SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego Unified School District and former Superintendent Lamont Jackson are facing allegations of harassment discrimination and retaliation by two former district employees.
Monika Hazel and Tavga Bustani have been long-time educators before parting ways with the district last year after their experiences under Jackson’s leadership.
Now, they are part of a legal process that could play out over a long period of time before knowing what the outcome will be.
“I think they want justice. I think they want to make sure that this doesn’t happen again,” said Jesse Stratos, junior partner with Brock & Gonzales, LLP.
Stratos is part of the legal team representing former San Diego Unified School District employees Hazel and Bustani.
In her complaint, Hazel accuses Jackson of repeated sexual harassment like unwanted touching and soliciting sex. It also alleges Jackson offered Hazel leadership opportunities in exchange for complying with his sexual advances.
In 2022, Hazel claims she was demoted after refusing Jackson’s advances.
The lawsuit also states that Jackson admitted his decision was retaliatory when questioned, telling hazel he couldn’t have “two work wives,” a term he used to describe Hazel and then Deputy Superintendent Fabiola Bagula.
Bagula, now the district’s acting superintendent, is also accused of retaliation.
A lawsuit filed by Bustani also claims Jackson made unwanted sexual advances towards her and visited her home uninvited during work hours when she was sick.
Bustani’s complaint claims she too was demoted last year.
“They were forced to leave long tenures with the district as a result of the actions of the people involved, then that’s going to be devastating to anyone who’s been invested in their career and in their community,” Stratos said.
Jackson was fired in September after a review by the board of education found credible accounts of inappropriate conduct.
Fox 5 legal analyst Wendy Patrick says cases like these take time because they involve sensitive information.
“They’re investigated thoroughly both before a lawsuit is filed and after a lawsuit is filed to see whether or not this is something that’s going to go to trial,” Patrick said.
A spokesperson for the district told FOX 5/KUSOI they have not been served yet. They add that their counsel needs to review the lawsuit and upon that review, will take the appropriate actions required to protect the district’s best interest.
Meanwhile, the complaints state both women are seeking – in part – an unspecified amount in damages.
“Sometimes it’s money damages to compensate somebody for lost work, loss of a job, medical expenses. sometimes it’s to make a point like Taylor Swift suing for $1 to expose the reality of sexual harassment,” Patrick said.
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