Morning Report: What’s Next for San Diego Unified? 

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 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?

New Supe, Who Dis: One of the big questions going forward is whether the board will stick with Fabiola Bagula, Jackon’s former number two, whom the board elevated to the top spot on Friday. Or, will it launch the kind of national search that found Jackson two and a half years ago? According to conversations with multiple board members, the district seems set to stick with Bagula.

Jackson’s Pay Going Forward: Because the board fired Jackson “without cause,” per his contract, he will still be paid for the next six months. Those payments will amount to around $216,562, a district spokesperson confirmed.

Read the whole story here.

National City’s Encampment Ban Proposal Is Back on the Table 

Officials in National City this week introduced legislation to outlaw camping on public property, near schools and along waterways and train tracks.

The proposed ban is an about-face for the city, which previously pursued an outreach-oriented approach to homelessness that sought to avoid arrests or forcing people to move.

If adopted after a final city council vote in two weeks, the ban would add National City to a growing list of San Diego County cities that have outlawed public camping. San Diego, Escondido and Vista all ban encampments. Officials in Carlsbad and Chula Vista are still figuring it out.

Background: Just five months ago, National City decided not to ban camping, and instead, the City Council directed staff to enforce laws already on the books that prohibit camping in public spaces.

Previously, National City’s outreach-focused approach was cited as a model by advocates for the homeless, who praised the city for bucking the encampment ban trend. The move could signal gathering momentum for other county encampment bans.

Get ready for more South County coverage: We have hired a reporter to cover South County cities and communities. Please join us in welcoming Jim Hinch. If you have a story tip or idea you can reach him at jim.hinch@voiceofsandiego.org. 

North County Mayors on Housing and Homelessness 

We’ve teamed up with Pacific Ridge High School in Carlsbad to put together a special panel about North County’s housing and homelessness policies. 

This discussion hosted by Pacific Ridge will be moderated by our Tigist Layne and feature Carlsbad Mayor Keith Blackburn, Encinitas Mayor Tony Kranz and San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones.

Join the discussion on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. by signing up here. This event is free to all so bring a friend, family member or neighbor.

To keep up with all things North County, subscribe to the North County Report here. 

More Voice: If you haven’t already, now is a good time to grab your tickets to Politifest. That’s our annual politics summit and it’s happening on Sept. 28. We will hold debates between candidates running for office in the upcoming election and discussion on some of the most pressing issues in the region. 

You can find more information about the schedule here. 

Song of the Week 

Lucy’s Fur Coat, “El Cajon”: Many Lucy’s Fur Coat songs consist of similar building blocks. Chunky, chugging guitar parts, snarling vocals and sing-along choruses. “El Cajon,” though not a reinvention of the band’s sound, at times steps slightly out of that formula. That’s most evident in the reedy, restrained guitar strums that kick off the song and conjure an ominous, off-kilter vibe. By the time the chorus kicks in and the band reverts to its tried and true sound, you remember why they have a tried and true sound to begin with: they’re damn good at it. Read more about the Song of the Week here. 

Like what you hear? Check out Lucy’s Fur Coat at Belly Up on Saturday, Sept. 7. 

Do you have a “Song of the Week” suggestion? Shoot us an email and a sentence or two about why you’ve been bumping this song lately. Friendly reminder: all songs should be by local artists. 

In Other News 

• Chula Vista is so over parklets. The city ordered businesses with parklets to take them down by Tuesday. The way the city sees it, parklets are hurting more than helping because not every business can benefit from them. (NBC 7) 
• inewsource reports that Assemblyman Brian Maienschein has been collecting a pension from the city of San Diego, from his stint as a City Councilmember. If he wins the race for city attorney, the city would continue paying that and his new salary.
• The death of a North Park building owner has brought on a nasty legal dispute between his heirs and the tenant who runs a beloved artist hub, Queen Bee’s Art and Cultural Center. Both sides have made serious accusations against one another, and meanwhile the building has a new owner who plans to tear down the space. (Union-Tribune) 
• San Diego County supervisors delayed voting on how much affordable housing the county will require developers to build in unincorporated areas. County staff presented the supes a few options for an inclusionary housing ordinance last week, but they held off on making a call. Related: The county launched an online tool to help renters find affordable housing in San Diego. (KPBS)

The Morning Report was written by Jakob McWhinney, Jim Hinch and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Scott Lewis. 

The post Morning Report: What’s Next for San Diego Unified?  appeared first on Voice of San Diego.