Rose Tagnesi, the former special education director for the Grossmont Union High School District in California, is suing the district, alleging discrimination based on her sexual orientation and that a school trustee said she and another female staffer are "witches who are part of an LGBTQ coven."
In the lawsuit, filed last month in San Diego Superior Court, Tagnesi claims she endured harassment and retaliation for opposing what she describes as the Grossmont board’s "anti-LGBTQ agenda."
Having worked for the district for over 28 years, Tagnesi alleges her supervisor once told her she needed to maintain a "low profile" because if board members discovered she was gay, they wouldn’t approve her promotion.
The lawsuit also claims that board trustee Jim Kelly referred to Tagnesi and a female staff member who reported to her as "witches" and said they were part of an "LGBTQ coven." Kelly allegedly made derogatory remarks, claiming the staff member was unqualified and only got the job because "she is hot" and Tagnesi is a lesbian.
Tagnesi states she was placed on paid administrative leave in August 2023, pending an investigation into her conduct and performance. Her lawsuit describes the investigation as a "witch hunt" intended to "find any reason the Anti-LGBTQ Majority Board could push Tagnesi (and other personnel who did not align with the so-called ‘East County Values’) out of GUHSD."
The timing of her leave coincided with the GUHSD board’s 3-2 vote to sever ties with a mental health provider due to its LGBTQ+ services, including gender-affirming care referrals.
Tagnesi resigned from her position in February, claiming in her lawsuit that the resignation amounted to "wrongful constructive discharge" because the workplace was "so infected with discrimination" that she had "no choice but to resign due to the hostile working conditions."
In an interview with ABC News 10 San Diego, she said:
"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. ... I've never been told what I did. I've never been told what I was accused of doing. I've never been even asked a question."
"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. It was so traumatic."
You can hear what she said in the news report below.
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Many have come to Tagnesi's defense, calling out the discrimination she's experienced.
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Kelly, the school board trustee, insisted in an email to reporters that the allegations in the lawsuit were false and suggested the legal system would eventually "vindicate" him:
"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 lawsuit states that Tagnesi received numerous promotions during her career with the district, reflecting a stellar performance record throughout her tenure.
In 2022, for example, the Association of California School Administrators awarded Tagnesi the Administrator of the Year in Special Education, according to court documents. In a recent performance review, her supervisor described her work as "extraordinary given the unique challenges placed on special educators."
The lawsuit also notes that her boss had previously written that Tagnesi "continues to do an outstanding job," praising her for achieving goals, completing projects, and being a crucial part of collaborative efforts.
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