San Diego, CA — A lawsuit was initiated on Monday in San Diego Superior Court by a former school district administrator who claims she faced demotion after spurning sexual advances from the district’s ex-superintendent, Lamont Jackson. Monika Hazel, the plaintiff and former area superintendent for San Diego Unified, is seeking legal recourse against both Jackson and the district, detailing allegations of a quid pro quo sexual harassment scheme.
Hazel previously outlined her claims in a legal notice of damages against the district in July, which is typically a procedural step before filing a lawsuit. According to Hazel’s allegations, she experienced significant professional setbacks after rejecting unsolicited advances from Jackson, who has firmly denied all such accusations against him.
The San Diego Unified School Board dismissed Jackson in August following an investigation that deemed credible the misconduct allegations made not only by Hazel but also by another former district administrator, Tavga Bustani. Both women claim that Jackson implied or explicitly connected potential promotions to acquiescence to his sexual propositions.
Upon learning of these accusations in April, board members hired an external law firm to conduct a thorough investigation. While the probe later expanded to examine additional claims of cronyism against Jackson, only the sexual harassment allegations were substantiated.
Amidst the unfolding scandal, district officials, including the general counsel, faced criticism for allegedly failing to inform the school board of earlier misconduct investigations into Jackson dating back two years. This detail emerged only after the board’s decision to terminate Jackson’s employment in September, prompted by the district’s response to public records requests from the media.
Enhancing the lawsuit’s narrative, Hazel’s filing includes specific interactions and comments she alleges were made by Jackson. These include inappropriate invitations and sexually charged comments aimed at coercing her into a sexual relationship.
Specifically, according to the legal documents, during a proposed walk at Mission Bay, and subsequent drinks at a hotel, Jackson allegedly made overt gestures towards securing a marital infidelity with Hazel by promising professional protection and advancement, followed by an insinuation of checking into the hotel together. Hazel claims she declined the proposition, and a month later, she faced a harsh reduction to classroom teacher status, significantly slashing her income.
Feeling pressured by this career demotion, Hazel, who was the primary earner for her family, eventually left the district to seek employment elsewhere, her lawsuit states. Additional claims in her lawsuit target the district’s current interim Superintendent Fabiola Bagula, accusing her of inappropriate behavior, although a separate third-party investigation cleared Bagula of employee mistreatment.
Bagula apologized for an inappropriate comment previously made, while trustees have expressed their continued confidence in her ability to lead the district. As this legal and administrative saga continues to unravel, the implications for the San Diego Unified School District’s leadership and governance remain profound.
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