Teacher Sues Over Reassignment

A Santa Paula middle school teacher has sued the Santa Paula Elementary School District, contending she was punished with an unlawful assignment after speaking out about troubles in the district.

Barbara Myers, who taught at Isbell Middle School for seven years, said she was told the last day of the school year that she will be used as a substitute teacher for all grade levels this fall.

A former trustee of the Ventura Unified School District for 12 years, Myers has announced plans to run for the post of county Superintendent of Schools in June.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Myers on Aug. 18 by the Santa Paula Federation of Teachers, accuses the district of retaliation against Myers after she criticized the district for discipline problems at Isbell and asked the Ventura County grand jury to investigate the district’s actions.

“It appears that the district decided to get rid of anyone who spoke out at Isbell Middle School,” Myers said this week.

Ed Lacey, Myers’ attorney, said the district began a critical evaluation of Myers’ classroom performance within days after she complained to the district’s board of trustees about lax discipline a second time.

The critical review included a summary of remarks Myers made to the trustees, Lacey said. “She was also given guidelines telling her that she could speak out only if it was within the scope of her responsibilities as a teacher,” Lacey said.

The lawsuit also contends that Myers’ reassignment violated the district’s collective bargaining agreement with the teachers union.

Janet Grant, the district’s board president, declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying trustees have not had a chance to review it.