For years, Voice of San Diego reporters have revealed troubling cases of sexual misconduct by teachers and other public school employees at San Diego’s largest school district.
Even more troubling is how San Diego Unified – and many other school districts in the county, for that matter – have handled them. District officials often choose to let accused teachers quietly leave, while withholding details of their departure from future employers. This practice has allowed teachers to return to other classrooms, as we’ve reported.
One big thing: This year, we learned about sexual misconduct allegations against the district’s own superintendent. Lamont Jackson lost his job after an investigation substantiated allegations that he had sexually harassed employees.
For the latest story in our annual what we learned this year series, education reporter Jakob McWhinney unpacks what a year’s worth of sexual misconduct allegations and scandals at San Diego Unified tell us about the district’s culture and crisis.
More learnings: If you missed it yesterday, our Tigist Layne explained why the train tracks in Del Mar aren’t going to move away from the eroding cliffs anytime soon.
Sweetwater Dam and Its Troubles
Since it was constructed in 1888, Sweetwater Dam and its adjoining Sweetwater Reservoir have been quiet fixtures of the semi-rural landscape northeast from Bonita in South San Diego County.
These days, the dam and the reservoir are drawing unaccustomed attention. Last week, our Jim Hinch reported officials found toxic industrial chemicals in the reservoir during newly mandated testing. The dam is also showing its age and could require expensive repairs.
Hinch toured the dam and an adjoining treatment plant. Most notably, he saw up close why engineering consultants hired by the authority recently pointed out the need for major repairs to one of the dam’s two spillways, which handle excess water when storm runoff threatens to overtop the dam. The southern spillway’s concrete is visibly corroded and appears unable to handle the force of rushing stormwater.
Authority General Manager Carlos Quintero confirmed that the spillway likely would have to be demolished and rebuilt if the need for repairs is confirmed.
Read the South County Report here.
In Other News
- San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez said she won’t follow a new policy from the Board of Supervisors that further limits local law enforcement’s cooperation with immigration officials. But her refusal to follow it may be in violation of state law. (KPBS)
- An app that allows asylum seekers to make appointments to enter the United States is the only way to access the U.S. asylum system, thanks to an action by President Joe Biden earlier this year. But President-elect Trump has vowed to terminate the app once he takes office, leaving thousands of asylum seekers who are on the app’s waitlist in limbo. (KPBS)
- Former Port of San Diego Commissioner Sandy Naranjo is seeking $1 million in damages from the agency for unlawful retaliation, loss of income, emotional distress and damage to her reputation. (Union-Tribune)
- The San Diego City Council has created a committee to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera will chair the committee, which, he says, will identify areas that can provide immediate relief. (Axios San Diego)
- UC San Diego Health has ended negotiations in a nearly $32-million deal with the county of San Diego to create a behavioral health care hub that would have included 30 psychiatric inpatient beds and a potential crisis stabilization unit at its East Campus Medical Center, formerly Alvarado Hospital. (Fox 5)
The Morning Report was written by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Tigist Layne. It was edited by Scott Lewis.
The city politicians who lied about what the 1% sales tax increase would pay for and jammed through a trash collection fee are going to tackle the high cost of living? Just look in the mirror! What a joke!