaint filed Monday that, shortly after Jackson became superintendent, he "subjected her to sexually harassing conduct," including touching her without her consent, asking her for sex and "offering opportunities contingent upon plaintiff's compliance with his sexual advances."
The lawsuit alleges that, after refusing an advance from Jackson in late 2022, Hazel was demoted a month later and her salary was "significantly reduced." The physical, emotional and financial repercussions of the demotion gave her "no choice but to seek alternative employment and constructively terminated her employment with defendant SDUSD," according to the lawsuit.
The complaint also alleges Hazel faced "hostile and discriminatory behavior" from Fabiola Bagula, then the district's deputy superintendent and currently SDUSD's acting superintendent following Jackson's termination. Bagula allegedly reprimanded Hazel in front of co-workers and told Hazel to "`cower,' `bow (her) head,' and use a `baby girl voice' when raising concerns, which plaintiff found unprofessional and humiliating."
The lawsuit alleges Jackson referred to both Hazel and Bagula as his "work wife" and after Hazel's demotion, Jackson "admitted the decision was retaliatory, telling her `What was I supposed to do? You made your choice, I had to make a choice. I couldn't have two work wives."'
Jackson took over as interim superintendent after former superintendent Cindy Marten left to become deputy U.S. education secretary. He was unanimously chosen by the Board of Education to serve as superintendent in early 2022.
Two years later, an ethics investigation into Jackson was sparked by allegations of sexual harassment and retaliatory behavior, leading to his termination in August.
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