Grossmont Union High School District Faces Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination

The Grossmont Union High School District is currently facing legal action following a lawsuit filed by a former special education director, Rose Tagnesi. The lawsuit alleges discrimination due to her sexual orientation. Filed in San Diego Superior Court, the suit claims that Tagnesi faced harassment and retaliation as a result of her opposition to the school board’s alleged “anti-LGBTQ agenda.”

Tagnesi, who served the district for over 28 years, stated in a recent interview, “I want justice, and I want accountability, but most of all, I want it to stop, and I want there to be some awareness that it’s happening.” Her lawsuit includes claims that trustee Jim Kelly referred to Tagnesi and a female colleague as “witches” and described them as part of an “LGBTQ coven.”

In court documents, Tagnesi alleges that her boss advised her to maintain a “low profile” about her sexual orientation to secure a promotion. The lawsuit also suggests that the district hired an attorney to conduct what was termed a “witch hunt,” aimed at removing staff members perceived as not aligning with “East County values.”

Segregated from her professional environment in August 2023 pending an investigation, Tagnesi left the district in February. She now works as a special education director at another institution. “I dedicated my life to working with kids with disabilities, and to have this happen to me after 30 years of all the work, it was so painful,” she stated.

Despite her departure, her past accolades include receiving the Administrator of the Year in Special Education award from the Association of California School Administrators in 2022. Her lawsuits reference her previous professional commendations, noting her “extraordinary” performance and critical contributions to the post.

In response, trustee Kelly dismissed the allegations as false and expressed confidence that the litigation would vindicate all accused parties. He stated, “Anyone can allege anything in a complaint, regardless of how false. We are confident that when the matter is fully litigated, the district and all of those who are the subject of the accusations will be fully vindicated.” The district’s spokesperson chose not to issue additional comments regarding the lawsuit.