Lesbian teacher wins $1.2 million after she was allegedly called a ‘witch’ in an ‘LGBTQ coven’
A former special education director in California was awarded the settlement after suing her district’s board of trustees for discrimination. (Getty)
A former special education director in California was awarded the settlement after suing her district’s board of trustees for discrimination. (Getty)
A lesbian teacher has been awarded $1.2 million (£899,845) after she was allegedly called a “witch” in an “LGBTQ coven”.
Rose Tagnesi, a former special education director in California, was awarded the settlement after suing her district’s board of trustees for discrimination.
As per the The Advocate, Tagnesi filed the lawsuit against the Grossmont Union High School District in San Diego in August 2024, alleging multiple instances of harassment over her sexual identity as well as retaliation for her opposition to the conservative school board’s “anti-LGBTQ agenda”, including their attempt to ban LGBTQ+ books.
Tagnesi further accused the board’s trustee Jim Kelly of calling her and another woman employee “witches” who were members of an “LGBTQ coven”. She added that Kelly called the staffer “hot”, said she wasn’t qualified for her position, and told her to keep a “low profile” about her sexual orientation, or risk not being approved for a promotion if it was revealed that she was a lesbian.
The district agreed to pay Tagnesi $19,000 (£14,247) upfront, and $700,000 (£524,883) over the next two decades, with an additional $481,000 (£360,677) towards attorney fees. The board voted to approve the settlement without admitting wrongdoing.
Tagnesi was demoted from her position as the district’s special-education director to a teaching position last year. The demotion followed an investigation relating to a January, 2021 incident, when a 16-year-old special education student left school grounds and went missing for five days. During this period, the student was sex trafficked.
The student’s family was awarded $400,000 (£299,940) by the district in 2021 after filing a lawsuit. The district later opened an investigation into Tagnesi. Tagnesi alleged in her lawsuit that the investigation, which she said resulted in a hostile work environment, was an excuse for the conservative board members to oust her.
Tagnesi said, as per The San Diego Union-Tribune: “In the future, I’m hopeful the district will take decisive action toward creating the culture of inclusivity its students and teachers deserve.”
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