San Diego Unified School District Board of Education in California has terminated the superintendent Lamont Jackson on Friday, August 30th, after an independent investigation confirmed the credibility of allegations of misconduct against Jackson by two former district employees.
Current Deputy Superintendent Fabiola Bagula has been appointed by the board as the interim superintendent.
According to a report by the city news agency, San Diego Unified School District stated in an email sent to all students’ parents that upon learning of the allegations of misconduct against Jackson by former employees, the board hired an independent third party unrelated to the district to conduct an investigation. “The investigation has now been completed. The allegations of ‘misconduct’ made by the two former employees are deemed credible,” the email stated.
The district mentioned, “Based on this finding, the board of education and the superintendent have mutually agreed that Superintendent Jackson’s departure is the best choice for the district.”
Following the dismissal of Superintendent Lamont Jackson from the San Diego Unified School District on August 30, 2024, the district’s website removed any information related to the superintendent.
“We thank Superintendent Lamont Jackson for his leadership. We believe Bagula’s rich leadership experience will provide stability and consistency for our students, families, and educators during the transition period,” the district wrote in an email.
San Diego Unified School District had hired the law firm Sanchez & Amador from Los Angeles in April for a “sensitive, internal investigation.” However, the district did not disclose the details of Jackson’s “misconduct.”
The Gomez Trial Attorneys law firm in San Diego had previously represented two former district employees in lawsuits against Jackson.
Jackson, a San Diego native, had worked in the San Diego Unified School District for over 30 years, holding various positions during his tenure. In January 2021, he was appointed as the interim superintendent after the former superintendent Cindy Marten resigned at the end of 2020 to be nominated as the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education in the Biden administration. After more than half a year of recruitment and interviews, the board decided to hire Jackson as the superintendent, and he began his tenure in 2022.
San Diego Unified School District is the second-largest school district in California, with over 95,000 students and 15,000 staff members. There are over 200 elementary and secondary schools within the district. The district’s budget exceeds $2 billion.