Lamont Jackson Is Out as San Diego Unified Supe. What’s Next?

It happened. California’s second-largest school district on Friday fired its homegrown superintendent, Lamont Jackson, after an investigation substantiated allegations he’d engaged in sexual harassment against two former employees. The actual terminology investigators landed on – “unwelcome, sex-based behavior consistent with a romantic interest” – was much more inscrutable. 

The move came months after Voice of San Diego revealed the district had hired an outside law firm to conduct an investigation into Jackson and just one day after we revealed the investigation had substantiated some of the allegations of misconduct.  

So, what comes next? Much of that is unclear, but let’s break down what we know. 

Fabiola Bagula Is in Charge 

After firing Jackson, the district’s board put Deputy Superintendent Fabiola Bagula in charge. Bagula worked at the district for a decade, first as principal of Balboa Elementary and then as an area superintendent before moving on to the San Diego County Office of Education. Jackson hired her as deputy superintendent shortly after being appointed full-time superintendent in 2022. 

One of the big questions is whether the board will stick with Bagula or launch a search for a new superintendent.  

District spokesperson Maureen Magee wrote in an email that San Diego Unified’s board “will discuss plans to select a permanent superintendent in the coming weeks.” 

Board member Cody Petterson, however, said the board has a lot of confidence in Bagula’s ability to do the job.  

“She has really taken the lead on the instructional side and in assisting the board in developing and adopting our goals and guardrails,” Petterson said. “There’s not a lot of concern about her ability to lead in the interim … or longer term if that’s the decision that’s made in consultation with community, neighbors and families.” 

Board member Richard Barrera was less vague. 

“There’s no plans to [launch a search for a permanent Superintendent.] I think the board is firmly behind [Bagula.] We’ve got tremendous confidence in her and she will be the superintendent moving forward,” Barrera said. 

He also said he feels the public will warm to both Bagula’s story and the work she’s done throughout her career.  

“This is obviously not the way she or any of us would have hoped for her to come to lead the district but as people get to know her they’re going to develop the level of confidence in her leadership – and really the level of excitement in her leadership – that the board has now,” Barrera said. 

Jackson Will be Paid for the Next Six Months 

While the leadership situation is still murky, what Jackson is set to receive in the coming months is not. Magee confirmed that because the board terminated him “without cause,” per his contract, Jackson will still be paid for the next six months. Those payments will amount to around $216,562. 

That fact hasn’t sat well with some community members or employees of the district. But Petterson said decisions like this are a balancing act. 

“You have to balance a number of factors … and the board reached a consensus that [termination without cause] was in the best interest of the district,” Petterson said. 

If how the district has dealt with educators accused of misconduct is any guide, that decision was made partly because it was the one that made it less likely for them to be sued. So, at least one of those factors may be legal risk.  

A Pattern of Unaccountability? 

Jackson’s firing doesn’t come in a vacuum. As our Scott Lewis laid out, the district’s been grappling with how it handles misconduct for years. Just weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Education, where former SDUSD Superintendent Cindy Marten now serves as deputy secretary, skewered the district for its handling of sexual misconduct complaints.  

The district’s failures, investigators wrote, “led to serial perpetration of harassment with insufficient district response, leaving district students vulnerable to the sex discrimination in school,” officials wrote. 

Now, the leader of the district has gone down because of misconduct. When it comes to the report, Petterson said it speaks for itself. 

“That is hard reading. There’s no question that the problems during that time period were very serious and that some problems remain. I see evidence of that,” Petterson said. 

Barrera said the board doesn’t feel everything is perfect, but he also wouldn’t concede that the district has fostered a culture of permissiveness toward misconduct. 

“I think the board is unanimously committed to … making improvements where we need to,” he said. 

Bagula Tries to Steady the Ship 

Acting Superintendent Fabiola Bagula held a Zoom call on Tuesday, seemingly seeking to reassure district staff that their work will continue despite the turmoil. During the around eight-minute meeting, an emotional Bagula read a scripted statement according to a recording of the Zoom obtained by Voice. 

“I usually like to speak from the heart and go off script, but this … I had to script myself. It’s still from the heart, but I need my notes, and I ask you in advance for the grace of that. And I also want to thank you for understanding that for something of this nature, we’re keeping this session as an announcement and not a dialog,” Bagula said. 

She stressed that district officials had created venues to have a dialogue, specifically an opportunity to drop in and discuss things with area superintendents at the district’s Ballard Center that afternoon. Bagula said leadership’s primary focus is to provide consistency, stability and continuity, which “are the pillars that will support our journey from crisis to a stable, thriving environment.” 

Much of the call consisted of gossamer words about unity, equity and teaching and learning with joy. But she also said staff would be provided with talking points should they need to address media. 

“We want to make sure that you have anything that supports you in communication. We must reassure our staff and community that our board, ourselves, our entire leadership team, are operating within the highest levels of integrity. This is not just a value, but the foundation of our work. Integrity ensures that we act with honesty and fairness, which strengthens the trust and transparency that define our organization.” Bagula said. 

“Now, in the days ahead, there will be distractions. People will want to engage in gossip or focus on headlines, but our core values remind us of our true purpose. Tomorrow and every day, moving forward, our students will walk through our gates and off to our school campuses, and it’s our responsibility to ensure that the adults are focused on them,” she added later in the message. 

The post Lamont Jackson Is Out as San Diego Unified Supe. What’s Next? appeared first on Voice of San Diego.