CVUSD teachers' union president sues district, alleges discrimination against non-Latino employees
The president of the teachers' union at Coachella Valley Unified School District is suing the school district, alleging retaliation and discrimination.
Here's what you need to know.
The complaint, which was filed on March 11 on behalf of Carissa Carrera, alleges retaliation for reporting racial discrimination against non-Latino employees and corruption within the district. She also claims she was falsely accused of misusing district funds for her son's mental health care, prompting an unfounded law enforcement investigation that resulted in a privacy violation and the unauthorized release of medical records.
The complaint names the school district; Superintendent Frances Esparza; two board members, Jesus Gonzalez and Joey Acuña Jr.; Bea Gonzalez, CVUSD's director of expanded learning; the Riverside County Latino Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services and its executive director, Leonel Contreras; and 25 unnamed individuals.
Carrera, who has worked at the district since 2004, has led the teachers' union as its president since 2017. Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez, no relation to Jesus Gonzalez, recently honored Carissa Carrera the Woman of the Year for Assembly District 36 in recognition of her advocacy for educators, students, and the community.
The complaint alleges that Carrera was retaliated against for reporting racial discrimination against non-Latino employees and corruption within the district. She claims the district has openly favored Latino candidates for jobs and promotions, while excluding or retaliating against non-Latino employees. Carrera also raised concerns about non-Latino employees being laid off at a higher rate than Latino employees, according to the lawsuit.
Carrera was placed on paid administrative leave just days before the November general election, during which she and the union actively opposed Jesus Gonzalez's re-election. She had filed two complaints with the Fair Political Practices Commission against Gonzalez and Acuña, who was running for the California State Assembly, alleging financial conflicts of interest.
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"In retaliation against Ms. Carrera for her engagement in these protected activities, and due to Ms. Carrera's non-Latino racial identity, Defendants began in 2023 and 2024 began an increasingly hostile campaign of harassment, discrimination, microaggression, and intentional actions meant to hurt Ms. Carrera's reputation, career, and standing in the community," the complaint read.
Days after Carrera filed her complaint with the FPPC, she said the school district placed her on leave on Oct. 25. The district later issued a press release stating that an employee was under investigation for allegedly misusing district funds, which the Riverside County Sheriff's Department later determined to be "unfounded."
An incident report provided by CVTA in December detailed a deputy's investigation into Carrera, which began in October after the sheriff's department was contacted by a private investigator hired by the school district. The private investigator was looking into a "possible fraudulent incident" involving Carrera's use of services at the Riverside County Latino Commission, a contracted provider for the district, for her minor son, who was then a student at Desert Sands Unified School District.
"As a direct and proximate result, Plaintiff was harmed; she has been humiliated, suffered emotional pain and distress, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life and economic damages," the complaint read.
CVUSD has not publicly responded to the lawsuit, and the district spokesperson has not immediately returned a request for comment.
Carrera is requesting a jury trial and seeks compensatory damages to be determined at trial, along with exemplary damages against the defendants.
Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: CVUSD teachers' union president sues district, alleges discrimination
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