L.A. Unified School Dist. v. Office of Admin. Hearings

BACKGROUND

In a letter dated April 13, 2016, the Board of Education sent Essah a Notice of Intention to Dismiss and Statement of Charges and Placement on Immediate Suspension. The Notice stated the Board had considered “written charges, duly signed and verified, . . . that there exist cause(s) for your dismissal. A copy of those charges is enclosed. Please also take notice that you have been suspended without pay. [¶] Pursuant to the action of the Board of Education at said meeting, you are hereby notified that it is the intention of the Board of Education to dismiss you[.]”

2 In the attached statement of charges, LAUSD’s chief human resources officer alleged problems with Essah beginning in October 2012. 1 LAUSD “ask[ed] for her immediate suspension without pay and dismissal.” Specifically, the statement alleged five statutory grounds for termination: unprofessional conduct; unsatisfactory performance; evident unfitness for service; persistent violation of or refusal to obey school laws of the state or reasonable regulations for the government of schools (Ed. Code, § 44932, subd. (a)(2), (5), (6) & (8)); and willful refusal without reasonable cause to perform regular…